Watch Metallica Shred Their Way Through The National Anthem

James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett of Metallica are proud residents of the Bay Area and, as such, were honored by the San Francisco Giants over the weekend with a special Metallica night at AT&T Park. The dudes returned the favor by plugging in their guitars for a bitchin', two-guitar assault on "The Star-Spangled Banner," the likes of which Francis Scott Key could've never imagined in his wildest dreams.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 03: Recording artist James Hetfield of Metallica performs the national anthem before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers at AT&T Park on May 3, 2013 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)

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Now, that's not to say that Hetfield and Hammett totally thrashed their way through the national anthem, setting fire to their fretboards with lightning fast riffs or anything. The pair's version was respectful, but it definitely retained that Metallica spirit and energy. The crowd certainly ate it up, which hopefully gave James and Kirk an added boost of confidence as they return to the studio to complete their long-awaited follow-up to 2008's Death Magnetic.

[Photos: Getty Images, MLB.tv]