When you think of thrash metal, you think of Metallica. And when you think of Metallica, you think of James Hetfield—the no-nonsense frontman who’s been commanding stages and shaping the sound of metal for over 40 years. But even kings have their own favorites, and Hetfield recently opened up about the bands that helped mold his thrash metal DNA.
In a chat with Little Punk People, Hetfield was asked to name his favorite thrash bands—but with one condition: no mentioning the “Big Four” (that’s Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax, for the uninitiated). That didn’t slow him down.
“Oh, my God! There’s tons of them,” Hetfield laughed, before rattling off some legendary names. First up? Exodus. “We grew up with those guys in the Bay Area,” he said. “Oh, and we stole their guitar player,” he joked, nodding to Kirk Hammett’s roots.
From there, he shouted out Testament, another heavyweight from the Bay Area thrash scene. Hetfield then bent the genre rules a bit by naming Motorhead—not exactly a thrash band, but a massive influence on Metallica’s style. “They’re kind of thrashy but rock ‘n’ roll,” he explained. And of course, no Hetfield list would be complete without some raw punk energy—G.B.H. and Discharge made the cut for their blistering sound and attitude.
His picks reflect the true spirit of thrash—fast, gritty, and born from punk roots. It’s not a surprise to hear him name these bands, but it’s always cool to get a peek at the music that inspires one of metal’s most iconic voices.
James Hetfield’s favorite thrash (and thrash-adjacent) bands:
Exodus
Testament
Motorhead
G.B.H.
Discharge
These are the bands that still get his blood pumping. Thrash royalty recognizing thrash royalty—what more could you ask for?
James Hetfield Names His Favorite Thrash Metal Bands—And No, Metallica Isn’t on the List
