Ride the Lightning

by

Metallica

There’s a saying that the second albums of the so-called thrash Big 4 bands are their best works. While core fans may sometimes prefer the debut albums, most thrash metal fans would likely agree with this statement. In the case of Metallica, the (commercial) leader of the Big 4, this sentiment rings especially true. In short, Ride the Lightning is a significant milestone, marking the true birth of thrash metal and the beginning of Metallica's distinct thrash sound. It carries important historical value both as a landmark that signals the dawn of thrash metal and as the spark that ignited Metallica’s eventual (commercial) success.

Metallica placed the most important and outstanding tracks at the beginning and end of the album. After a brief acoustic intro, the album kicks off with "Fight Fire with Fire," a song that heralds the dawn of '80s thrash metal and stands as Metallica’s finest thrash track. The album closes with the epic instrumental "The Call of Ktulu." While not a typical thrash metal track, its grandeur and melodic development make it Metallica’s greatest song and one of the defining metal tracks of the '80s. Though the title references the story of the same name by H. P. Lovecraft, it’s said the song was more directly inspired by The Shadow over Innsmouth. Close your eyes, and you can almost picture Innsmouth come to life through the music. "Ride the Lightning" and "Trapped Under Ice," while not as distinctive, still showcase the band’s thrash style quite well. "Creeping Death," another iconic Metallica song, is often criticized for lacking depth despite its grand scale, but it remains a solid thrash number, with the guitar lead following the outro being particularly memorable.

Though this album is sometimes hailed by fans and critics as the greatest masterpiece thrash metal has ever produced, it’s hard to say that the entire album lives up to such high praise. "Fade to Black," beloved for its sentiment, offers a pleasant listening experience but ultimately continues with its rather unremarkable progression. Only the guitar lead in the bridge leaves a lasting impression. The real issues lie with "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "Escape." Both tracks are weighed down by their mid-tempo pacing and seem to meander without clear direction. The former, often praised as a "thrash symphony," features an intro that pretends to be epic, but beyond that, the groovy riffs that follow seem to foreshadow the arrival of '90s groove metal—something entirely at odds with the virtues typically sought after in metal, especially thrash metal.

While I’ve listed several drawbacks, this is still a great album. Though Metallica has faced countless controversies regarding their musical direction, at least with Ride the Lightning, they managed to fully prove their worth.