The book “The Meaning Of Metallica: Ride The Lyrics,” will be available for purchase on April 19th (pre-order here) from ECW Press. William Irwin is a philosophy professor, literary critic and heavy metal scholar. A professor at King’s College in Pennsylvania, Irwin’s other works include, “Metallica And Philosophy,” “Seinfeld And Philosophy,” “The Simpsons And Philosophy,” and “The Matrix And Philosophy.” He has found himself on the New York Times Best Seller list. “The Meaning Of Metallica” is the first book of it’s kind to focus exclusively on the band’s lyrics.
Joel McIver, author of “To Live Is To Die: The Life And Death Of Metallica’s Cliff Burton”, said:
“It has been a profound experience to witness James Hetfield’s trajectory as a lyric writer over the last 40 years. From the fantastically primitive sentiments on ‘Kill ‘Em All’, via the poetic examinations of social ills on ‘Master Of Puppets’, to the more questioning approach of his recent work, he has exposed his deepest issues and concerns in a way that always engrosses the listener.”
Former Sepultura and current Soulfly frontman Max Cavalera said:
“James Hetfield — a.k.a. Papa Het — is the ultimate poet of rage. I’ve always admired Hetfield’s lyricism and message: taking on the dark side of life and turning it into a positive outlook. I cut my hair to get a copy of ‘Ride The Lightning’ and never looked back: I’ve been a fan ever since. Mixing H.P. Lovecraft with social commentary made Hetfield the voice of our generation. Much respect.”
