Metallica – Ride the Lightning

Riding high on their debut, Kill ‘Em All, they wasted no time in coming up with a second offering. While the debut could be seen as a prototype as to what would become their next albums, it was clear that these lads had more up their leather jackets. The first was unquestionably raw, hoarse in its vocal delivery and basically set the tone for future thrash metal albums. Now with everyone settled in, especially for former Exodus guitarist, Kirk Hammett, and livewire bassist, the late Cliff Burton, provided the band with a whole new approach during song-writing. This new understanding and tight collaboration helped to create a classical tinged, oft melody driven brand of thrash metal. At the same time there were the other thrash metal bands: (collectively known as the Big 4 during their halcyon days), Anthrax rather straightforward, Megadeth still was trying to gain a foothold and Slayer was embarking on a much darker and faster sound.

The sophomore effort of these thrashers saw them travelling all the way to Denmark to record this album and with their new found confidence Metallica themselves produced the album. The sound was atypical of that era; the snare drum as though made of concrete, the guitars wailing and piercing and the bass actually audible through it all. Fight Fire With Fire quickly dispels the notion that they couldn’t write a brutal and melodic song. Featuring a rare, speedy double bass run by the oft maligned Lars Ulrich (he’s a crappy drummer all right but he has a keen sense when it comes to song-writing), it pummels the listener into thinking that the end is truly near. The title track which is repeatedly ignored by fans in their top Metallica songs of all-time, deals with the death penalty. Fade to Black is a song that deals with suicide and it was conveyed in the form of a ballad. Not a sappy, lovey dovey ballad like Whitesnake, but a metal ballad, with driving guitars, desperate vocals and Hammett’s best solo of all-time. They were naturally the recipient of criticism, a slow number in a thrash album is like asking Motley Crue to stop writing about sex and drugs. But they took a gamble and it paid off.

Many of the songs on this album went on to become regular fixtures in their live performances and rightly so. For Whom the Bell Tolls with its eerie and haunting end while Egyptian themed Creeping Death provided fans the chance to scream their lungs till it burst with its “Die! Die! Die!” background chant during the breakdown. Closing it perfectly is the H.P. Lovecraft inspired instrumental, The Call of Ktulu (a deliberate misspelling of the ancient horror because for its real spelling alone evokes despair and dread).

Personally, this album means a lot to me. I remember listening to nothing but this and Master of Puppets for 2 years. While many quote the latter album as their most favourite of all-time, I would say that Ride the Lightning is their crowning glory. It’s not as thrashy as the first nor is it as melodic as the third. It’s the perfect blend of both worlds.

When they were at the top, nothing could have toppled them except of course, themselves. And that was the truth.

Initial Rating: 10/10

Current Rating: 10/10