A new thrash documentary starring members of METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER, TESTAMENT and more will be released next month.

It’s titled Murder In The Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story and it’s been directed by Adam Dubin.

It’ll premiere on April 20 at AMC Kabuki 8 in San Francisco at 1pm, with the film containing more than 50 interviews with stalwarts from the metal scene.

Those include METALLICA’s James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo; SLAYERS’s Tom Araya, Kerry King and Gary Holt; MEGADETH’s Dave Mustaine and David Ellefson; and TESTAMENT’s Chuck Billy and Alex Skolnick.

MACHINE HEAD’s Robb Flynn, ANTHRAX’s Charlie Benante, DEATH ANGEL’s Mark Osegueda and Dave Lombardo are also featured, along with plenty more familiar faces.

Murder In The Front Row is loosely based on a 2012 photojournal of the same name by Harald Oimoen and Brian Lew, with director Dubin explaining: “What I loved about the book is that it wasn’t just about Metallica.

“It was documenting a vibrant scene, where all the bands were equal and there was real camaraderie. The photos captured the sweat of the clubs, the ringing in your ears and the power of young people. 

“Harald and Brian captured the humanity of it, and they understood that I was somebody who could bring that out in a film.”

Dubin adds: “There’s a big four of metal that should really be a big five and include EXODUS. I particularly think the movie will inspire viewers to re-evaluate the contributions of Kirk Hammett, who founded EXODUS in the Bay Area three years before METALLICA came to town. 

“Kirk was the central mover who put the band together, guided the music and found frontman wild man Paul Baloff.”

For more on the film, visit the official Facebook page.