411 Metallica Roundtable: Ride The Lightning
Posted by Mitch Michaels on 09.03.2008
The 411 staff continues the countdown to Death Magnetic by looking back at Metallica’s big sophomore effort…
On September 12th, Metallica releases Death Magnetic, their first studio album in over five years. Anticipation for this album among the Metallica faithful, haters and just plain curious has reached a fever pitch over the last couple of months thanks to comments from the band, new live leaks, cover art, track listings and, finally, a pair of official downloads - all leading up to the big Friday drop date.
But why all the hype for a band who, in most folks' opinion, completely dropped the ball on their last release? Well, 411 has decided to find out and tell you all about it. How? By taking a look back at Metallica's other eight studio sets, from the thrash juggernaut of 1983's Kill ‘Em All to the questionable ProTools mess of 2003's St. Anger. Because to understand the future, you need look no further than the past. Or some shit like that. Here's some metal up your ass!
While thrash had existed in the underground for a few years, Metallica's debut album Kill ‘Em All was seen by many as the genre's grand entrance statement. For Metallica's part, the band watched their rabid fanbase grow as they toured on the album all around the world. They would make an extended stop in Denmark for studio time in early 1984.
By the time Metallica released their classic follow-up, Ride The Lightning later that summer, thrash had broken out above the metal underground. Bands like Anthrax, Slayer and ex-Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine's Megadeth were proudly waving the thrash flag and drawing great reviews from metal critics everywhere.
The 411 staff has decided to take a look back at Ride The Lightning, an album that attempted to progress thrash into unknown territory amidst a giant metal uprising.
Do You Have This Album?
Mitch Michaels: I bought Ride The Lightning on used CD with Kill ‘Em All back around 1998. I already had copies of the other albums, minus Justice. I remember used Metallica albums were kind of harder to find, so the record store priced them a couple of dollars higher than the other ones. But that was OK. I bought them at the onset of a four hour trip. As soon as I got in the truck, I popped in Lightning and skipped to "Fade To Black". I must have listened to that track five times in a row.
Jesse Coy: Yes, I have it. Got it around the fall of '87, or maybe early '88, which was when I got the first three Metallica LP's and their EP of covers.
Scott Rutherford…And Justice for All, I got this in 1989 when they started to seep into my 14 year old mind. They were still very underground in Australia at that time. As with all Metallica albums, it now lives in my iTunes/iPod.
Ben Piper: I initially bought the cassette of Lightning in late 1986 after Puppets eventually grew on me. That tape has been lost to the ages, sadly, but I did buy a CD upgrade who knows when...
Dan Marsicano: I purchased Ride The Lightning right after I got Garage Inc. The album just blew my mind on the first play through, especially opener "Fight Fire With Fire" and "Creeping Death." My love for the album grew as the years went on, and while it has had its share of dents and scratches, the CD still plays quite well.
Blake Lauderback: Once again, I put together most of my Metallica collection in a single summer. (Man I miss having disposable income!) This one was one of the later additions, but that is certainly not a commentary on its greatness or importance - merely the order in which I found Metallica on sale. (Hey, I am frugal)
Dan Haggerty: Oh man, the big one. One of the greatest metal albums of all time and the album that "Introduced" metal to me. Between this and its sister album, Master of Puppets, it was a one two punch that made me a headbanger for life. Heard this album from a friend, and I just remembering sitting there awestruck, wondering how could anything me so good, so right, technical with meaning, just so God Damn f'n tough. After I left my friends house, I hopped my bike (hey – My license was still several years away in ‘84), and got this tape that day from my local Believe In Music.
What Tracks Do You Love?
Mitch Michaels: Ride The Lightning kicks off with the pseudo-classical intro to "Fight Fire With Fire". I have to imagine that folks who dropped the needle on this record for the first time were wondering if this was some kind of joke. But once the track kicks it, it's not a joke at all. In fact, Metallica is VERY fucking serious on this record. You've got the title track, which realizes everything that Kill ‘Em All promised and, amazingly, it only gets better from there. "Fade To Black" is one of Metallica's Top 5 tracks ever (a lofty accolade considering their output) – it shows how to make a true metal power ballad that is still 100% balls, 0% pussy. Then you have the concert favorite "Creeping Death", a track that makes the final plague causing the death of the Egyptians' firstborn somehow the most badass metal topic ever. Meanwhile, "Trapped Under Ice", the fastest fucking riff on the album, doesn't get enough credit.
Jesse Coy: I do like the opener, "Fight Fire with Fire," with its nice acoustic intro, which then snaps right into business and never lets up. My other favorite pick would be "For Whom the Bell Tolls," with Metallica getting literary. Anyone else out there read the book? Ernest Hemingway may have been a secret headbanger... at least one time, when the shotgun blast went off.
Scott Rutherford:
"Creeping Death": As with most Metallica classics, this song at its heart has a simple riff, the only issue that it's played faster than most can do it. I feel this is the track that Metallica really gelled their intention with their capabilities. The writing, the playing, and the sound…everything clicks with this song. I mean, the lyric might sound a little hokey with its Egypt imagery but the intent of it is raw. One of my fondest memories growing up was seeing a live show at our local entertainment centre and 15,000 people-screaming DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! in unison. A special song for a special time in my life.
"For Whom The Bell Tolls": A popular choice no doubt just for the bass intro alone. This is a brute simple riff, no real solos and an epic intro. Still a live favorite that lifts any crowd, you cannot have a list of classic Metallica tunes without this song on it.
"Fade to Black": Like "Bells", this is a song you always have to pimp off this album. This would be the first left turn the band would throw at their audiences and challenge them musically. From the cleanly picked intro and simple strumming of the verse, Metallica pulls out what amounts to a power ballad. All bets were off from here because it proved that Metallica were never going to take the easy road.
"Ride the Lightning": Probably the first overtly political song the band wrote. While nothing special, it showed great lyrical daring than the usual metal fair. Another important step in the bands development and also the first song that showed Kirk Hammett was The Man in regards to soloing in metal.
"The Call of Ktulu": This track showed that this band wasn't afraid of tackling complex and challenging arrangement and delivering long instrumental tracks. If you were onboard with the five tracks listed by me for this album…then you can handle anything Metallica can throw.
Ben Piper: The whole shpiel, from beginning to end. If I were to single out my personal favorites, they would have to be "Escape" which proved that Metallica wasn't a one note wonder, and was capable of writing a good song with melody, as opposed to full on thrash with barking vocals. "Creeping Death", because it's pure and simply kickass, and has become iconic in the years since it was initially released. And "The Call of Ktulu" because these young brash musicians went out of the way to prove that they were indeed true musicians by recording an instrumental that not only holds up to this day, but proved to their fanbase that these guys weren't kidding around. They were more than capable of bringing the goods.
Dan Marsicano:
"Fight Fire With Fire": God, what a fantastic opener. The acoustic intro was deceiving to my young ears, as I was unprepared for the onslaught that would pierce my skull for the next four minutes. The harmonics, the riffing, Burton's steady bass work…it all combined together to form a masterpiece of a thrash track. Hell, even Lars' drum work was solid, which can't be said about a lot of his later work.
"Ride The Lighting": The epic title track, which features one of Kirk's best solos, is a harrowing tale of a man sentenced to be electrocuted. Hetfield's vocals are the perfect balance between despair and hysteria and the band follows suit. It's a great track and one I'm glad that they have started putting on the setlists more often.
"For Whom The Bell Tolls": Some think of this as an overrated track, but I find it to be the anthem of Ride The Lightning. The two minute intro, which includes a memorable Burton solo, builds towards an absolute orgy of riffs left and right, ending in a wall of sound that includes Hammett pounding the shit out of the whammy bar.
"Fade To Black": The band's attempt at a ballad, it showed their mature side. A depressing tale of suicide, Hetfield sings for the first time, something that could have turned out to be an EPIC FAIL. However, Hetfield actually had a decent set of pipes for his age and showed it off. The slow, acoustic first half gives way to a powerful second half, highlighted by the one and only Kirk Hammett slaying on the guitar.
"Trapped Under Ice": Yes, the song's riff were taken from an Exodus song written a few years before-hand, we all know that. Barring that little piece of information, "Trapped Under Ice" is the second thrash monster on Ride The Lightning, and while not as good as the furious opener, "Trapped Under Ice" still kicks loads of ass.
"Escape": Ah yes, "Escape." The song that Metallica has never played in full and one that Metallica fans have always been divided about. Personally, I've always been a big fan of the track, which has that 80's AOR quality with a metal edge to it. The band sounds very comfortable with this sound, and while I'm glad they didn't go all Bon Jovi on us, at least Metallica was willing to try something different. This is the "Jump In The Fire" of the album, if any fans know what I'm talking about.
"Creeping Death"- Holy shit. What else needs to be said about "Creeping Death?" It's on many people's Top 5 lists and one that the band has played live almost every show since 1984. "Creeping Death" is the definition of Metallica as a band and a track that deserves any and all recognition it obtains.
"The Call of Ktulu": The almost nine minute instrumental is a classic, an ending fit for Ride The Lightning. A dark journey awaited the listener, as the band pulls off making an extended instrumental feel like it was only three minutes long. Cliff Burton puts in his best performance of the album and the guitar duo of Hammett and Hetfield shine brighter than a thousand suns. "The Call of Ktulu" is a fantastic song, and an instrumental that most thrash bands couldn't even come close to in quality.
Blake Lauderback:
"The Call of Ktulu": This epic instrumental is not only one of the strongest songs on the album in my opinion, but one of my favorite Metallica songs period. The jump from garage band immaturity in Kill 'Em All to this intricate masterpiece is astonishing. There are bands that play together for twenty years without experiencing this kind of growth.
"For Whom the Bell Tolls": Another classic tune. The darkness is palpable here as it is not hard to hear the influence of Sabbath in both theme and sound.
"Fade to Black": Most likely the most famous song from the album, this has survived the effects of time well and holds up as a solid metal anthem. This is an early example of the band's ability to balance finesse and power to perfection.
"Creeping Death": Fantastic opening. The song itself is wonderful too, but that opening lick gets stuck in my head for days, which is actually great because it helps me drown out the horrendous music that I am forced to endure by my place of business.
Dan Haggerty: All of them, front to back and ten ways from Sunday. Whether it's the speed crush of "Fight Fire With Fire", the epic riff-in-motion of the title track, the almost doomy crunch like opening of "For Whom The Bell Tolls", the majesty turned monster metal mash of "Fade To Back", to the even symphony-like writing of "Call of Ktulu". Each song dripping with plush guitar history in the making, better riffs per capita than the late 90's combined, each word a journey unto itself.
What Tracks Do You Skip?
Mitch Michaels: "Escape" has the unfortunate placement of being right between "Trapped Under Ice" and "Creeping Death", which means it gets passed over sometimes. Great riff, but not memorable. I also don't mind fast forwarding past that acoustic guitar intro to "Fight Fire With Fire". I get the statement, but after a few spins, WE GET IT.
Jesse Coy: "Trapped Under Ice" and "Escape," for example. They just don't stand out strongly enough. "Fade to Black" is a lesser thrash ballad compared to their other two (talking early Metallica here).
Scott Rutherford: "Escape". There are a lot of politics around this song and it sits squarely around Lars. Ever the businessman, Lars knew radio would be needed to help break the band. This song was his attempt at creating something that really wasn't befitting the band at that time. The word was Steve Lombardo from Slayer was actually approached about replacing Lars whose deficiencies behind the kit were starting to show, especially given how fast the rest of the band was progressing. This song did not help his standing. While nothing terrible, it is sub-standard for such a high quality release and a rare misstep in the Burton-era Metallica songbook.
Ben Piper: None. The whole album rocks six ways to Sunday.
Dan Marsicano: I love them all, so no skipping for me.
Blake Lauderback: "Trapped Under Ice"/"Escape" - These tracks certainly aren't bad, but they are just kind of there for me. I have certainly met people that love these tracks, but they just don't quite do it for me.
Dan Haggerty: Skip? You don't skip a song. You just kick back and marvel at a moment when the metal gods let someone get it right front to back.
Final Thoughts
Mitch Michaels: Ride The Lightning is Metallica's serious side to Kill ‘Em All's fun side. It also proved that Metallica wasn't afraid to roll up their sleeves and try something new, despite the fact that they were a young, unproven (but on their way) band to most of the world. The experimenting paid off, however, making Ride The Lightning an event unto itself and a more than worthy follow-up to the genre-defining debut album. It's the picture of a band that's only getting better.
Jesse Coy: Metallica established a pattern they would use on their next two releases, which was a virtually identical blueprint. For example, the first song will start with an intro, like an acoustic bit, and then snap into very fast thrash. The second track will be our title track. The third track will be a very heavy thrash track. The fourth track will be our thrash ballad. Oh, and we'll also include a really lengthy instrumental. They were one song short on this for adding "the ending with a really fast, intense track," like they did on the next two albums. So anyway, seeing this as the first of the same prototype to be used on the next few albums, it stands out less in general. The material is weaker for me. Oh, and I'm sure someone will mention it, but if not, it's also the last album where Dave Mustaine receives writing credits.
Scott Rutherford: Strangely, as much as I like the material on Ride the Lightning it's an album I tend to skip over regularly. I find this is a blueprint for Master of Puppets - from the opening acoustic notes onwards, you can run this album parallel and it's very striking. Ride the Lightning is 75% of what the band would put out on the next release with the added 25% awesome missin. That being said, this is a strong album worth your time and effort but better is to come.
Ben Piper: Long before they were widely regarded as one of the best and most popular metal bands of the world, Metallica was an admitted garage band that worked hard not only with their live performances but each successful album they recorded to build up their underground street cred. Kill ‘Em All was just the first salvo. With Ride The Lightning they elevated their game completely and entirely, not only with regards to musicianship and overall production, but their songwriting skills as well. It was this album that they also began to cast what would eventually become a very long shadow that many that followed would find themselves enveloped in. At this point, they stopped being just not another band to watch and listen to and enjoy. Here is where those who were in the know back in the mid-eighties took notice, and quickly acknowledged Metallica as something special. This is a true classic old school metal album. Any aspiring metal musician regardless of what instrument they choose to play should be issued this as a fundamental course study, not only with regards to musicianship, but songwriting and song structure as well. Three of the tracks have become iconic metal mainstays which Metallica always trots out every live show they play. And the rest? If you're so alienated that you've never given a listen to Ride The Lightning you basically have to seek this out now, posthaste! While Kill 'Em All was good, this was truly great. This is the recording that truly put Metallica firmly on the radar for hardcore metal fans everywhere back in the day.
Dan Marsicano: Ride The Lightning took the formula of Kill ‘Em All and expanded on it, showing the band's maturity as songwriters and musicians. The album is 47 minutes of perfection, and arguably better than their magnum opus, Master of Puppets. Even at a young age, the band progressed further than most of the other thrash metal bands in the genre.
Blake Lauderback: If Kill 'Em All was the first jab from the band as a pioneer in the thrash/metal genre, then Ride the Lightning is the perfect follow up cross to knock the music world on its collective ass. Again, the improvement in songwriting and structural complexity is quite impressive, and I like to think it is because the impact of one Mr. Mustaine was waning.
Dan Haggerty: Metallica has become a polarizing band over time, much like many groundbreaking bands that have been shoved down our throats. Sort of like the Beatles in the sense of backlash you get from kids today who were not there. But man, almost a quarter century later and I write for 411 Music, and this is one of several albums that shaped my life in a way that made that possible. So chuck the hype today, St. Anger, and the man in the sweater. This is the real deal and where so much started. This was the evolution of heavy metal when it came out, the barbarians storming the gates, and the raping of conventions. Believe the hype my friends, believe the hype. No metal collection is complete without this album.
Join us tomorrow as we turn our attention to what many call Metallica's greatest masterpiece - Master Of Puppets!
I have read many times that "Fade to Black" is actually not about suicide. James said it was written about the band having one of their guitars stolen. They were never able to find the guitar or one that sounded quite like it.
Posted By: Sev (Guest) on September 03, 2008 at 12:45 AM
It's a little of both actually, Sev.
In an interview with drummer Lars Ulrich on the set of the production "MTV Icon: Metallica" in 2005, he recalls how he and bandmate James Hetfield were obsessed with death at the time the album and song were produced. It was written after almost all of their equipment, including a very rare amplifier, given to singer/rhythm guitarist James Hetfield by his mother just before she died, was stolen in Boston, MA, following a gig at the Channel Club on 14th January 1984. This event forced Metallica to borrow equipment from fellow tour band and friends, Anthrax, for the remainder of the tour. The lyrics suggest a man contemplating, then eventually committing suicide.
Posted By: Kevin F. (Guest) on September 03, 2008 at 04:09 AM
It's Dave Lombardo, not Steve. Great article anyway though. I completely forgot about Escape; I'll have to give it another listen.
Posted By: mrw420 (Guest) on September 03, 2008 at 10:47 AM
This is my second favorite album in their catalog, which is funny considering I didn't like it at first. I'm not big on albums or songs where the lyrics are unintelligible, and that was the case here until I read the liner notes. Fortunately once I knew the words they were suddenly easy to hear, and pretty profound. I love Trapped Under Ice both for its blazing speed and the lyrics which have really spoken to me at certain points when my life felt stagnant. Most of this album is outstanding, but Escape and Call of Ktulu are relatively weak compared to the others, and I've always felt Fade to Black is overrated.
I'm far from a diehard music fan, having maybe 100 CD's total and I don't even own any form of I-Pod. But this album and band grabbed my attention and made me want to experience a medium I had only shown a passive interest in.
Posted By: Shockmaster (Guest) on September 03, 2008 at 11:55 AM
