RIDE THE LIGHTNING ALBUM

RIDE THE LIGHTNING

Metallica is one of those bands that comes around in their early years, makes some killer music, and then as the years pass by the band gets older and older and loses their sense of touch. Since the mid-1990s the band has steadily declined, first abandoning their roots in Load, ReLoad, and St. Anger, then having an “Oh Shit” moment in the early 2000s, and now they’re a dad band. Despite all this, the early classics, the “original trilogy” of Metallica albums holds up better than ever even in the modern sense.

Thus bringing us to Ride the Lightning, the sophomore effort of the titan of heavy metal. Stylistically as one might expect, there’s still quite a sizable influence from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, albeit its a lot less present than on Kill ‘Em All. Every once in a while it will hit you in the face (and, usually, kick your ass while doing it) such as in the famous “DIE!” section of Creeping Death, Metallica striking the perfect balance between their roots and inspirations, as well as making great strides in the genre.

The overall sound of the album certainly has that older feel to it, though I can’t understand the choice of so much reverb. On everything. While that might seem like a con, it has its ups and downs. It does absolutely help on some songs like For Whom the Bell Tolls, Creeping Death and Ride the Lightning, while dragging parts of others down, like the acoustic section of Fade to Black and Fight Fire with Fire. Hetfield’s vocals feel bigger, but Kirk Hammett’s solo chops are almost drowned out at times, which drains from the performance. When you look at other albums to come out around the same time, such as Helloween’s Keeper of the Seven Keys, you know it’s not impossible to have a lot going on and still keep the integrity of a good solo present in the sound.

Another gripe I would have with the album is that Fade to Black, while an emotionally impactful song and definitely good, just drags on and on and on. It’s very tempting to reach for that skip button after about the first half, and sadly, Metallica seemed to have not learned from this later in their career.

Even with these detractions, this is still a fantastic work of musicianship. Fight Fire with Fire is definitely the most NWOBHM inspired song, would’ve fit in perfectly on the first album. The title track is an absolutely blazing storm of heavy metal, hitting you right in the face for its entirety. And then we come to For Whom the Bell Tolls, a song that highlights just how much Bassist Cliff Burton truly brought to the table. In times when a Bass Solo would’ve been considered blasphemy, Cliff takes the *lead*, and does it pretty damn well. Then of course the iconic outro, which bells ominously ringing in the background.

Songs like Escape and Creeping Death bring true speed to the table, enough to give even the most seasoned headbangers a cramp in their neck. On the latter track in particular, despite the aforementioned fighting he has to do in the mix, Kirk Hammett plays an amazing solo, probably one of Metallica’s best if I’m being quite honest.

Call of Ktulu brings things home as a closer, showing Metallica can write damn good instrumentals. The ominous melodies conjuring images of horrors unimaginable perfectly captures HP Lovecraft’s demented mind, and the song is worth multiple listens over in any occasion.

Overall, despite its flaws, Ride the Lightning is a true classic of Heavy Metal, perfectly capturing the sheer power of the genre while also simultaneously pioneering thrash, building upon the foundation of Kill ‘Em All and essentially throwing the cards on the table for Master of Puppets.

Daftar Lagu

1. Fight Fire With Fire 04:45  

Do unto others as they’ve done to you
But what the hell is this world coming to?

Blow the universe into nothingness
Nuclear warfare shall lay us to rest

Fight fire with fire
Ending is near
Fight fire with fire
Bursting with fear

We all shall die

Time is like a fuse, short and burning fast
Armageddon’s here, like said in the past

Fight fire with fire
Ending is near
Fight fire with fire
Bursting with fear

Soon to fill our lungs, the hot winds of death
The gods are laughing, so take your last breath

Fight fire with fire
Ending is near
Fight fire with fire
Bursting with fear

Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight fire with fire
Fight!

2. Ride The Lightning 05:36  

Guilty as charged but damn it, it ain’t right
There’s someone else controlling me
Death in the air, strapped in the electric chair
This can’t be happening to me

Who made you God to say:
“I’ll take your life from you”?

Flash before my eyes
Now it’s time to die
Burning in my brain
I can feel the flames

Wait for the sign to flick the switch of death
It’s the beginning of the end
Sweat, chilling cold as I watch death unfold
Consciousness my only friend

My fingers grip with fear
What I am doing here?

Flash before my eyes
Now it’s time to die
Burning in my brain
I can feel the flames

Someone help me
Oh please, God help me
They’re trying to take it all away
I don’t want to die

Someone help me
Oh please, God help me
They’re trying to take it all away
I don’t want to die

Time moving slow, the minutes seem like hours
The final curtain call I see
How true is this? Just get it over with
If this is true, just let it be

Wakened by the horrid scream
Freed from the frightening dream

Flash before my eyes
Now it’s time to die
Burning in my brain
I can feel the flames

3. For Whom The Bell Toll 05:10  

Make his fight on the hill in the early day
Constant chill deep inside

Shouting gun, on they run through the endless gray
On they fight, for they’re right, yes, but who’s to say?

For a hill, men would kill. Why? They do not know
Stiffened wounds test their pride

Men of five, still alive through the raging glow
Gone insane from the pain that they surely know

For whom the bell tolls
Time marches on
For whom the bell tolls

Take a look to the sky just before you die
It’s the last time you will

Blackened roar, massive roar, fills the crumbling sky
Shattered goal fills his soul with a ruthless cry

Stranger now are his eyes to this mystery
He hears the silence so loud

Crack of dawn, all is gone except the will to be
Now they see what will be, blinded eyes to see

For whom the bell tolls
Time marches on
For whom the bell tolls

4. Fade To Black 05:57  

Life it seems,
will fade away, drifting further everyday
Getting lost within myself,
nothing matters, no one else
I have lost the will to live ,
simply nothing more to give
There is nothing more for me,
need the end to set me free

Things not what they used to be,
missing one inside of me
Deadly loss, this can’t be real,
cannot stand this hell I feel
Emptiness is filling me,
to the point of agony
Growing darkness taking dawn, I was me,
but now he’s gone

No one but me can save myself,
but it’s too late
Now I can’t think, think why I should even try

Yesterday seems as though it never existed
Death greets me warm, now I will just say goodbye

Goodbye!

5. Traped Under Ice 04:15  

I don’t know how to live through this hell
Woken up, I’m still locked in this shell
Frozen soul, frozen down to the core
Break the ice, I can’t take anymore

Freezing! Can’t move at all
Screaming! Can’t hear my call
I am dying to live
Cry out! I’m trapped under ice

Crystallized as I lay here and rest
Eyes of glass stare directly at death
From deep sleep I have broken away
No one knows, no one hears what I say

Freezing! Can’t move at all
Screaming! Can’t hear my call
I am dying to live
Cry out! I’m trapped under ice

Scream! From my soul
Fate! Mystified
Hell! Forevermore

Scream! From my soul
Fate! Mystified
Hell! Forever more

No release from my cryonic state
What is this? I’ve been stricken by fate
Wrapped up tight, cannot move, can’t break free
Hand of doom has a tight grip on me

Freezing! Can’t move at all
Screaming! Can’t hear my call
I am dying to live
Cry out! I’m trapped under ice

Freezing! Can’t move at all
Screaming! Can’t hear my call
I am dying to live
Cry out! I’m trapped under ice

6. Escape 05:02  

Feel no pain, but my life ain’t easy, I know I’m my best friend
No one cares, but I’m so much stronger, I’ll fight until the end
To escape from the true false world, undamaged destiny
Can’t get caught in the endless circle, ring of stupidity

Out for my own, out to be free
One with my mind, they just can’t see
No need to hear things that they say
Life’s for my own to live my own way

Rape my mind and destroy my feelings, don’t tell me what to do
I don’t care now ‘cause I’m on my side, and I can see through you
Feed my brain with your so called standards, who says that I ain’t right?
Break away from your common fashion, see through your blurry sight

Out for my own, out to be free
One with my mind, they just can’t see
No need to hear things that they say
Life’s for my own to live my own way

See them try to bring the hammer down
No damn chains can hold me to the ground

Life’s for my own to live my own way (repeat to end)

7. Creeping Death 06:35  

Slaves! Hebrews born to serve to the pharaoh
Heed! To his every word, live in fear
Faith! Of the unknown one, the deliverer
Wait! Something must be done, four hundred years

So let it be written
So let it be done
I’m sent here by the chosen one

So let it be written
So let it be done
To kill the first born pharaoh son

I’m creeping death

Now! Let my people go, land of Goshen
Go! I will be with thee, bush of fire
Blood! Running red and strong down the Nile
Plague! Darkness three days long, hail to fire

So let it be written
So let it be done
I’m sent here by the chosen one

So let it be written
So let it be done
To kill the first born pharaoh son

I’m creeping death

Die! (repeat)
By my hand
I creep across the land
Killing first born man

Die! (repeat)
By my hand
I creep across the land
Killing first born man

I! Rule the midnight air, the destroyer
Born! I shall soon be there, deadly mass
I! Creep the steps and flood, final darkness
Blood! Lambs blood painted door, I shall pass

So let it be written
So let it be done
I’m sent here by the chosen one

So let it be written
So let it be done
To kill the first born pharaoh son

I’m creeping death

8. The Call Of Khulu ( Istrumental ) 08:53  

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