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#ESCAPE. Episode 15 covers the 1984 landmark album “Ride the Lightning” by the Bay Area trash/heavy metal band Metallica.
Subscribe, Rate, and Review:
Quick Reviews
Mark I love an album with killer opening lyrics, and it doesn’t let up from there despite falling flat with the first of many useless instrumentals (not sure why I used to think these were so great, because they’re not).
Chris A quantum leap from debut in terms of musicianship and song structures. Almost a different band in the space of a year. Cliff’s influence over band starts to take shape.
Alex What a jump from “Kill ’em All.” Could see this being the first true Metallica album. Very cool vibe and the deep cuts are very strong. “ESCAPE” is the underrated gem here.
Kevin A huge jump up from my last rating of Kill ’em All, there’s no sophomore slump for Metallica, who shows a big step up in maturity.
Love It or Flush It
| M | C | A | K | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Fight Fire With Fire" | 4:44 | L | T | F | L | |
| 2 | "Ride the Lightning" | 6:36 | B | L | L | L | |
| 3 | "For Whom the Bell Tools" | 5:10 | L | L | L | L | |
| 4 | "Fade to Black" | 6:55 | T | L | L | B | |
| 5 | "Trapped Under Ice" | 4:05 | L | L | L | T | |
| 6 | "Escape" | 4:24 | L | L | L | L | |
| 7 | "Creeping Death" | 6:35 | B | B | B | L | |
| 8 | "The Call of Ktulu" | 8:53 | F | F | T | F |
Love It or Flush It Legend
L = Love. As many as you like.
F = Flush. Must flush at least one track per album.
B = Buy. Purchased for the ultimate LTS “Best Of” playlist for each of us. One per album.
T = Terminate. Should have never even existed. One per album.
The Rules
Each of us must Love, Flush, Buy, and Terminate AT LEAST ONE track on an album, no matter how great or terrible the album is. Whoever wins the “7 for the Buy” section gets an extra Buy or Terminate to use on the album. Because Chris hosts this section and thus cannot win, he gets an extra Buy or Terminate every 4 albums.
Album Information
Ride the Lightning is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 27, 1984, by the independent record label Megaforce Records. The album was recorded in three weeks with producer Flemming Rasmussen at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark. The artwork, based on a concept by the band, depicts an electric chair being struck by lightning flowing from the band logo. The title was taken from a passage in Stephen King‘s novel The Stand. Although rooted in the thrash metal genre, the album showcased the band’s musical growth and lyrical sophistication. This was partly because bassist Cliff Burton introduced the basics of music theory to the rest of the band and had more input in the songwriting. Instead of relying heavily on fast tempos as on its debut Kill ‘Em All, Metallica broadened its approach by employing acoustic guitars, extended instrumentals, and more complex harmonies. The overall recording costs were paid by Metallica’s European label Music for Nations because Megaforce was unable to cover it. It is the last album to feature songwriting contributions from former lead guitarist Dave Mustaine, and the first to feature contributions from his replacement, Kirk Hammett.
Ride the Lightning received positive response from music critics, who saw it as a more ambitious effort than its predecessor. Metallica promoted the album on the Bang That Head That Doesn’t Bang European tour in late 1984, and on its North American leg in the first half of 1985. The band performed at major music festivals such as Monsters of Rock and Day on the Green later that year. Two months after its release, Elektra Records signed Metallica to a multi-year deal and reissued the album. Ride the Lightning peaked at number 100 on the Billboard 200 with no radio exposure. Although 75,000 copies were initially pressed for the American market, the album sold half a million by November 1987. It was certified 6× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2012 for shipping six million copies in the United States. Many rock publications have ranked Ride the Lightning on their best album lists, saying it had a lasting impact on the genre.
