Rare Photos From The Early Days Of Metallica

"MURDER IN THE FRONT ROW:" is a new coffee table book with over 400 photos from the early '80s East Bay thrash metal scene that Metallica came from. So much good hair.

HARALD OIMOEN

Metallica, Metallica Mansion, El Cerrito.

HARALD OIMOEN

Metallica, the Stone, November 26, 1983.

BRIAN LEW

Metallica’s first sound check with new bassist Cliff Burton, March 5, 1983.

BRIAN LEW

Cliff and James, Keystone Palo Alto, Halloween 1983.

BRIAN LEW

Saxon, the Keystone Palo Alto, March 30, 1982. Final show of the Denim and Leather tour., Graham Oliver set his guitar on fire during the encore of “Machine Gun”.

HARALD OIMOEN

Slayer mobbing Tom Araya, who is dressed like a follower of Suicidal Tendencies in flannel shirt and headband, Aquatic Park, August 19, 1984. Suicidal played almost completely in the dark that day, with security guards shining flashlights on the bass and guitar.

BRIAN LEW

Exodus, Ruthie’s Inn, 1984.

HARALD OIMOEN

Legacy backstage at Ruthie’s Inn, shortly before the band became Testament. With its colorful graffiti, this tiny room made an ideal setting for many thrasher group shots.

HARALD OIMOEN

Possessed, Ruthie’s Inn.

HARALD OIMOEN

Vio-lence destroying the Omni.

BRIAN LEW

Dave Mustaine and James Hetfield backstage at the Old Waldorf, November 29, 1982, the night Metallica recorded the Metal Up Your Ass live demo tape.

HARALD OIMOEN

Dave Mustaine and Kerry King in Megadeth, Keystone Palo Alto, April 16, 1984.

HARALD OIMOEN

James in the kitchen at home with producer Mark Whitaker’s dog, Clive.

HARALD OIMOEN

Crowd cluster.

HARALD OIMOEN

Harald Oimeon: "This series of shots with members of Slayer, Exodus, Possessed, and Suicidal Tendencies happened naturally, with a few people getting together for a photo and calling over to their pals. Before I knew it a mob had congregated, and I just started snapping away frantically."

HARALD OIMOEN

Oderus Urungus of Gwar prepares to stuff Jello Biafra into a meat grinder.

HARALD OIMOEN

James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett at Hammett’s mom’s house in El Sobrante, CA.

All photos courtesy of Bazillion Points Books.