Ride The Lightning (studio album) by Metallica

This record is just pure power and energy right from the start. Metallica never really give you any time to rest on their releases and that is very true on their two best records which is this album and Master Of Puppets. They just go from banger to banger on here with every song feeling unique and they all have a high level of quality to them. There is absolutely no filler on this record at all in my opinion. The instrumentation is just electric with the guitar work feeling like it is truly harnessing the power of lightning. It is tough to not get completely lost in the guitar on here as well with the closing track always managing to almost put me in a trance like state with how good it is. Then there is the drum work which is phenomenal and is some of the greatest I have heard on a thrash metal album. To add to this, there is the passion and emotion that drives these tracks that are so easily conveyed to the listener and I can't help but fall in love with their energy and power. You have to play this album loud to truly appreciate the masterpiece that is on display though and I can only imagine how mesmerising it would be to hear this live. This is especially true for For Whom The Bell Tolls as that just perfectly encapsulates their sound for me and is a stunning piece of music. Overall, this is peak Metallica with basically every song being elite which makes it their most consistent release and it feels like the album where they held nothing back and we are rewarded greatly because of that.

This album is the best heavy metal album since Paranoid by Black Sabbath and one of the best ever made. Every single song here is worth listen with catchy phrases to sing along and guitar playing that complements great lyrics so well. The best examples are For Whom The Bell Tolls which introduces you slowly into the batllefield and Fade To Black which shows falling into deep depression and lack of happy end here makes it even more hitting. I also really like every other track with honorable mentions of Ride The Lightning and Trapped Under Ice.

Excellent album. Fade to Black and Trapped Under Ice are great to listen to if you have any kind of mood or trauma disorder, and the title track and Creeping Death never fail to make me headbang.

From Jboy56 04/16/2022 09:04

The harder they rock...

Not my favorite type of music, but when I’m in the mood for something driving and heavy, I’m not sure there’s much better. For Whom The Bell Tolls is one of the greatest metal constructions ever.

Album Rating: 71.50
(574/8)


Side one

1. "Fight Fire with Fire" - 62
2. "Ride the Lightning" - 65
3. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" - 79
4. "Fade to Black" - 95

Side two

5. "Trapped Under Ice" - 63
6. "Escape" - 66
7. "Creeping Death" - 71
8. "The Call of Ktulu" (instrumental) - 71

This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.

From sszwalbenest 07/01/2021 16:54

Not as consistent as Master of Puppets, but the final two tracks are golden.

VERY strong album, escape should have been omitted however. That would make the album almost flawless for me

I consider this to be their strongest album. Heavier than "Master of Puppets" and much more mature than "Kill 'em all", it combines the best of two worlds. Personally, I am not really into metal, but when I am in the mood, this is the stuff. Overall, 85/100.