Kill ’Em All

by

Metallica

Kill 'Em All is Metallica’s historic debut album, and some even regard it as their best work. Overall, it delivers solid music. Released before Metallica defined thrash metal with Ride the Lightning in the summer of 1984 and before Slayer did so with Haunting the Chapel, also released in the summer of 1984, this album can be seen as a raw blend of early '80s speed metal, heavy metal, and some hard rock. This "rawness" gives the album its distinct character, and along with its historical significance, this is often why the album is held in such high esteem.

However, upon listening to the album as a whole, while it is undoubtedly a great record, it becomes clear that the tracks don’t consistently maintain the same high quality throughout. As many metal fans would agree, the album’s standout track is "Hit the Lights." The song’s aggressive and captivating riffs, along with its straightforward structure, may not reinvent the wheel, but it captures the essence of speed metal while also establishing its own identity. Tracks like "Motorbreath," "Whiplash," and "Metal Militia" are solid enough, featuring decent riffs, even if they aren’t particularly groundbreaking. "The Four Horsemen" is another solid track, though its sprawling structure pales in comparison to Dave Mustaine’s later version, "Mechanix," hinting at Metallica’s recurring problem of excessive runtime in their future works. "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth" is an interesting piece, but it feels more like a rough draft.

The remaining four tracks aren’t unlistenable, but it’s hard to give them glowing praise. "Phantom Lord," which feels like a (negatively speaking) sped-up Motörhead track, is essentially fast-paced hard rock, with the exception of the break just before the solo. "No Remorse" has a notable heavy metal riff in the chorus, and the outro itself also that stands out, but the rest of the song fails to leave a strong impression. "Seek & Destroy"—ironically regarded as one of Metallica’s signature songs—has even bigger issues. Filled with mid-tempo, rock-style riffs, the track’s nearly 7-minute runtime feels unwarranted given how thin its content is. The album’s low point, however, is "Jump in the Fire." The bizarre hard rock riff that dominates the intro and chorus makes the song’s very existence questionable, and aside from a passable bridge riff, it doesn’t offer much else of value.

In summary, Kill 'Em All is a good album, packed with strong songs, and it marks the beginning of Metallica’s rise to becoming a colossal band. Even so, due to the uneven quality of the tracks, it falls short of being a true masterpiece.