Review by Ben for Metallica - Ride the Lightning (1984)
Where Metallica really took off, Ride the Lightning took metal to new heights!
Metallica's debut Kill ‘Em All was an angry thrashing beast that displayed an abundance of youthful aggression, while hinting at more subtle possibilities within its underbelly. It was far from flawless, but certainly displayed the promise that these ambitious and talented youngsters contained. Just over 12 months later and the band would enter Sweet Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark to record its follow-up. Released in August 1984, Ride the Lightning would send Metallica’s popularity skyrocketing and simultaneously progress the genre of thrash metal from entertaining attempts at breaking down the walls of extremity, to a form of music that simply demanded to be taken seriously. While still thrashing hard at times with grand metal flair, Ride the Lightning is a far more mature release than the debut, and is the real commencement of the hugely commercially successful Metallica institution. This is the Metallica that managed to be both critically praised for their musicianship and inspired song writing, while unearthing their lofty position within a whole generation of adoring fans. This was not just rebellious teenagers bashing their instruments and screaming irrationally like so many outsiders would try to suggest of the metal genre in general, but something to be truly proud of.
Ride the Lightning contains intelligently crafted music, with genuine themes (the death sentence, suicide and even the plagues that were visited upon the Egyptians in the biblical story of the Hebrews exodus from slavery) and creatively fashioned tracks with varying tempos and feel. The production is far superior to Kill ‘Em All, which certainly takes that dirty edge out of their music, but suits the evolution in compositions perfectly. While there was still a way to go to reach the progressive thrash hybrid the band performed on Master of Puppets and ...And Justice For All, Metallica had already started toying with lengthy, more complex efforts such as Ride the Lightning and The Call of Ktulu. Interestingly it’s these two tracks that Dave Mustaine is credited as a co-writer on the album sleeve, although considering his departure occurred over 12 months prior, one could assume the songs had transformed dramatically since his work on them. James’ vocals improved dramatically between albums as he gained confidence in a field he reluctantly took on in the first place. He may not have exceptional range, but tracks like Fade to Black show that he can hold his own with emotionally charged, cleanly sung vocals that are filled with conviction.
Ride the Lightning has lost none of its power today over twenty five years after its release. The title track, Fade to Black, Creeping Death and The Call of Ktulu are some of the finest tracks Metallica would ever create and all would play a part in the band's staple live set for years to come. Considering the album has sold well over five million copies in the U.S. alone, there’s no denying how important it is to both Metallica’s development and the genre of thrash metal. Yet despite all these facts and praise that I’ve just thrown at Ride the Lightning, the band would convincingly top it in just a couple of years, and the slightly less drool inducing Trapped Under Ice and Escape section of the album does temporarily stunt its momentum . It’s worth pointing out though that these two tracks are far better than anything the band has recorded in the last 15 years, so I am perhaps being a bit harsh in my judgement. Still, James, Kirk, Lars and Cliff made history with this album and no metal fan should be without it. It's one of those exceptionally rare moments where a few individuals can join so seamlessly, all playing a vital role in fulfilling a vision in unity. An undeniable metal classic!