Into the Black

A comprehensive history of the legendary heavy metal band's mainstream success years.

Into the Black begins on the eve of the release of Metallica's massive breakthrough with the eponymous LP that became known as "The Black Album" making them the biggest rock band in the world. But enormous success brought new challenges, as Metallica ran the risk of alienating their original fans. They were beset by controversy over musical stylistic shifts, supposed concessions to the mainstream, even their choice of haircuts.

During this transformative era, journalists Paul Brannigan and Ian Winwood accompanied the band on tour and joined them in the studio, amassing over seventy-five hours of interview material, much of it never in print before now.

Through changes both musical and personal, Metallica struggled to maintain their identity and remain a viable creative force. A ferocious battle with the file-sharing company Napster saw the quartet attract the worst PR of their career. Meanwhile, communication breakdowns between James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Jason Newsted (who would leave the band in 2001) led to fierce internal arguments, as laid bare in the controversial documentary Some Kind of Monster.

Metallica appeared to be a band teetering on the brink of self-destruction, but through setbacks and struggles they endured and thrived. From Load, Reload, and Garage, Inc. to the stunning return to form in Death Magnetic and the massive tours that accompanied them—including the real story behind the Big Four shows—Into the Black takes readers inside the heart of Metallica and concludes the saga of one of the greatest rock bands of all time.