Into the Black

Few testimonies to the psychopathy of rock bands have been as witty, literate and loving. Read it and roll to the toll of the bell that rings for one of the greatest, heaviest rock bands.

The definitive guide to 'Tallica's second age. For a look behind the Metallicurtain, only Lars Ulrich himself could tell more.

In a market full of hacked-out hagiographies, this ultra authoritative Metallica biography by Paul Brannigan and Ian Winwood stands apart, not just in the access the authors had, but in the depth of knowledge and compelling narrative flow that comes with a labour of love.

Brannigan and Winwood are enthusiasts rather than sycophants, never letting Metallica get away with murder (or St Anger). Respectful but never overly reverent, they go some way towards humanising one of metal's greatest monsters.

With this second volume the story becomes a lot more complicated. So it's to the credit of the authors that they tackle the relevant issues with a keen journalistic objective appraisal. A good and thought-provoking read.