The Metallica drummer referred to as "Ulrich" is Lars Ulrich. He is a Danish musician born on December 26, 1963, who is the drummer and a founding member of the American heavy metal band Metallica. Alongside James Hetfield, he has songwriting credits on nearly all of the band's songs and is one of the two remaining original members. Lars is known for pioneering fast thrash drum beats and has influenced the metal genre significantly with his style, including the use of the double bass drum in songs like "One" and "Dyers Eve." He started as a tennis player but shifted to music, eventually forming Metallica in 1981 after meeting Hetfield through an advertisement he placed in a Los Angeles newspaper. Lars Ulrich is often cited simply as "Lars" concerning the crossword clue "___ Ulrich, Metallica drummer".