Made Heavy Metal an artform. (Ride The Lightning - Metallica)

Member Name: justin_c12

Product:	Ride The Lightning - Metallica
Date:	05/08/01 (112 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The music is incredible, great songs

Disadvantages: Trapped Under Ice

This is where they discovered their style. It wasn't just about speed and thrash anymore. It made heavy metal as artful as 70's rock and changed the direction of a straight motorheadesce thrash band to the epic song structures to be later found on future releases.

The cd starts out with a acoustic riff. This was so great cause it freaked out all those who have only heard Kill Em All(just straight metal). But then surprised you again cause it crashes into the one of the hardest songs on the album. The speed is amazing. This song is about adrenaline. FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE.. great song.. and unique to metallica's line up.

Next is the classic title track that is Ride The Lighting.. about a man who is about to be electrocuted... it's classic. great riff, great solos, hell yeah.

FOR WHOM TO BELL TOLLS is one of their best known songs. The bass line in the beginning is so great your just hooked for the rest of the song.. Epic metal classic. "men would kill for a hill/ why? they do not know. stiffened wounds test their pride." Is a must have.

FADE TO BLACK... perfect title for a perfect song... this song is the best song about suicide beside Nine Inch Nails Hurt and it was done almost 10 years before hurt. This song caused the first shoutings of metallica being "sell outs" cause it was a 'ballad'.. I don't care this is a great song with great lyrics and an awesome climax.

"Life it seems, will fade away
Drifting further every day
Getting lost within myself
Nothing matters no one else
I have lost the will to live
Simply nothing more to give
There is nothing more for me
Need the end to set me free

Things not what they used to be
Missing one inside of me
Deathly lost, this can't be real
I cannot stand this hell i feel!
Emptiness is filling me
To the point of agony
Growing darkness taking dawn
I
was me, but now he's gone

No one but me can save myself, but it's too late
Now I can't think, think why I should even try

Yesterdays seems as though it never existed
Death Greets me warm, now I will just say goodbye"

BRILLIANT and groundbreaking... especially if you think about all the crap in the early 80's.

then as the next track plays.. you get so digusted. Trapped Under Ice is horrible. It's just lame and the fact that it follows Fade To Black makes it seem more lame.. just forget this one ever happened. the chorus is so damn horrible.

Escape is a great song with a great singable chorus.. good song... not as good as the others but hey not much is.

CREEPING DEATH rules. One of my favorite riffs by metallica ever. It's about holy plague that claimed the first born sons in the exodus story. Perfect song. Awesome solos.

THE CALL OF THE KTULU is metallica first full band instrumental.. epic and incredible in every way. This is as close as hard rock gets to a symphony. It comes off as timeless and beautiful. Great way to end the album.

I see this album a lot like how I view Led Zeppelin II. The music is great and they are starting to fine tune their sound but the albums after just get better and better. Only difference is I happen to like this more than Led Zeppelin II. It kicks a$$.

Grade: A-

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