Into the Black: The Inside Story of Metallica 1991-2014 (Da Capo), by Paul Brannigan and Ian Winwood

Unlike many of their peers, Metallica was a thrash-metalband with epic aspirations. Their breakout disc, The Black Album, marks the start of Paul Brannigan and IanWinwood’s latest Metallica chronicle. Written with piercing British wit andcritical acumen, Into the Black isthe story of the band’s ascent to stardom and the gradually descending plateauthey have travelled since. The BlackAlbum thrust them into the mainstream, whose currents ran against most ofthe band’s values. Despite their tendencies toward bold steps and genuinesurprise, the authors believe that Metallica had “boxed themselves in” as abrand, beholden to the expectations of fans rather than their own creativeinstincts.