Metallica - "Kill 'em all"
- Released: 1983
- Produced by: Jon Zazula
Album : Metallica - Kill 'em all poster
Album : Metallica - Kill 'em all poster
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Studio album by Metallica
Released July 25, 1983
Recorded 1982–1983 at Music America Studios, Rochester, New York
Genre Thrash metal, speed metal
Length 51:19
Label Megaforce
Elektra
Producer Paul Curcio
Jon Zazula
Kill 'Em All is American Thrash metal band Metallica's debut album, released on July 25, 1983 on Megaforce Records.
Impact
Released in 1983, the record's release set the band on the path to "world domination", as drummer Lars Ulrich would put it in the following year.
According to some music critics the album is acclaimed for combining high-tempo (discounting the Cliff Burton bass solo "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth") and a tribute to the band's early influences: Diamond Head, Iron Maiden, Motörhead and Venom, all English bands who combined the heaviness and technicality of Black Sabbath with the speed and aggression of punk rock.
The Mustaine factor
When Metallica settled on a lineup originally, the band featured James Hetfield (guitar/vocals), Lars Ulrich (drums), Ron McGovney (bass) and Dave Mustaine (lead guitar). Due to tensions between McGovney and Mustaine, McGovney left the band. Castro Valley-born bassist Cliff Burton was recruited as a replacement.
There was also considerable tension between Mustaine and the rest of the band (particularly Hetfield), which resulted in him being fired in early 1983, just prior to the recording of Kill 'Em All - he went on to form the band Megadeth, who also achieved multi-million selling success. After Mustaine's departure, Metallica recruited Kirk Hammett, Exodus guitarist and one-time student of guitar legend Joe Satriani, and the band started recording Kill 'Em All with him barely a month after joining.
Mustaine and Hetfield had personal conflicts, with Mustaine later blaming the rivalry on the fact that "there was too much personality" in the band . These tensions led to a fist-fight that broke out between Mustaine and Hetfield, after Mustaine accused Hetfield of kicking his dog. Hetfield and Ulrich stated that they fired Dave because of his alcohol problem. Mustaine initially denied this, and in Metallica's 2004 movie Some Kind of Monster, Mustaine stated that he wished Metallica told him to go to AA.
Despite their differences, Mustaine's contribution to the early years of Metallica was not neglected as he received four co-writing credits on Kill 'Em All. One song, "The Four Horsemen" was originally written by Mustaine and titled "The Mechanix". It was performed at many early Metallica shows. Following Mustaine's exit, Hammett added a mid-paced, melodic middle section. Hetfield also wrote new lyrics and the band renamed it The Four Horsemen. Mustaine kept the faster paced original version of the song, renamed it simply "Mechanix", and included it on the first Megadeth album, Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!. Mustaine's other writing credits on Kill 'Em All are for the songs "Jump in the Fire", "Phantom Lord" and "Metal Militia".
Track listing
1. "Hit the Lights" (James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich) – 4:17
2. "The Four Horsemen" (Dave Mustaine, Hetfield, Ulrich) – 7:13
3. "Motorbreath" (Hetfield) – 3:08
4. "Jump in the Fire" (Mustaine, Hetfield, Ulrich) – 4:41
5. "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth" (Cliff Burton) – 4:14
6. "Whiplash" (Hetfield, Ulrich) – 4:09
7. "Phantom Lord" (Mustaine, Hetfield, Ulrich) – 5:01
8. "No Remorse" (Hetfield, Ulrich) – 6:26
9. "Seek & Destroy" (Hetfield, Ulrich) – 6:55
10. "Metal Militia" (Mustaine, Hetfield, Ulrich) – 5:11
11. "Am I Evil?" (Sean Harris, Brian Tatler) (originally recorded by Diamond Head, bonus track on 1989 re-release) – 7:51
12. "Blitzkrieg" (Ian Jones, Jim Sirotto, Smith) (originally recorded by Blitzkrieg, bonus track on 1989 re-release) – 3:34
