Somehow, when I think back to 1983 and Metallica’s debut release Kill ‘Em All hitting the shelves, I don’t think fans were listening to it and thinking, “You know what would make this even better? An expensive box set with alternate versions, live shows and a DVD.” (Never mind the fact that DVDs didn’t exist in 1983.)

Yet in 2016, James Hetfield and crew began digging through the archives to celebrate their earliest releases, featuring not only the remastered albums on vinyl and CD, but a whole slew of goodies to satisfy even the most diehard Metallica fan. Thus, we present the deluxe box set of Kill ’Em All.

Now, if you’ve bought any of the other sets in this ever-growing collection, you might find this one a little sparse. Honestly, this shouldn’t be a huge surprise, as Metallica was still very much in its infancy as a band in 1983, and they more than likely weren’t preserving every single note they played to expensive audio tape. What is presented here is a band filled with intensity, power—and, if stories about their earliest days are true, alcohol—ready to slay anyone daring to challenge them on their ascent up the metal ranks.

The album proper, naturally, is the centerpiece—and, like most of the remasters I’ve heard over the years (not just limited to Metallica), I’m picking up precious little difference. Admittedly, this release didn’t have all the studio polish people like Flemming Rasmussen or Bob Rock would eventually bring to the table; this disc is, for all intents and purposes, raw power. And, while it still showcases a band trying to escape from the shadow of former member Dave Mustaine, it still has enough to show why fans suddenly sat up and started paying attention to the band. It is kind of nice to have the vinyl version back in my hands, having essentially worn out the copy I bought back in 1986 when I started getting into Metallica. (Yeah, I know… late to the party, as usual.)

With only minimal exceptions, I didn’t hear many differences between the “rough mix” versions of songs and the final released efforts. Oh, sure… maybe a note here and there, or as on “(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth,” the outro was allowed to actually complete. It isn’t that these are bad, just that there’s not enough to set them apart from the versions we all know.

The inclusion of all the tracks from the Whiplash EP, including the “not live” versions that didn’t feature piped-in crowd noises, makes this particular disc noteworthy for me. However, I’d have liked to have seen this packaged as its own separate disc, including the original artwork from the EP, just like they did with the Jump In The Fire picture disc. Maybe it’s just me, but it would have reminded me of the original release I had all those years ago.

If you’ve read previous reviews of these deluxe box sets, you’ll know that the interview discs are my least favorite inclusions. At least there is only one interview featured in this set, with Lars Ulrich talking to Metal Forces magazine. It might have been interesting, had a blaring television in the background not been constantly drowning out Ulrich’s answers. I know there are people who find these nuggets of a band’s history to be intensely interesting, but this is definitely the low point of this set for me.

In terms of the live selections, you have to go into these remembering that this version of Metallica has none of the spit and polish that 40-plus years together does to refine one’s sound. This is a young, raw and hungry band that was simply looking at making their mark on the rising metal scene, while learning where and how their sound fit in. The first CD, recorded on Halloween 1983 at The Keystone in Palo Alto, is a prime example. It’s not note-perfect, it has its share of bad notes and issues with the source tape, it has Hetfield cursing out the audio engineer… but it’s one of the earliest slices we have of Metallica, and actually earns its rightful place in their history. Of particular note on this disc are the early versions of “Creeping Death” and “The Call Of Ktulu” (still with its working title of “When Hell Freezes Over”).

The shortened set from a few weeks later—Middletown, New York on January 20, 1984—shows the difficulties of life on the road. Metallica’s gear had been stolen in Boston, and they were able to take the stage thanks to the kindness of Anthrax, who lent them what they needed. Yes, the set is rough around the edges—and, under these circumstances, it’s entirely understandable. Is it still enjoyable? Yes.

This brings us to the final records in the set—a two-LP show from Paris, France just about three weeks later. Audio-wise, it’s a bit rough, and is definitely heavy on the bass side—meaning Cliff Burton’s bass suddenly bursts through with a riff you weren’t expecting. But, seeing this appears to be a full show (and the only one outside of the States featured on this set), it is an interesting snippet of Metallica’s history.

This set only contains one DVD—a show from The Metro in Chicago from August 12, 1983. Two of the songs were previously featured on the Cliff ’Em All! home video (and one long-standing rumor about the actions of one audience member should quickly be put to rest). It’s understandable that the video is rough, being sourced from a video tape that, at the time of this set’s release, was over 30 years old.

While this isn’t the most exciting concert to watch (especially since the first 17 minutes is devoid of audio), it turns out that it captures Metallica as a surprisingly tight live unit. If you’ve read reviews of other box sets from Metallica, you’ll remember that I always thought the live performances bordered on sloppy. In this case, Metallica was looking to establish themselves to an audience outside of the West Coast, and in this regard, they succeeded.

The biggest complaint I have with the deluxe edition of Kill ‘Em All is it’s a bit sparse. Yeah, there probably wasn’t a lot of additional studio material or rehearsal tapes as they were a band in their infancy, when money was extremely tight. But one has to wonder why other things weren’t included. What about the famous demo tape No Life ’Till Leather? What about early songs that made it to the Metal Massacre compilations? What about the show from The Stone that was Cliff Burton’s second gig? The only reasons I can think of for their not being included include having to make some kind of deals with Mustaine and copyright limitations for previously released songs. Still, they would have fleshed out a picture of Metallica’s earliest days leading up to the recording and release of Kill ’Em All.

As this set stands, it’s still a good picture of who Metallica was in their earliest days, but one would be hard-pressed to call it a must-own unless you are a die-hard Metallica fan who has the other box sets and wants to keep the collection complete. For everyone else, the original album (as well as the tracks from the Whiplash EP) are enough.

Rating: C+

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