Do you know more about Metallica than this Mastermind quiz contestant?

Long-running TV quiz Mastermind is as much of a British institution as the Royal Family, except without quite so much drama and death. Each week, four brainboxes answer a bunch of tough questions on specialist subjects ranging from obscure 18th century authors to the chemical elements that make up the periodic table. 

But occasionally, something cuts through the fug of stupidity that surrounds us and makes us think we could do OK if we ever went on the show. And last night, that’s exactly what happened when one contestant, GP Practice Manager Mohan Mudigonda, selected Metallica as his specialist subject.

Mohan did pretty well, scoring nine correct answers out of a possible 10, and answering some pretty tough questions on everything from the title of the instrumental on …And Justice For All to the name of the guy behind the artwork on the cover of Load. 

How did we do? Like you even have to ask. We're more interested in how you would do. So we hastily scribbled down the questions so you could take a shot at ’em. You can find the answers here – but no cheating…

1. Metallica travelled across America to New York to record their debut studio album, and it was released on the Megaforce label in 1983. What’s the title of the album?

2. Before his career in music, the Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich tried to become a professional sportsman, and went to a dedicated academy in Florida. His father was a professional in the same sport. Which sport?

3. In 1983, which executive signed Metallica to his Music For Nations record label – an independent British outfit which specialised in rock and heavy metal music? The band went on to release each of their first three albums on the label in the UK.

4. When Metallica sacked their lead guitarist Dave Mustaine from the band, they replaced him with Kirk Hammett, who’d previously been playing in a different thrash metal band. The two bands had played on the same bill in the San Francisco Bay Area. What’s the name of the band?

5. Metallica’s 1988 album …And Justice For All was the last one to feature a track with a songwriting credit for their bass guitarist Cliff Burton. The track was constructed with various recordings Burton had made before his death in 1986. What’s its title?

6. On The Black Album – released in 1991 – Metallica worked for the first time with a Canadian producer previously best known for his work with bands such as Mötley Crüe and The Cult. He went on to produce other Metallica albums such as Load and Reload. What’s his name?

7. The cover of the 1996 album Load features a controversial piece of abstract art which was produced partly with bovine blood. Which artist created the original work?

8. In 2010 Metallica toured with Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer, and a DVD set was later released of one of the concerts in Sofia, Bulgaria. The name of the tour was a term that had often been applied to the bands collectively; what name?

9. In 2013 the band began the tradition of an annual Metallica night in collaboration with a major league baseball team. The band typically play the national anthem and throw the first baseball pitch before the baseball game begins. Which baseball team?

10. In 1988 Metallica shot their first music video to accompany a song from their album …And Justice For All. The completed video used clips from the film Johnny Got His Gun. Which song?