Metallica is the author's favorite band. Formed in 1981 by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich in Los Angeles, Metallica redefined heavy metal in the 1980s and has pushed the limits of the genre further than any other band. Some of Metallica's most influential albums include Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, ...And Justice for All, and Metallica, which established them as the defining band in the thrash metal subgenre. The author provides a brief history and discography of Metallica in this document about their favorite metal band.