From TLC chaos to Corridor Of Fame glory, AEW famous person Adam Copeland has made a profession out of defying gravity – and expectation. It was a stunning Instagram picture with Metallica’s James Hetfield – two legends of their respective crafts, kicking it at a Toronto Maple Leafs recreation – that led us right here. The second Adam raved about his lifelong love of Metallica, we knew a sit-down was inevitable.
When Hammer talks to him, he’s chipper (downright upbeat, in actual fact) and able to take us on a full-throttle spin by means of his favorite track from every of Metallica’s 11 studio albums. His information of the band is encyclopaedic, his ardour unrivalled. “There’s one thing about that music. I’d take heed to it on the highway and it grew to become my muse. Metallica is a continuing in my life,” he says. So right here we go. No rankings, no compromises, and no Lulu.
The 4 Horsemen (Kill ’Em All, 1983)
“Kill ’Em All is a grimy, gritty thrash steel album and I adore it! Particularly its storage really feel. 4 Horsemen and Motorbreath, again to again… wow! I’ve all the time cherished The 4 Horsemen. That track simply punches you proper within the intestine.”
Fade To Black (Journey The Lightning, 1984)
“Coming off of Kill ’Em All, to come back again in your sophomore effort and have a track like Fade To Black on it… what? Speak about taking dangers! And only a superbly written composition.”
Battery (Grasp Of Puppets, 1986)
“I direct these vignettes in my head and for this track: I’m strolling by means of the desert, the warmth’s rising and also you see this lone determine within the distance, slowly making his technique to the digital camera till, BAM! It simply kicks in.”
One (…And Justice For All, 1988)
“For me, it’s the entire album, however gun to my head, it’s One. I simply sit with my headphones on and it blows me away each time. One is unquestionably steel however it has a lot greater than that.”
“That bass, the way in which it begins and the temper it units…that track has all the time hit. The Black Album is the place they made their sound extra accessible to the overall inhabitants and I really feel prefer it was a terrific change. It was time. If you’re round that lengthy, you don’t need to be a one-trick pony.”
Losing My Hate (Load, 1996 / Reload, 1997)
“They lower their hair, huge deal. They’re sporting nicer garments, huge deal. Losing My Hate is a superb observe. These albums are underrated, however when this comes on, the amount goes up.”
Frantic (St Anger, 2003)
“Together with Load/Reload, these albums is likely to be close to the underside of the record, however I fairly take pleasure in St Anger. I perceive concerning the drum sound and all of these issues however I actually like Frantic. Killer track.”
My Apocalypse (Loss of life Magnetic, 2008)
“This album was heavier and extra in-your-face. My Apocalypse simply hits me in the proper spot. I believe I even plagiarised one of many lyrics for a promo as soon as. Haha!”
Spit Out The Bone (Hardwired… To Self-Destruct, 2016)
“Have a look at the record that I simply did: we go from a really darkish ballad [in Fade To Black] to Spit Out The Bone. For this reason I like Metallica, they’re extra than simply steel. This is among the sooner songs on there. It’s simply full-on.”
Lux Æterna (72 Seasons, 2023)
“My daughter Ruby and I had been listening to the radio and Lux Æterna got here on. She went, ‘Dad? Who’s this?’ ‘Oh, honey, that is Metallica.’ And he or she went, ‘Dad, are you able to flip it up?’ ‘Yup!’ Haha! However she thought it was referred to as ‘Maxi Turner’. So each time it comes on, she sings, ‘Maxi Turner!’ I acquired to inform James that story and he goes, ‘Maxi Turner?!’ Haha!”
