If there's one, solid, concrete point where thrash declared it's drunk, sweaty, hairy presence to the world, it was with the release of Kill 'Em All. The first full length by the boys from CA features 10 headbanging classics in a row recorded in under 2 weeks for a negligible amount of cash. This shit totally flipped the metal world on its head. Compared to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest's 10-semi-per-show, over-the-top spectaculars, Metallica's hesher-next-door aesthetic and blazing speed laid the blueprint for the metal to come. Song for song, Kill 'Em All is untouchable. With a few holdovers from the Mustaine era (that's right, the Megadeth dude was originally in Metallica before he drank too much and kicked Hetfield's dog or something) like "Metal Militia(1)" and "Four Horsemen(2)" keeping it fast and dirty; and paeans to headbanger life like "Whiplash(3)" and "Hit the Lights(4)" driving it home, this is Thrash101 at its finest. Grab your denim vest, throw on your bullet belt, grab a pint of Jaeger, put this shit on your deck and soak it up. Comes in the original picture sleeve.

reviewed by Newjack