27 years ago today, a little Bay Area metal band by the name of Metallica released their debut album “Kill ‘Em All” on Megaforce Records. The band initially planned to title the album Metal Up Your Ass with the cover featuring a toilet bowl with a hand clutching a dagger emerging from it. However, Megaforce urged them to change the title so they did to “Kill ‘Em All.” Cliff Burton is credited with coming up with the name Kill ‘Em All (referring to timid record distributors) as a response to the whole situation
The album cover featured the shadow of a hand letting go of a bloodied hammer which pretty much described the music that lied within. 51 minutes of facemelting thrash metal unlike anything I had ever heard in my entire life. I can still remember the first time I heard that pick scraping the strings leading into the opening riff to “Hit The Lights.” I still get goosebumps to this day when I hear that because I will always remember the excitement of hearing this for the first time. With not one single bad song, “Kill ‘Em All” is still an album that stands the test of time and sounds as fresh and exciting as it did 27 years ago. Happy Birthday Kill ‘Em All. You’re still lookin’ good my friend!
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