Metallica – Kill 'Em All (1983)

A challenge to all the poser hair-metal bands of the 1980s, who ruled the charts and the Sunset Strip, but were thankfully forgotten and written out of history by 1990. What you have here is a band unapologetically shoving their fusion of American hardcore punk, popularised by the likes of Black Flag and Dead Kennedys, with The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and a sprinkle of Sabbath right in your face (the original title of the album was Metal Up Your Ass).

Kill 'Em All introduced the world to the most important metal band of the 1980s and '90s, possibly beyond, and what we hear are the early signs of the arrival of the “Mick and Keith of Metal”, Lars Ulrich and James Hatfield.

Not one that stays on my turntable for too long, but essential listening to see how the band would develop and sophisticate their style in coming years, while at the same time maintaining the attitude and intensity of this somewhat naive but strong-willed debut. A good album in itself, but they would get better. Much better. And quickly.

Key Tracks: ‘The Four Horsemen’, ‘Seek and Destroy’, ‘Hit The Lights’.

Revisit Kill 'Em All below: