METALLICA's KIRK HAMMETT: JUDAS PRIEST Are 'Architects Of What We Now Know As Heavy Metal'

Fan-filmed video of the May 25 question-and-answer session at the "Metallica: The Black Album in Black & White" book signing at Alte Kongresshalle in Munich, Germany by METALLICA's official photographer Ross Halfin can be seen below. METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo and guitarist Kirk Hammett also took part in the discussion.

Speaking about a photo of Hammett and METALLICA frontman James Hetfield rocking out during JUDAS PRIEST's set at last October's Power Trip festival in Indio, California, Kirk said: "We were worshipping at the altar of JUDAS PRIEST. Their music means so much to us. And the way Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing played the guitars — I mean, they are architects of what we now know as heavy metal, to put it bluntly. And James and I, we love PRIEST.

"We don't really get a chance to see bands, a lot of times, when we're playing a huge festival or something, because we're always backstage doing press or getting ready for the show or rehearsing or whatever. So when we did Power Trip, we got there early — a few days early — just so that we could see all the other bands. And it was great — the anticipation of seeing [IRON] MAIDEN, PRIEST, AC/DC [and] GUNS N' ROSES, and actually seeing them. It was a wonderful time."

Trujillo added: "And it was kind of a trip because on the final day [of the Power Trip festival], it was, like, 'Oh, that's right. We have to play [now].'"

In May 2013, PRIEST singer Rob Halford joined METALLICA on stage at the fifth annual Revolver Golden Gods award show at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California to perform the PRIEST classic "Rapid Fire".

Halford previously performed "Rapid Fire" with METALLICA at one of the band's four intimate shows in December 2011 at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the week-long celebration of METALLICA's 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only.

In 2019, METALLICA played a snippet of PRIEST's version of "The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown)" while rehearsing for its concert in Bucharest, Romania.

"Metallica: The Black Album In Black & White" is a collaboration with METALLICA and Halfin and is an epic celebration of one of the best-selling albums of all time, featuring classic and previously unpublished photographs. It includes introductions by Ross, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, Jason Newsted and Robert Trujillo.

Halfin was with the band during the album sessions at One On One studios in North Hollywood and shot thousands of film rolls during the 300-date tour that followed between 1991 and 1993. He intimately documented the hectic performing schedule, backstage, rehearsals, interviews, band meetings and travel, alongside unique portrait shots of the band.

Halfin is one of the world's leading photographers. He has been working with METALLICA since 1984 and has traveled with the band to every continent and almost every country in the world, photographing all aspects of the band’s career: in the studio, backstage, on the road and at home. He has photographed almost every major artist and continues to work and travel as first choice photographer for the biggest bands in the world.