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Ride the Lightning

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Ride the Lightning is Metallica's second studio album and was released on 27 July 1984 on Megaforce Records. The band recorded the album in three weeks at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, with producer Flemming Rasmussen. Because Megaforce could not bear the costs, the European label Music for Nations paid for the studio. The title comes from The Stand by Stephen King, in which it refers to the electric chair. On the sleeve, lightning strikes from the band logo into such a chair.

The album remains thrash metal, but goes beyond the fast debut Kill 'Em All. Bassist Cliff Burton brought music theory with him and contributed more to the writing. There are acoustic guitars, long instrumental passages and richer harmonies. Fade to Black is a ballad about suicide that begins with an acoustic guitar and grows steadily heavier and faster. Critics found the record more ambitious than the previous one, and it later became a lasting influence on thrash metal.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Fade to Black and notice how the song begins with an acoustic guitar and gradually becomes heavier and faster.

Track list

  1. 1Fight Fire with Fire (Remastered)4:45Apple Music ↗
  2. 2Ride the Lightning (Remastered)6:37Apple Music ↗
  3. 3For Whom the Bell Tolls (Remastered)5:10Apple Music ↗
  4. 4Fade to Black (Remastered)6:57Apple Music ↗
  5. 5Trapped Under Ice (Remastered)4:04Apple Music ↗
  6. 6Escape (Remastered)4:24Apple Music ↗
  7. 7Creeping Death (Remastered)6:36Apple Music ↗
  8. 8The Call of Ktulu (Remastered)8:53Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

Categories: Albums and songs