Fact is, '80s Metallica is NOT over-rated in any way, for obvious reasons. They were genre breakers. When Metallica first hit the seen, nothing like it was ever heard. That's why they blew so many minds, including mine. To say they're over-rated is to show complete ignorance in many of the posters here. Many of which were probably either shitting their diapers or swimming around in Dad's balls when Metallica hit the seen. The popularity they gained back in the '80s has nothing to do with being over-rated. They DESERVE that popularity!! Many people here feel that there are so many bands out there who don't get the recognition they deserve. I can't disagree with that at all, but I DO disagree with the opinion-clouded dimwits who say those other bands were just as influencial. BULLSHIT!! It is a known fact that bands that are LESS popular are generally LESS influencial. Maybe there were better (by opinion) bands somewhere out there (who knows for sure?), but if they're not known, who the hell are they going to influence?

Even Megadeth wasn't as influencial as Metallica, because Mustaine's band was an off-shoot of Metallica. Ever here
The Mechanix by Megadeth? Ever hear
The Four Horsemen by Metallica? Do the math...
Kids, clean the shit out of your ears and go grab your Dad's copy of
Puppets, and get blown away. If you were there, you'd know how it felt.
Personally I think PRESENT-DAY Metallica sucks horribly, and they haven't added a damn thing to the world of music since
...And Justice..., but that doesn't effect my feelings for the band's '80s material; and the FACT that they were NEVER over-rated back then.
My .02!