Alternative

Metallica was easily the best most influential heavy metal band of the '80s responsible for bringing the music back to Earth. Instead of playing the usual rock star games of metal stars of the early '80s the band looked and talked like they were from the street. Metallica expanded the limits of thrash using speed and volume not for their own sake but to enhance their intricately structured compositions. The release of 1983's Kill 'Em All marked the beginning of the legitimization of heavy metal's underground bringing new complexity and depth to thrash metal.