Metallica is an American thrash metal band, founded October 28, 1981 in Los Angeles, California, USA. The band has sold over 100 million albums worldwide, including 58 million in the U.S., and is considered the most influential band in the genre. Along with Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax, Metallica are counded as one of The Big Four of Thrash. The debut album Kill 'em All was released in 1983.