(Rated this album with 10 out of 10) Reviewed by
Terrence Reardon
from Ladson, SC(formerly Whitman, MA) USA
Metallica's second album, and their first for Elektra, Ride the Lightning is also arguably their best album ever. Released in August of 1984, this album was considered a metal masterpiece in the underground at the time of its release but many years later, it is their third largest selling album with five million copies in the US alone today. The album starts off with Fight Fire With Fire which sounded like it was going to be a ballad but then Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield's guitars screaming in as was Lars Ulrich's drumming which sounded like Bruce Lee on speed and the late Cliff Burton's bass playing which was superb. James' vocals on the track sounded sinister. My favorites on the album are the title cut, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Fade to Black, Creeping Death and the epic instrumental which closes this masterpiece called The Call of Ktulu. Most Metallica fans from 1991 onward probably don't like this album but us purists who liked their speed metal sound in their early days then this album is for you. Highly recommended!
