The story of the band from the inside, including a superb critical assessment of their work from the early days in Los Angeles through the storming St. Anger and the end of an era which saw Metallica dominate the metal world. Drawing on rare archive interviews with guitarist James Hetfield and former bassist Jason Newsted, fans can hear how the band drew on British heavy metal and U.S. punk to fashion their extraordinary sound. They can share in the band's successes, trials, and tribulations. The book also features track by track analysis of Metallica's studio releases.