Dave Lombardo, legendary drummer of SLAYER, has responded with an early reaction to dozens of early photos of his band in the upcoming photo book, Murder In The Front Row: Shots From The Bay Area Thrash Metal Epicenter, by Harald Oimoen and Brian Lew.

Lombardo says: "Murder In The Front Row captures the true essence of thrash metal in its embryonic stage. These photographs take me on a tour down memory lane, bringing back many laughs, and causing comments like, 'I don't remember that!'"

MACHINE HEAD guitarist/vocalist Robb Flynn along with EXODUS’ Gary Holt, TESTAMENT’s Alex Skolnick, and other Bay Area thrash metallers are contributors to Murder In The Front Row: Shots From The Bay Area Thrash Metal Epicenter. The book will be released December 2011 from Bazillion Points Books. Cover art for the book can be seen below:

Excerpts from the book written by Flynn can be read below:

"I became totally obsessed. I punched a kid and broke his nose at an ANTHRAX show at the Kabuki for saying [Exodus guitarist] Gary Holt sucked. Yes, I was a thrasher, willing to fight and bang and bleed for my thrash metal gods."
"It was an incredible time. It was violent, it was dangerous, it was drug- and alcohol-fueled, you had to learn to tell the wolves from the sheep, and girls suddenly thought I was cool. I became completely and utterly enamored with this world. We had no idea that moment was so special, happening right here in our own backyard. Our musical leaders captured the fears of teenagers growing up in the nuclear age, harnessed the hearts of the rebellious, and taught us to ‘fight! For what you believe to be right! Crush it with all your might!’ That is the moment that we now know as thrash metal."

According to a press release: “Flynn is pictured in the book in very early promo photos of FORBIDDEN (then FORBIDDEN EVIL) and later live shots of VIO-LENCE. The book runs the gamut of Bay Area history metal history, capturing METALLICA, SLAYER, and MEGADETH's earliest shows; sacred moments including Cliff Burton's first rehearsal with Metallica and the very first meeting of Metallica and Slayer; the violent excess of hometown heroes Exodus; the infernal adolescents POSSESSED; and much more with over 400 photos in all. From the beginning, Oimoen and Lew fought on the frontline of a war for individuality, snapping frame by frame as thrash metal was born, along with stagediving, crowd-walking, and countless other magical moments filled with the key local personalities that made thrash happen.”

For a more in-depth look at the book including order info visit this location.