Metallicais unarguably one of the most prolific bands in the history ofheavy metal music, renowned for their intense sound and ferocious energy. But behind their accomplishments and popularity, lies a big decision that changed their trajectory entirely. The moment in question has become one of rock music’s most talked-about events. This moment, of course, involves thedismissal of a guitarist whose undeniable genius and impact has had a lasting effect on Metallica’s sound. But what caused the band to come to such a drastic decision? The answer to that centers around substance abuse and a clash of wildly different personalities.
Dave Mustaine’s Downfall in Metallica
The year was 1983. Metallica had been a band for almost two years, and they were beginning to gain significant recognition in the heavy metal music world. However, that year was also a time of turbulence for the talented band when they were forced to fire one of their own.
Metallica’s lead guitarist, Dave Mustaine, was informed he was being let go by fellow group membersLars Ulrich,James Hetfield, andCliff Burtonsoon after he had woken up. The reason? The group had grown tired ofMustaine’s heavy drinking and erratic behavior during his inebriated moments. One specific incident, asrevealed in the publication Guitar, came to a head shortly after themembers confronted Mustaine over his issues with alcohol. According to the publication, that was whenMustain allegedly physically assaulted Hetfield after the former claimed he kicked his dog.
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After being fired,Mustaine promptly left New York for Los Angeles via a one-way bus ticketthat the band had already purchased for him. Mustaine didn’t know it at the time but learned later thatMetallica had already replaced him with another guitarist, Kirk Hammett, who has now been with the band for over forty-two years.Mustaine would later form the thrash metal band Megade*th, but his time in Metallica is still talked about today.
“When you’re around a lot of people that like to drink and get silly, they just want to have fun,”Mustaine explained in a 2014interview with Loudwire.“I would drink and have fun until someone would refute something I had said. And then that was war, baby. I’d be aggressive and confrontational because I was a violent drunk. I lost all inhibitions when I was drinking, and that didn’t go over to well in the end.” Soon after Mustaine’s departure,Metallica released two highly successful EP’s,Jump in the Firein June 1983K— Em Alla month later.
WhileMustaine also found success as the lead singer for Megade*th,his relationship with the band was strainedfor many years after his departure. In a 2022interview with Consequence magazine,Mustaine described his current relationship with founder and drummer Lars Ulrich and frontman James Hetfield: “It took a while for James and Lars and I to kind of come around and become friends again. But I would say we’re probably better off now than we’ve been for a long time. And it comes and goes.”
Metallica Announces Several New Projects
After nearly forty-five years as one of heavy metal’s most successful bands of all time, the group shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, on July 22, 2025, the band dropped the trailer for a fan-focused documentary all about their stellar career and connection with their devoted listeners calledMetallica Saved My Life. According to a report in Billboard, the film, which was directed by the band’s longtime collaborator,Jonas Åkerlund, will be played in select cities as the band travels on theirM72 world tour,with concert and theater tickets on sale now.
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A tour and documentary are not the only things keeping the band busy. After high demand,the band just announced the reissue of their 1996 record Load,complete with bonus material. Set to be released on June 13,Load has 245 unreleased songs, 301 remastered songs, and the extended version of their hit song “The Outlaw Torn”. But that’s not all;according to Pitchfork, the complete box set also comes with “5 CDs of demos, rarities, outtakes, alternate versions, and three full live albums; a 128-page book; four DVDs including concert, studio, and TV footage and various merch knickknacks.”
Additionally, guitaristKirk Hammett announced that he’s working on his first-ever solo albumand releasing a book titled “The Collection: Kirk Hammett,” which showcases his collection of vintage guitars. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Hammett relayed tidbits about the album.“I guess the best way to describe it is it’s gonna be a fusion of all sorts of styles….All of a sudden I’m writing classical progressions, and all of a sudden I’m writing more heavy stuff and all of a sudden I’m writing like a funk thing….There will be vocals because the songs that I wrote scream for vocals this time around,”
