Perhaps the most significant feature of Ride the Lightning was the inclusion of 'Fade to Black,' a slower, more interior song that mused on the thoughts of someone contemplating suicide. The next, Ride The Lightning expanded and improved their form with longer songs featuring both instrumental pyrotechnics and lyrics which rose above some of the more puerile songs on Kill 'Em All. The first album, Kill Em All set the template that they would follow throughout the 1980s, strongly featuring the heavy vocals and rhythm guitar of James Hetfield. After traveling to New York in 1983 at the urging of local promoters Jon and Marsha Zazula, the band signed with the Zazula's brand new label, MegaForce Records, and who would release their first two albums. The group relocated to San Francisco and eventually built a healthy local following via word-of-mouth and live performance bootlegs which, somewhat ironically in light of later events, were encouraged by the band. Mustaine was replaced by guitarist Kirk Hammett, who first performed in concert with Metallica in 1983. Bassist Cliff Burton was the next to join, and would remain a member until his untimely death in 1986. Guitarist Jef Warner and Bassist Ron McGovney were brief members, and Mustaine soon departed due to personal tensions with the other members. The band's first demo, 'No Life Till Leather', featured Lloyd Grant on guitar Grant was soon replaced by Dave Mustaine, the guitarist and singer who later went on to form Megadeth.

Ulrich's friend came up with a suggestion: 'Metallica.' Lars quickly suggested another and decided to use that name for the band he and James Hetfield had just started. The band got their name when drummer Lars Ulrich was helping a friend to pick out a name for the magazine he was planning to use to promote Thrash metal and the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) bands. Metallica was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981 by drummer and former tennis protege Lars Ulrich, and guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield, who met after each had separately placed classified advertisements in the American publication The Recycler.

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