Metallica “Kill ‘Em All” 1983. Megaforce Records, Inc. Today, August 3rd, is Metallica co-founder/vocalist/rhythm guitarist James Hetfield’s birthday (b. 1963). Kill ‘Em All is Metallica’s debut album, back when they looked like they should be hanging with the other grits* at the “smoking doors” of my high school in the 80′s.

Kill ‘Em All (original working title: Metal Up Your Ass, which would have been awesome) did not chart upon its limited first release on Megaforce Records, but did enter the charts several years later, in ‘88 when reissued by Elektra Records after the success of Master of Puppets; it went to #120 in the US and then re-entered at #66 in 2016 (not surprisingly, it’s also done very well on the Swedish charts over the years). Kill ‘Em All has been hailed as one of the first speed metal records of the 80′s released in the US, propelling the speed and fury of the genre forward and outward. Metallica released two singles: “Whiplash” and “Jump in the Fire” (that track’s original lyrics written Dave Mustaine but rewritten by Hetfield after Lars Ulrich and Hetfield fired Mustaine just about a month before they began recording Kill ‘Em All, replacing him with guitarist Kirk Hammett). Neither song charted, however Motorhead’s cover of “Whiplash” won a Grammy in 2005. I’m not a big metal fan but I do enjoy Metallica occasionally when in a head-banging mood and this record certainly scratches that itch. My top tracks are “The Four Horsemen” “Phantom Lord” and “Seek & Destroy.”

*Grits was the term we used for the headbanger/hesher/metalhead/heavy metal fan subculture in our Wisconsin city.