Metallica - Ride the Lightning
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Free Music Notes for Ride the Lightning
Free Music Review: Ride The Lightning
Hit: 5 Stars
Usually bands suffer a follow up to their debate, not Metallica, this is even BETTER, than Kill 'Em All, Kill 'Em All is great, but this totally blows it out of the water, the production is a bit better, James' vocals improved ALOT, the cover will give you a hint what you're in for, one hell of a thrashing, everything is improved on this album, from songwriting, to vocals, to guitar...Mustaine co-wrote to songs off this, whereas Kill 'Em All had 5 co-written by him, the ones he wrote are EXCELLENT, but Metallica could also write songs back then, coming out in 1984, same year as Iron Maiden - Powerslave (Also a great album)...Exodus - Bonded By Blood was SUPPOSED to be released this same year, but record company problems made it not so, if it was released when it was supposed to be, it may have been embraced as a landmark by more Metal fans today, BUT, it IS a landmark, I strongly suggest you to check that out, anyways, heres a rundown...
Fight Fire With Fire 5/5, A nice melodic acoustic intro, don't be fooled by it, when the guitar kicks in, you know what you're in for, WICKED riff on that, killer solo
Ride The Lightning 5/6! Jeez! what an intro riff, this song cannot be explained in words really, just listen to the riffs after the spectacular intro, then when it speeds up, AMAZING riffs, and a wicked solo makes for a killer song
For Whom The Bell Tolls 5/5, A slow, more groovish song, but it's still good, the riffs are cool as hell, and the outro, with the church bells and stuff, sounds dark and evil, it's a little outplayed, but I still enjoy it
Fade to Black 5/4, I know you guys are saying (5/4?!?!, he's nuts!), but, while I still like this song, it doesn't fit in that well, with the 3 tracks that come before, it's definetly a cool song, but not like the others, sorry guys, GOOD WHEN IT GETS HEAVY THOUGH!
Trapped Under Ice 5/6, KILLER, KILLER song, very thrashy, and heavy as all hell, interesting fact, I guess they stole this riff from Exodus, if you listen to Impaler off Exodus' Tempo of the Damned, the riff when it gets really fast, is IN THIS SONG!, but, whatever happened, both songs are great, it's not ALL the riffs in the song that were the same, just that one, but...whoever wrote it originally, GREAT RIFF!
Escape 0/0....PHEW, what a stinker, this doesn't even SOUND like Metallica, let alone BE on this album, it doesn't belong on ANY Metallica album, the only cool part is the outro with the sirens going off, other than that, this is a bomb
Creeping Death 5/6, WHAT A GREAT SONG, it MORE than makes up for the last track, GREAT intro, chorus, riffing, great solo...everything about it is EXCELLENT, skip Escape after the great Trapped Under Ice, Escape is no where NEAR this
The Call of Ktulu 5/5, a very nice instrumental, great way to close off such a great album, nice riffing in this, 8 minutes, making it the longest song on the album
A great album, a classic, wish they would have stayed like this, but, money talks, if you like Kill 'Em All, you'll like this even more, it totally kills Kill 'Em All, I'm not taking anything away from Kill 'Em All, it's a great album, but this one is the gem, everything about it is perfect, except for Escape, don't pay attention to that one, it's an awful song, as I stated, also, Master of Puppets and ...And Justice for All are classics also, even The Black Album is great...after than though...Gone, anyways, if you've never heard this, you're in for a treat, IF, you like Metal, if you don't, stay away from it, and if you like Nu-Metal, stay away from it, you won't like it, the riffs are more than one string open and close riff, LATER!
Free Music Review: My first metal album, and easily one of the best ever.
Hit: 5 Stars
As mentioned in the title of this review, RTL was the first metal album I ever purchased back in 1996 at the tender age of 12, and I still listen to it to this day. It has always been one of my personal favorites, and it stands up as one of the best thrash metal albums of all time. It's the album that truly got me into metal and I feel it's the best Metallica record. MOP comes close, but not quite. Metallica perfected their incredible talent, and worked out the kinks from their thrash happy, raw first album Kill Em All, with this gem of a sophomore effort. Now, on to the review.
1. Fight Fire With Fire - The first song of the 8 track onslaught sets the tone well, as it begins quietly with acoustic guitar, and then it changes with a heavy thrash explosion like a punch in the face. It plays fast and furious throughout, until it comes to a stop with an explosion to end the metal assault. Very good opening song, something Metallica has always done well. 4/5
2. Ride The Lightning - The title track of the album dosen't dissappoint. It has a very solid, heavy riff, and Kirk Hammett busts out arguably his best solo on the album. Great vocals in this one too, especially in the chorus of the song. 5/5
3. For Whom The Bell Tolls - Perhaps the most popular song on the album with most people. It starts out with two gongs of a bell, and then continues with a great melodic sounding guitar riff. One of the best intros to any song they've done. Sounds very cool with the bell going throughout the song, and makes for a great dramatic effect. 5/5
4. Fade To Black - My personal favorite Metallica song not only on this album, but I would venture to say of all time. It really has everything you could ask for in a great song. It begins with a beautiful acoustic pattern and some lead guitar mixed in as well. Once the first few lines are sung, it builds into a heavy riff that grabs you and dosen't let go. Kirk Hammett rounds out the song with an absolutely incredible solo that will have you headbanging for sure! I think that it's the best written song on the record and the guitars mesh so well and sound better than any other song on the album. A HUGE 5/5!!
5. Trapped Under Ice - A very heavy, speed metal tune that includes a galloping, in-your-face riff that will make you want to start throwing things!!Not in my top 5 favorites on the album, but still very strong. 3/5
6. Escape - The weakest song from this offering in my opinion. Still not bad, but it's just softer and packs less punch than the others. For this to be the weakest song is saying alot though, because it's still heavy and I certainly wouldn't say it's one of Metallica's worst songs. 2/5
7. Creeping Death - Here we go, now it's time to rock!! This one comes close as my favorite, second only to Fade to Black. The riffs in it are so tight and Hammett is at the top of his game with his solo work. It rocks so hard from start to finish, and the lyrics are creative and creepy at the same time. This song IS thrash!! 5/5
8. The Call Of Ktulu - This is my favorite Metallica instumental-hands down. It starts with a nice string arrangement, and then builds up to a thundering guitar assault. Great lead work by Hammett in this one, as he really shows why he's one of the greatest thrash lead guitarists of all time. It's the longest track at 8:53, but worth every minute. 4/5
Well, there you have it. My review of Ride The Lightning. Hope this helps in your decision to buy the album. I highly recommend it to anyone who is into thrash/speed metal music. If you're new to Metallica and looking for the best album to start with, look no further than this album. You won't regret it.
Free Music Review: The First Metallica album
Hit: 5 Stars
In my opinion this is the first real Metallica album. While Kill 'Em All displayed the speed and aggression that would power Metallica ahead of all other thrash bands it just had something missing. This album pulls it all together! The lyrics are incredible and Ride the Lightning adds melody to the speed and power of their songs creating a lethal combination. Metallica improved on its sound with Master of Puppets but lost some of their edge. Here are how i would rate the songs on Ride the Lightning:1) Fight Fire With Fire - An incredible classical guitar intro that explodes into a fulfledged thrash classic. Lyrics about revenge and nuclear armageddon add to the frightening imagery in "Fight Fire With Fire." Maybe Metallica's fastest and heaviest song to date. James' best thrash metal vocals are displayed in this song. 8.5/10
2) Ride the Lightning - Probably my favorite song on the album and maybe my favorite Metallica song. Kirk lays down an awesome solo in this one. Note: Dave Mustaine wrote the chord pregression that is used throughout this song and can be found on "Looking Down the Cross" by Megadeth. 10/10
3) For Whom the Bell Tolls - A slower Metallica song. This song to me always seems to lag behind the rest on this album in greatness. While this song has great lyrics based on an Ernest Hemingway book. Lacks the speed and intensity of other Metallica songs but a great intro saves it. 7.5/10
4) Fade to Black - Probably my all time favorite Kirk Hammett solo is the outro solo to this song. Every time I hear this solo it sends shivers down my spine. "Fade to Black", written about suicide, may be the saddest Metallica song written and is and absolute metal classic. 9.5/10
5) Trapped Under Ice - An epic about a person drowning and freezing to death. This song moves at a schizophrenic pace and Kirk comes through with a blistering solo in the beginning of the song. Perhaps a hidden metaphor to drug addiction in this song... it's hard to tell. 9/10
6) Escape - My least favorite song on the album. Moves a seemingly slow pace and the chorus makes me want to shoot myself. I usually skip this one. Lyrics about escaping from a world that tries to prevent you from being what you want to be adds to the dullness of this song. 5.5/10
7) Creeping Death - A song inspired by the movie "The Ten Commandments", "Creeping Death" adds an interesting element to the album. "Creeping Death" is an allusion to the final plague bestowed upon the Egyptians, the Angel of Death, which came and killed the first born of every family that did not have lambs blood above their door. While this song keeps up the speed and intensity of the other song it seems to add something extra to the album. A blazing solo by Kirk and excellent rhythm by James makes this one of the best songs on the album. 9/10
8) Call of Ktulu - The worst of the instrumentals (exluding the bass solo on Kill 'Em All) in my opinion. Picks up at the end of the song but cannot compare to "Orion" or the epic dedicated to bassist Cliff Burton that is "To Live is To Die." 7.5/10
The second best Metallica album trailing only "Master of Puppets." I thought that Metallica needed to end "Ride the Lightning" with one final punch like they did with "Master of Puppets." ("Damage Inc.") Besides that this album has James' best vocals to date and some of the best instrumental work displayed in all of music. "Ride the Lightning" paved the way for Thrash Metal and continues to influence musicians today! Thanks James, Kirk, and Lars! You've changed my life! R.I.P. Cliff!
Free Music Review: Amazing transformation from Kill 'em All to this...
Hit: 5 Stars
If you listened to Kill 'em All and then popped in Ride the Lightning, you could easily be convinced that it was two different bands. Aside from the kiss-our-ass mentality of both albums, they are totally different, from Hetfield's voice to Lars' drumming to the song content, going from a leather and metal theme to introspective, well-thought lyrics.As soon as you hear the very pretty little acoustic opening of "Fight Fire With Fire" fade into rumbling distortion, you know this is gonna be heavy. The pounding begins and doesn't let up.
The title track "Ride the Lightning" is epic and amazing. The solos on this are some of the finest ever caught on tape as Kirk Hammett just kills.
"For Whom the Bell Tolls" has a signature Cliff Burton bass solo early in it that I can remember wondering if it was bass or guitar...he had such a distored sound that it was almost hard to believe it was a 4-stringer. A great song.
"Fade to Black" is a classic, a beautifully sad thing, beginning with another lovely acoustic intro (another example of these guys being anything but one dimensional) and ending with driving harmonies over Lars' thudding double kick. It was their first and best "ballad." The lyrics, dealing with suicide as the last and all-too-final answer, were slammed repeatedly for being pro-suicide, which wasn't the message at all. I always interpreted them as the opposite, a story of how suicide solves nothing.
"Trapped Under Ice" is another all-out blast of thrash, with jackhammering drums and more great guitar solos. I still feel worn out after listening to this song, nearly 16 years after the first time I heard it.
"Escape" is a hidden gem on the album, never mentioned in the long lists of Metallica's classics. It's a mid-tempo tune about coming to grips with feeling alone and isolated, and actually embracing it and rising above in spite of it. (Ah, youthful idealism...wherefore art thou nowadays?) An amazing song that's only slightly less amazing than the other amazing songs on this amazing album.
"Creeping Death" is another epic, and will always be remembered by me as the song that made a full arena chant "DIE! DIE! DIE!" for what must have been a full two minutes (University of New Orleans Lakefront Arena, January 16, 1989). An excellent song about biblical plague-type issues.
"The Call of Ktulu" is an amazing instrumental that featured each member's ability to create with their instruments (the Dave Mustaine influence is in here too...tell me the beginning doesn't make you think of "Good Mourning" off of Megadeth's Peace Sells...). It's a good way to end the experience of listening to Ride the Lightning.
My friends and I still, to this day, debate over which is the best Metallica album, and it always comes down to either Ride the Lightning or Master of Puppets. I agonize over this each and every time it's brought up. I think that if "Fade to Black" had been on Master of Puppets, then it would definitely be that album...there wouldn't be much agonizing. But, as it stands, it's a draw between the two (I know what you're thinking..."How can you talk about Metallica's best albums and not mention Load?" hehe, yeah right).
Any early thrash metal fan worth his/her salt knows this album start to finish. If you think Metallica is defined by their tired, jaded, and poor albums "Load" and "S & M" and "St. Anger," then you are certainly misguided and need some edification.
Start with Ride the Lightning.
Free Music Review: Awesome power
Hit: 5 Stars
As soon as I heard the title track I knew this album was something special. I am yet to find a thrash album with such a dominant theme, or 'feel' to it as RTL. Just looking at cover now captures what the album is all about - spine tingling power. It starts off with a sold thump in the form of 'Fight Fire with Fire', with a great intro and riffing.
The crossover between tracks 1 and 2 is awesome. The title track 'Ride the lightning' is in my opinion one of the most underrated songs in the whole of rock music. If there can be a perfect heavy metal song it has to be this one. AWESOME intro, one of the greatest Metallica guitar solos and James Hetfield's vocals at his peak. His screaching '...wakened by horrid screams, freed from this freightning dream' is absolutely fantastic, I wish he had sung more like that in the other Metallica albums. This song, clocking in at 6:36, would make this album 10/10 even if that was the only good song on there. But it ain't...
'For whom the bell tolls' is an excellent innovation, in that the majority of the song's time is taken up in the excellent, plodding intro and the creepy fade out. This is also the only song on the album with no guitar solo. This track also stands out because of the terrific visual imagery it creates - despite being relateively short compared with the other tracks, it conveys a vivid atmosphere and aura of being in a wartime battle
'Fade to black' is very popular, but to be honest it doesn't do a lot for me. It serves the useful purpose of slowing the pace down significantly after the blistering speed of the earlier tracks. Very morbid, with lyrics that I have grown weary of over time and a moderate guitar solo. Definately not one of their best; its an average metal ballad.
'Trapped under ice' picks up the pace once again and provides the albums fastest song. Its a standard thrash outing with, once again, absolutely brilliant imagery created largely by Hetfield's lyrics and vocals. Guitar solo is short and sweet, could have been a little longer and more complex.
'Escape' I feel is the weakest song, although my lack of love of this song is probably because it is significantly overshadowed by the other monster tracks on this album. The whole track lacks direction, with a pretty weak riff and solo. The lyrics are also substandard compared with the other masterpieces.
'Creeping death' is a terrific track, with excellent speed throughout. It tells of the plight of the Hebrews in the Old testament of the Bible, and is not a bad summary of the situation (for people like me who don't know too much about it!) A pretty good solo and high intensity throughout. Once again Hetfield shines in the vocals.
'The Call of Ktulu' - in my opinion, the GREATEST metal instrumental ever recorded. This song is just so well structured and executed by the boys that it is hard to believe its the same band as they are today with the stuff they have released lately. This is Metallica at their most powerful - the riffs and underlying chords used in this 9 minute monster are very complex and need to be listened to carefully to derive full enjoyment. An excellent solo by Hammett complements a suburb drum and base track by Ulrich and Burton repectively - the sudden speed up after the solo really gets me going, even after so many times of listening. In terms of metal creativity it doesn't get any better - the final stages of the track are so original in their design, with an absolutely explosive finish. Listen to this one LOUD!!!
Overall a brilliant metal opus, especially considering it is now 20 years since its release.