Metallica's Reviews

Ride The Lightning

The BEST album from these guys

All who think Master Of Puppets is the best, that's OK. It's a good album, no doubt, but Ride The Lightning is just a better album in my opinion. The Thing That Should Not Be is nowhere near as cool as For Whom The Bell Tolls, and Fade To Black is soulful and more melodic than Sanitarium.

Ranking of band:

James Hetfield(Rhythm Guitars/Vocals): Essential part of Metallica. He rocked the guitar scene and no one can change it. Apparently, he doesn't like the song Escape from this album.

Cliff Burton(Bass): The life of Metallica. This guy rocks, Pulling Teeth from "Kill 'Em All" proves that. It's very sad to see him go. Jason was a good replacement, but NO ONE can fill the shoes of Cliff. R.I.P. Cliff, say hi to Dave Williams(Drowning Pool frontman) for me.

Lars Ulrich(Drums): This guy was so kick ass back in the day, but then went downhill from there, and it was his cause, but still, you just can't just hate him because of St. Anger. Nice work Lars.

Kirk Hammett(Lead Guitar): OK, Metallica isn't Metallica without Kirk Hammett, FACT! His guitars surpass everyone except for Dimebag Darrell from Pantera(they tie, to be safe).

Ride The Lightning is their finest hour by far. Here's the songs:

1)Fight Fire With Fire(4:45): The classic guitar opening is a great addition to an otherwise kick ass album. 30 seconds in or something into the song and it becomes a masterpiece. This song, much like the other songs, has a message, this one is about Nuclear Warfare and the Apocalypse. Not the best song on the album, but still a kick ass song. 4/5

2)Ride The Lightning(6:38): Another kick ass song, I guess this one's message is the Electric Chair. "I don't want to die" one line from the song, is probably the reaction to it. It's a cool song. Not a favourite but still addicting. Not as good a title track as Master Of Puppets, but still amazing. 4.5/5

3)For Whom The Bell Tolls(5:11): About Death and the funeral, the opening bells fit in perfectly. A good song. 3rd best song. It just rocks, it has the longest opening on the album. This song is DEFINATELY in their top 20. 5/5

4)Fade To Black(6:54): Saddest song on the album. Talks about Suicide, and a very good message at that to such a melodic and sad song. Great use of acoustics by Kirk and James. This one is in Metallica's top 10. It's just that good. This song is tied with Trapped Under Ice for 2nd best song. Very moving song, sadder and more melodic than both One and Sanitarium. Nice job Metallica. 5/5

5)Trapped Under Ice(4:03): Shortest song, but I like it. Tied with Fade To Black for 2nd best song. OK, this song's message is about Drowning and Freezing to Death. Thrash at it's total BEST! Cliff and Lars aren't too bad, but Kirk's biggest moment is now. 3 solo's in one 4 minute song. That's a good moment. Well done again Metallica. 5/5

6)Escape(4:23): Unfortunately, Escape doesn't quite live up to the work that the last 5 had to offer, and it's my least favourite song. Apparantly, James hates this song, so they'll probably never play it live. But still... This song talks about Claustrophobia and escaping this true-false world. Just not as good as the last 5 songs. Still better than Leper Messiah from "Puppetz". 3/5

7)Creeping Death(6:35): Best song on the album, HANDS DOWN! This one talks about Ancient times, how the Pharaoh used Creeping Death to kill all of the first born male child of every family and how Mosus diseased Pharaoh with the 7 plagues. Nice work from the band. Better than most of the songs on Master Of Puppets. A very DAMN good song. 6/5

8)The Call Of Ktulu(Instrumental)(8:54): Don't know what this one's about. A little difficult due to the fact that uh.. it's an instrumental. Still, this instrumental is cool, better than Orion, and tied with To Live Is To Die. James gives his throat a rest, he'd probably need it after the cool vocals he's done throughout the record, and just played his rhythm guitar. Kirk really shred for pretty long, seeing as it's 9 minutes long. Lars and Cliff don't rest at all, they rock the song as well. I find this song as the gem of the album. Great song, and a great ending to the album. 4.7/5

That's Ride The Lightning, I don't care whether you press the helpful or not helpful button, I just did this review to help you decide. And I did.

Pick up Ride The Lightning NOW, and get ...And Justice For All and Master Of Puppets as well. And get something from Pantera while you're at it, particularly Vulgar Display Of Power.

Thanks, now get off the computer, go down to your nearest record store, and Buy The Lightning.

Buy this album on Amazon at $13.99