10 GUTSIEST Moves Metallica Ever Made (And Whether They Paid Off)

In the beginning of the '80s, Metallica were quickly gaining steam as a lean, mean, metal machine. Once they had bassist Cliff Burton among their ranks, every single show they played felt like the dawning of a new era for metal music. Though the band carved a path of their own over the years, they had to do so at the expense of one of thrash's greatest players.

While many people know of the great soloing of Kirk Hammett, the original licks played by Dave Mustaine were what helped Metallica build their foundation. However, as the band took to the road to sign their deal with Megafore Records, Mustaine's erratic behavior led to massive infighting that became too much for the fledgling band. By the time they finally reached New York from San Francisco, Mustaine was handed a bus ticket back home with no ultimatum.

This was no small feat either, with Mustaine's licks being all over the band's early material. Mustaine would eventually frankenstein his own thrash legacy with Megadeth, but you can still hear some of his licks peppered throughout early classics like "The Call of Ktulu" and "Jump in the Fire."

Kirk Hammett may have helped embody the Metallica aesthetic, but it's anyone's guess what the thrash titans would have sounded like had they kept Mustaine in the fold.