There is a theory why it is considered that Metallica is mostly heard by fat people(including me)....It is probably because head banging is the only excercise that these fat people get....This is album which started my share of ’’The Exercise’’ thanks to Metallica.....
Release Date: August 1984
The Band:
James Hetfield - Guitar, Vocals
Lars Ulrich - Drums
Cliff Burton - Bass
Kirk Hammett - Lead Guitar
Re-released in 1989 and re-mastered in 1995. This is the only album that the band produced themselves.
James Hetfield:
’’Overall, I’d have to say Ride The Lightning is my favorite. Kill ’Em All , our first album,
was already written when we went into the studio but Ride... was the first next step, when we started to discover the studio and what we could do in it. That was kinda the fun bit, and it still is.’’
Mmmm what does Ride the Lightning mean to me...everything.
What more can you ask for in an album? Ride the Lightning is probably one of the best if not THE best album in the world of music. youve got a great line-up of songs, instrumental, meaningful, speed, radio hits and everything. this is an all around great album!
Call me insane in the membrane to go to the extent of saying that Metallica was one of the most fluid band at their time disregarding the presence of Black Sabbath, Led zepplin and the rest....Yes they were the ones started it all but Metallica were the ones who continued the trend... )... Ride the Lightning provides an electric rush.The songs all flow so well for being heavy metal, as heavy as they could make it back in 1984, and none of them are clunkers or album fillers.As a matter of fact, this album only has 8 songs. Who cares if it has only 8 tracks? These 8 tracks will blow you away.
Yes, I know like many of you, lost a little respect for metallica after their recent(1998 if I am not wrong) release of Saint Anger but their early stuff is what keeps me coming back for more. This album is probably their best showing balance between hard rock and excellent composition. This is probably my favourite album. In my opinion their dirtiest and grittiest to date, but at the same time melody and feeling is abundant on this release. The first song ’Fight Fire with Fire’ is the song that got me into Metallica and opened my eyes to Thrash Metal.
The songs
Fight Fire With Fire
Ride The Lightning
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Fade To Black
Trapped Under Ice
Escape
Creeping Death
The Call Of Ktulu
Fight Fire with Fire I heard and I couldn’t get over the way the nice classical intro blew up into the thrashiest riff in history. I kept rewinding the intro again and again. Later I fully appreciated that song for the great soloing and intense drumming. With a lot of flair Lars throws in tight licks and fills.It was the first time Lars had shown his new found drumming talents.
Ride the Lightening
The thunder of this first track rolls straight into the intense grind of Ride the Lightening. The first riff is like an evil march straight into a groovy grinding fury of a song. Guilty as charged...but damn it aint right............. Another classic Metallica song. The song then breaks down into the sweetest guitar solo you could imagine. The solo spans 1minute and 32seconds, truly showing Kirk at his best.
For whom The bell Tolls:
Dong . . . . . dong . . . . . . hear the bell that starts a whole new generation of Metalheads banging their heads. Their first chunky song on record and it doesn’t disappoint. Simple but effective drumming lays down the law and allows plenty of room for kick as* chord changes riffs, and lead from bass and guitar.
Fade To Black their first Ballard(their ballards are mainly included in Reload, Loadetc...Which formed the latter stage of their. About suicide, the song seems to have two halves breaking into a more positive feel half way through. Is it positive though? At the end of the song your not sure to be honest and it leaves you wondering, but it sure has been an emotional trip.
Trapped under ice is another blistering journey, and again some sad sounding bluesy soloing over fast riffing. Great and what really defines this album.
Escape well what can you say...life’s for my own to live my own way....That means so much to me and although many class this as an album filler, I disagree.It is an awesome song as the others....
Creeping Death is another real classic. One of the favourites live for the crowd interaction, DIE DIE DIE it really defines Metallica as a band that can write crushing stomping riffs and mix it with fast innovative sections and great solos.
The Call of Ktulu was yet another first. Not including Pulling Teeth it was their first instrumental Lots of great intelligent music.It is a true musical journey and a great great piece. There are changes of speed and feel around every corner.
In A Nutshell
Ride The Lightning is exactly what metal is all about. This is Metallica’s heaviest and most violent album by far with the explosive guitars being played at 1000MPH, the outstanding lyrics and vocals, and Lars’ vast improvement on drums from Kill Em All.
Wouldn’t it Be Nice...if Metallica was still a good band? Ride the Lightning is all aces, not a weak moment to be found. The Black album, Ride the Lightening and Kill’em All. MUST HAVES. Even those who arent metal or metallica fans should have respect for this album, how well put together it is, the unique and great songwriting skills, and just the chemisrty between the whole band. all in all, this album is basically a metal bible to live and play music by...