My first Metallica album was the Black Album. My friend Mark played me Enter Sandman in a shed his brother called ‘the Clubhouse’. I watched him head bang – using a portable heater as a light – and as he whipped his mushroom cut in a windmill I knew loud music would be my thing.
True, the Black album is considered by most music fans to be the turning point that led Metallica down their infamous road to whiney rocker shitdom, but it caught my ear and sent me back through the catalogue to discover this gem.
Ride the Lighting.
Released July 27, 1984 this piece of thrash went on to sell over 6 million copies around the world. I remember smashing a television with a sledge hammer to ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ and wishing it could have been done in more epic slow motion. Kirk Hammett shows a beautiful balance of melody and blistering shreds throughout this hour of metal mastery. Also, it made me pick up the guitar and realize shredding is harder than it looks.
Anyway, bullshit rambling aside, this record turned 30 yesterday. Open your windows, crank the speakers and celebrate at a volume that pisses off the neighbours. If you want to praise or talk shi~ about it, lets have it out in the comments.
Annnd try not to get all downer on yourself during the acoustic parts.
True fact: I ripped all my metallica posters off the wall when they sued Napster users. It’s taken me a long time to come around. This album is why I’m still on Team Mustane.
this was the best album of 2014