Subeed Jinn Arts Blog

There is no doubting what Metallica merch and discography stand for. It simply is a testament that the band is a living legend all its own. Of course, many other metal bands would argue they too deserve to occupy a legendary status. In reality though, few metal bands can claim to be as well known and esteemed as Metallica. Even people who don’t like metal music know the group.

The original band members did not come together in the same way that members of other famous bands did. Metallica was not composed of long time friends but of strangers. Lars Ulrich started the ball rolling when he posted an ad for jam partners. Jams Hetfield took on Ulrich’s invitation and Metallica was born in 1981. Dave Mustaine and Ron McGovney came in later to handle guitar and bass. McGovney however was later egged out in favor of Cliff Burton who exemplified the group’s definition of excellent bass playing.

Initially, Metallica did not make the cut in the eyes of big labels. This however, seems to be the same fate of many other would be legends. With borrowed money, the band started making music for their album under Megaforce Records. It was while the group was still in its infancy that Mustaine was kicked out reportedly because his drug use had gone overboard. Mustaine became the founder of Megadeth and Metallica commissioned Kirk Hammett for the vacant slot.

By 1983, it was clear that there was a future market for Metallica merch and CDs as proven by their debut release Kill ‘Em All. The work did not generate a lot of cash but it did build a strong foundation for a solid fan base. The debut album was essentially a tool that made the succeeding releases highly anticipated. True enough, the band got its first gold in 1986 with Master of Puppets.

Unfortunately, success didn’t prevent tragedy from looming over the band. Burton lost his life in a road accident while the members were travelling together. This was perhaps, the group’s most difficult period but they were left with no choice but to replace Burton. They took on Jason Newsted and started work on …And Justice for All which took the sixth spot in the Billboard 200. Newsted later jumped ship and Robert Trujillo came in to replace him.

Trujillo’s introduction to the band was probably not what he expected. Metallica at this point already had an established musical style but St. Anger, the album that Trujillo first recorded with them distinctly lacked this style. Signature guitar solos, fast pacing and long instrumental introductions were distinctly missing from the body of work. A number of critics and traditional fans did not appreciate the change. Nonetheless, the album still managed to grab the number one spot in the Billboard 200.

There is just no arguing about how popular and respected Metallica is now. After putting together a Metallica discography of nine albums and selling more than a hundred million album copies, the group has garnered for itself a slew of awards including nine Grammy awards. They finally entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. There’s no doubt that many more will add to their following and perhaps sport studded belts in their honor.