Metallica were the featured guests of honor as the NHL’s San Jose Sharks hosted Metallica Night on Wednesday.
The band were on hand for the event, which saw the Sharks take on their rivals, the Los Angeles Kings.
Metallica were presented with custom-made Metallica-Sharks jerseys before they hit center ice, with drummer Lars Ulrich performing the ceremonial puck drop.
The Sharks have been using Metallica's 1983 classic, "Seek & Destroy", as their entrance music for a long time.
"Who would have thought back in 1982 when we wrote that song that that song would have that kind of mileage on it?", said Ulrich. "And even to, obviously, be able to write a song and have your name associated with a piece of music that plays that kind of role in so many people's lives all over the world.”
“And in this particular case, the fact that the Sharks come out through a giant shark mouth and the smoke and the fire and the music and the energy in the building and so on, it's obviously, it's one of your proudest moments. It's a very cool thing to be associated with."
“It sets a tone,” adds James Hetfield. “The sound quality – not the best – but that's all we knew in '83. But I love the fact that someone has taken our song and is still using it like that. And it's synonymous with Sharks hitting the ice, coming out of the mouth, through the teeth, and then the smoke. Very awesome."
The NHL evening features the second Bay-area sports team to present a Metallica-themed event: Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants will host the 3rd annual Metallica Night at AT&T Park on Saturday, May 2.
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