Metallica has gone from a small time band of four young boys who couldn't get a gig and thus played free at the smallest venues, to the biggest name in the history of heavy metal in their career spanning 15 years (till today I mean...fortunately they ain't finished yet...hehe). With their continuous strife to develop new sounds and explore various aspects of music and not just heavy metal, the band has perpetually gained and lost fans along the way. There is no doubt that the band has gone softer than their first album Kill 'em all, yet many fail to realise that Metallica is not about being a genre or a stereotype, but Metallica is about Music. They never sought after labels and tried as best as they could to avoid being classed as certain style of music and in the process, became the subject of criticism from the industry, thepress and their fans. The bands reaction to this was summed up guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield

"We don't want any kinda label, we just want to do whatever the fuck we want to do"

Metallica has matured over the years in their sounds, music, playing techinques and of course lyrics, yet the essence of Metallica is as strong as it was 15 years ago. Metallica is one of the finest examples in the world of being a band and staying that way. Many bands have come and gone, some bands like Megadeth featured a new lineup with every new album, whereas some bands like Guns 'n Roses went out of the scene coz each member wanted an identity of his own which led to the fall of the band despite them ....being an excellent band in their time. Yet amongst all this upheavel in the industry and in their personal life with the tragic ............................accidental deathof original bassist Cliff Burton, Metallica stands strong and united as it ever was. To quote drummer Lars Ulrich,

"The day Metallica's over, I'm not going to put an ad looking for another band. I'll put my drumsticks on the shelf and there's 14 other things I wanna try. Metallica's the only band I've ever been in and it's the only band I ever wanna be in."

What more needs to be said about their attitude as a band?. Other than them being just strong as a band, they are a band who respect and appreciate their fans as much as their fans appreciate the band. Despite their tremendous success over the years the band remains as modest and down to earth as they were 6 albums and 15 years ago. Once again to quote Lars --

" I don't think success has changed us as ppl at all. We are the same lunatics that we were when this band first got going. We never see ourselves as being on a higher level than our fans".

Why do I listen to Metallica??. Well they are the only band that is Me. Every word, every riff, every chord and every note played and sung by Metallica touches me in the deepest dimensions of my soul. No matter what or how I'm feeling, their music always makes me feel better and their words help me make more sense of things I believe in.

There are pages and pages of stuff that I can write about Metallica as a band, as musicians and not to forget...as ppl, yet I guess as much told and said about them, will never be enuff to express my deep devotion and appreciation for them and their music and for giving me a band that I can truly call my own. A band that reflects my attitude and my personality. It's hard to believe today as I look back to the first time I listened to Metallica, which a great friend lent me. I felt like throwing the tape out of the window saying that "

"This band is a disgrace to music. No matter who or what I listen to, I can never grow to love Metallica". Funny how things turn out tho, coz today I love them more than I could ever possibly love any other band, past, present or future. As I talk and interact with ppl from diff walks of life and hear their opinions and comments about Metallica and their music...there's only one thing I understand...that out there, there are ppl, each one a diff individual with their own opinions, exercising their right to freedom of speech and putting Metallca to their own scrutiny...but in there, in a typical Metallica concert, for me and all the thousands of screaming, head-banging die hard Metallica fans, it's Heaven...the Metal Heaven....where ..............................................................................................................Metallica is God!!!!.