Guitar World's New Special Edition: 'Metallica — 30 Years of the World's Greatest Heavy Metal Band'

James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujillo and Lars Ulrich—these are the men of Metallica.

For 30 years, they have been the reigning kings of the heavy metal world, and deservedly so.

With such landmark albums as Master of Puppets, ...And Justice for All, Metallica and Death Magnetic, Metallica steadily evolved, progressing beyond the limits of the thrash-metal barrier without ever wavering in their goal to be the best heavy metal outfit on earth.

In Metallica: 30 Years of the World's Greatest Heavy Metal Band, you'll read about the storied band's rise to prominence in some of the most powerful articles ever published in the pages of Guitar World magazine.

• Learn how Metallica coped with the accidental 1986 death of original bassist Cliff Burton.

• Read about the writing and recording of such legendary albums as Kill 'Em All, Master of Puppets, the Black Album and Load.

• Sit alongside guitarist Kirk Hammett as he reconnects with his guitar teacher, Joe Satriani.

• Go behind the scenes of the making of the group's revealing documentary film, Some Kind of Monster.

• The 100 Greatest Metallica Songs of All Time: Guitar World ranks them from first to worst.

It's all right here, in Metallica: 30 Years of the World's Greatest Heavy Metal Band - the myths, the memories, the triumphs, the tragedies of America's foremost heavy metal team.

It's available now at the Guitar World Online Store for $19.95.