Some bands dislike recording cover songs, but Metallica have always embraced them.

They aren’t afraid to pay homage to bands they like or that influenced them, and they've been playing cover songs in concert from their earliest days. They have also released two covers collections, including 1987's The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited.

In 1987, Jason Newsted replaced the late Cliff Burton in the band's lineup. Metallica weren’t prepared yet to record a new studio album without Burton, so a covers album was a good solution. It got Newsted involved in the recording process for the first time, with the songs for The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited originally laid down in drummer Lars Ulrich’s garage, then re-recorded in a proper studio.

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Metallica chose five songs for the EP, a mix of New Wave of British Heavy Metal, punk and hardcore tracks. The reason the price is in the title is because the band didn’t want record stores gouging the public with a price higher than $5.98. The CD version was titled The $9.98 CD. The original vinyl EP is long out of print and is a collector’s item. All five songs were also included on Garage, Inc.

The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited was released Aug. 21, 1987, and would peak at No. 28 on the Billboard Album chart. It has sold just over a million copies.

The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited Track by Track:

"Helpless"

Diamond Head were a huge influence on Metallica. They played the former band's song "Am I Evil" in concert a lot, and it would appear as a bonus track on the reissue of Kill ‘Em All. "Helpless" was on Diamond Head’s 1980 album, Lightning to the Nations.

"The Small Hours"

Holocaust were a Scottish metal band that were very obscure, but thanks to Metallica covering "The Small Hours," they got some attention (and money). The song itself was also obscure, first appearing on a 1983 live album by Holocaust.

"The Wait"

Killing Joke was by no means a mainstream band, but they were certainly more known than Holocaust. The punk band formed back in the late ‘70s and are still releasing new material today. James Hetfield was a fan of the group, especially singer Jaz Coleman. "The Wait" is from Killing Joke’s 1980 self-titled album.

"Crash Course in Brain Surgery"

Budgie were another New Wave of British Heavy Metal band that had an influence on Metallica. Their best known song is probably "Breadfan," thanks to Metallica covering it on 1998‘s Garage, Inc. and playing the track live quite a bit. "Crash Course In Brain Surgery" was from Budgie’s 1974 album, In For the Kill.

"Last Caress" / "Green Hell"

Glenn Danzig’s seminal horror punk band Misfits influenced several genres, including punk and metal. Metallica combined two of their songs on the E.P., "Last Caress" from Misfits’ 1980 E.P. Beware and "Green Hell" from the 1983 album Earth, A.D. There’s also a rough snippet of the intro to the Iron Maiden classic "Run to the Hills" at the end of the song.

Listen to Metallica's Cover of "Crash Course in Brain Surgery"

Here Are Some of Our Favorite Metallica T-Shirts

Metallica have not only created some of the best heavy metal in the last 40 years, they've also created some of the most iconic T-shirts. In the last four decades, they've worked with incredible artists like Pushead, Brian Ewing and others to bring their songs and albums to life. In the gallery below, we've picked out some of our favorite T-shirts that are currently available at Metallica's official online store. Which one is your favorite?

Some of Our Favorite Live Photos of James Hetfield

Covering nearly 20 years of performances, the below photos display why James Hetfield is one of the best frontmen in rock and roll.

Each shot shows his raw energy, intensity and overall fun spirit at Metallica's live shows. If a photo is worth a thousand words, we know these shots are worth thousands of Hetfield's growls.

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