METALLICA's LARS ULRICH Loved Punk's 'Attitude,' But Didn't Feel A Kinship With Its 'Musicality'

On January 19, MetalRock Films will release part one of a new two-part "Inside Metal" documentary DVD series titled "The Rise Of L.A. Thrash Metal". Directed by Bob Nalbandian with narration by David Ellefson of MEGADETH, the documentary focuses on the Los Angeles thrash metal uprising of the early/mid-'80s and acts as a follow-up to the first two "Inside Metal" titles, "The Pioneers of L.A. Hard Rock & Metal" and "L.A. Metal Scene Explodes".

Throughout history, the San Francisco Bay Area has long been deemed as the epicenter for thrash metal, but this DVD explores the idea that Los Angeles is the rightful birthplace of three of the "Big Four" thrash bands and is the breeding grounds for unconventional thrash/punk-metal bands.

A clip from the DVD of METALLICA's Lars Ulrich discussing punk music and his group's early influences can be seen below.

Ulrich said: "When you talk about, for instance, the punk and the metal stuff sort of uniting, a lot of times you've gotta remember that kind of… One group and another group can unite because they're kind of against this other group. 'My enemy's enemy becomes my friend' — you know that saying? So I think that there was a probably a common bond against whatever it was that was going on in Hollywood at that time, with the fakeness and the make-believe of all these glam bands and the shallowness of all that type of stuff that the punks and the heavier metal dudes could kind of bond together against that.

"Our thing was that, in terms of attitude and in terms of a sense of belonging, we obviously felt much more kinship with these [punk] guys, but musically, our roots laid in a lot more traditional metal stuff," he continued. "So, between Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield and myself, [it was] AC/DC, DEEP PURPLE, IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, AEROSMITH, LED ZEPPELIN. It started off more in that kind of vein. Sure, [we liked] RAMONES, MOTÖRHEAD… But that was about the energy, and that was about the attitude. DIAMOND HEAD, that type of thing, that was much more where our hearts and souls were in terms of the musical element. So, a lot of the punk stuff, I loved the attitude, but I didn't feel a kinship with it in terms of the musicality of it."

Nalbandian told Billboard:"Prior to thrash metal, punk and metal fans were outright adversaries in Los Angeles, but the early thrash metal shows brought the two forces together to rebel against the popular glam-rock movement that was so prevalent in Los Angeles in the '80s."

As followers of the "Inside Metal" series know, each documentary includes exclusive, in-depth content and interviews with heavy metal icons and those who helped build the scene. Those featured on the DVD include (alphabetically):

* Ann Boleyn (HELLION, New Renaissance Records)
* Bill Metoyer (Producer)
* Brian O'Brian (A LA CARTE)
* Brian Slagel (Metal Blade Records)
* Brian Tatler (DIAMOND HEAD)
* Chris Poland (MEGADETH, OHM:)
* Craig Locicero (FORBIDDEN)
* Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES)
* David Ellefson (MEGADETH)
* Diego Negrete (MX MACHINE)
* Eric Peterson (TESTAMENT)
* Ernie C (BODY COUNT)
* Felice Lococo & Kurt Markham (OVERKILL L.A.)
* Frank Bello (ANTHRAX)
* Gene Hoglan (DARK ANGEL, TESTAMENT)
* Greg Durschlag (THE WEASELS)
* Jay Reynolds (MALICE)
* Joey Vera (ARMORED SAINT)
* John Bush (ARMORED SAINT, ANTHRAX)
* John Gallagher (RAVEN)
* Juan Garcia (AGENT STEEL, ABATTOIR, BODY COUNT)
* Katon DePena (HIRAX)
* Kevin Estrada (Photographer)
* Lars Ulrich (METALLICA)
* Lloyd Grant (DEFCON)
* Malcolm Dome (Journalist)
* Marty Friedman (HAWAII, CACOPHONY, MEGADETH)
* Mike Inez (ALICE IN CHAINS)
* Monte Pittman (PRONG, MADONNA)
* Peter Baltes & Wolf Hoffmann (ACCEPT)
* Phil Sandoval (ARMORED SAINT)
* Phyllis Pollack (Journalist)
* Rocky George (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES)
* Scott Peterson (CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER)
* Steven Craig (former manager of SLAYER & DARK ANGEL)
* STRYPER (Robert Sweet, Michael Sweet, Oz Fox, Tim Gaines)
* Tracey "Spacey T" Singleton (SOUND BARRIER, GANGLAND)
* Tracy Barnes (Radio PD)
* Vincent Price (STEEL PROPHET, BODY COUNT)
* William Howell (KNAC Radio Host a.k.a. DJ Will, former A&R Capitol Records and Metal Blade Records)

Each special guest on the DVD provides unique and first-hand insight into the birth and rise of one of heavy metal's originating genres. This is a must-see DVD for anyone with a passion for heavy music, and makes a great gift. Pre-orders are available now via Amazon.

Nalbandian said: "'The Rise Of L.A. Thrash Metal' is the third installment in the 'Inside Metal' series and perhaps the most compelling, as this title delves deep into the dark history of thrash metal with the birth of METALLICA and SLAYER and ensuing Los Angeles thrash bands MEGADETH, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and DARK ANGEL, as well as many others that are documented in this two-part film. We at MetalRock Films felt it was important to uncover this rich history of underground thrash metal told from the eyes of some of the biggest metal artists today!"

Part two of "The Rise Of L.A. Thrash Metal" will be released later in 2018.

"The Rise Of L.A. Thrash Metal" was produced by Nalbandian, Carl Alvarez and Joe Floyd, executive-produced by Warren Croyle and edited by Curtis Don Vito.