Joel McIver and Thomas Gabriel Fischer

The documentary Some Kind of Monster captures the tribulations of Metallica as band members record St. Anger and hire a shrink to keep from killing one another. Monster has been applauded for its unprecedented look into Metallica, much to the chagrin of Joel McIver, who had zero access to the band for his book Justice for All: The Truth About Metallica. But McIver did speak with just about everyone else, including former band members Jason Newsted and Dave Mustaine, and the unauthorized route allows the writer to offer a more thorough critique. He is clearly a fan of the band’s early efforts, heaping praise on Kill ‘Em All and scorn on St. Anger, a they-sold-out attitude concurrent with many long-time Metallica devotees. McIver’s outspoken stance makes for good reading, even as he skips the usual bawdy tales of cocaine and groupies (probably because he had none to tell) and dedicates himself to debating musical merits. But the lack of access leaves meandering filler, such as a meaningless debate about the greatest thrash-metal album of all time. When it stays on point, McIver’s book satisfies. But those hoping to dissect Metallica’s psychosocial dynamics may be better off waiting for the Monster DVD.