After a career that has spanned three decades and included 100 million albums sold worldwide, nine Grammy Awards, and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Metallica has firmly established itself as one of the preeminent musical acts of all time, embodying as no other band has a passion for the sound and frenzy of heavy metal. This account takes a chronological look at the band's long history, delving into the band members' personal lives and the band's records and videos, and provides a wealth of anecdotes and trivia. The authors, both music specialists, also dissect lead songwriter James Hetfield's lyrics and offer an appendix with unrivaled information on the instruments, effects, and amps used by the bands during each period and on each record.