Heroes walk the halls of hospitals, providing care and offering hope. Teachers have the patience of Job and are often ready to manage a crisis. Faithful pastors and missionaries share God’s perspective in a culture quick to criticize standards.
Those are just some of the people Metallica honor in their song hero of the day, included on the band’s Load (Remastered) reissue that’s out today. This version has been officially remastered and includes additional tracks including demos, alternate takes, B-sides and rehearsal audio.
The music video for the track was directed by Anton Corbijn and follows a drug-addled youth as he watches television, each program featuring some aspect of Metallica. There’s a Western movie starring Kirk Hammett and Jason Newsted, a boxing match with Hetfield as coach, a drink called Load and even a game show with Hetfield and Lars Ulrich as contestants. It’s a fascinating look at how the band saw themselves at the time of the release in 1996.