 Metallica began by playing shows in local clubs in Los Angeles . They recorded several demos to gain attention from club owners , and eventually relocated to San Francisco to secure the services of bassist Cliff Burton . The group 's No Life ' til Leather demo ( 1982 ) was noticed by Megaforce label head Jon Zazula , who signed them and provided a small budget of $ 15 @,@ 000 for recording . The album was recorded in May with producer Paul Curcio at the Music America Studios in Rochester , New York . It was originally intended to be titled Metal Up Your Ass , with cover art featuring a hand clutching a dagger emerging from a toilet bowl . The band was asked to change the name because distributors feared releasing an album with such an offensive title and artwork would diminish its chances of commercial success . Metallica promoted the album on the two @-@ month co @-@ headlining Kill ' Em All for One tour with Raven in the United States . Although the initial shipment was 15 @,@ 000 copies in the US , the album sold 60 @,@ 000 copies worldwide by the end of Metallica 's Seven Dates of Hell European tour in 1984 . 
