Metallica Ride The Lightning: Album Review
A Track by Track Synopsis of Metallica's Ride The Lightning
Nov 29, 2008
In just a short period of time (one year between albums) Metallica evolved significantly: lyrically, stylistically, and technically. Ride The Lightning emits a sound that is more mature, a sound that will begin to launch Metallica into superstardom.
Ride The Lightning Track by Track
Fight Fire With Fire (4:47): In the opening seconds of this album listeners will hear a significant stylistic change – a melodic guitar introduction. This, of course, is followed by the traditional thrash metal standby: machine-gun palm muting and technical riffs. James Hetfield’s vocals have changed very little; however, his lyrical content has shifted focus from words about the metal scene to a more political focus. Fight Fire With Fire discusses nuclear proliferation – a lyrical theme that lends itself to Metallica’s explosive sound.
Ride the Lightning (6:38): The title track from the album showcases the bands progression towards a more technical approach to the metal genre. While the music remains thrash metal, listeners will hear a larger variety of riffs executed with more precision. Lyrics from this track discuss the political ramifications of capital punishment. The name of the song is a clever euphemism for the electric chair: “Death in the air/Strapped in the electric chair.”
For Whom the Bell Tolls (5:11):This is a unique Metallica song. Notably, there is not a definitive solo in the song. Although it is one of the simplest songs on the album, it is also one of the best. The song begins with ominous bells chiming and gives way to heavy power chords followed by needling triplets performed by Kirk Hammett on guitar. The song title pays homage to popular novelist Ernest Hemmingway’s fictional novel by the same title.
Fade to Black (6:59):This is one of Metallica’s best written songs from their entire discography: period. The placement of this song within the context of the album itself begins the template for the next three albums to include a slower and longer ballad as the fourth track. This is one of Metallica’s best composed songs. The song's format features a gloomy melodic finger picking guitar intro interspersed with heavy power chords. The song moves towards a tenacious and beautifully composed guitar solo by Kirk Hammett.
Trapped Under Ice (4:06): This song will appeal particularly to fans of Metallica’s thrash metal aspects. This song is the shortest, fastest, and heaviest.
Escape (4:25): This song begins with a promising verse, and then gives way to one of the weakest Metallica choruses. It sounds like an empowering sing-along uncharacteristic of Metallica. This is the most forgettable song from the album.
Creeping Death (6:38):Creeping Death is another one of Metallica’s greatest songs. Hetfield’s writes lyrics that deal thematically with biblical themes, ranging from Moses to the 10 plagues. The riffs in this song are incredibly catchy. After another lengthy expert guitar solo performed by Kirk Hammett the tempo of Creeping Death becomes slow and heavy, giving way to a powerful chant: “Die by my hand/I creep from across the land/ Killing first-born man.”
Call of Ktulu (8:53): This is Metallica’s first full band instrumental track. The Call of Ktulu showcases the bands musical and technical proficiency. Metallica’s following two albums also subscribe this formula, placing a lengthy instrumental track near the end of the album.
Legacy of Ride The LightningRide The Lightning is one of the greatest thrash metal albums of all time. At a time when heavy metal was just beginning to take shape, Metallica released a series of albums that are some of the greatest albums of the 1980's.
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