The album ‘Kill ‘em all’ originally titled ‘Metal up your ass’ was the debut album of American thrash metal band known as Metallica. The band intended to call it Metal up your ass with the album cover featuring a very unpleasant looking dagger coming out of a toilet but due to the producing ... Read review
Kill 'Em All - Metallica
While not as timeless asRide the LightningorMaster of Puppets, Metallica's debut ... more
album--originally released in 1983--is still a fine piece of thrash metal and as good a marker as any for the debut of the genre. Fusing the rapid-fire attack of bands lik...
Kill 'Em All - Metallica
While not as timeless as Ride the Lightning or Master of Puppets, Metallica's debut ... more
album--originally released in 1983--is still a fine piece of thrash metal and as good a marker as any for the debut of the genre. Fusing the rapid-fire attack of bands ...
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album--originally released in 1983--is still a fine piece of thrash metal and as good a marker as any for the debut of the genre. Fusing the rapid-fire attack of bands like Motörhead with a guitar style reminiscent of such British heavy-metal bands as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, Metallica essentially created a new kind of metal. Several of the songs from this 1983 album have since become classics, including "Seek & Destroy", "The Four Horsemen", and "Jump in the Fire". The song-writing isn't as sophisticated as on Metallica's later releases; still, it's a great listen, and essential for any heavy-metal fan. --Genevieve Williams
Metallica, first released in 1983. Originally called "Metal up Your Ass", it was renamed due to the distributors refusal to release an album with that name.
album--originally released in 1983--is still a fine piece of thrash metal and as good a marker as any for the debut of the genre. Fusing the rapid-fire attack of bands like Motörhead with a guitar style reminiscent of such British heavy-metal bands as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, Metallica essentially created a new kind of metal. Several of the songs from this 1983 album have since become classics, including "Seek&Destroy", "The Four Horsemen", and "Jump in the Fire". The song-writing isn't as sophisticated as on Metallica's later releases; still, it's a great listen, and essential for any heavy-metal fan.--Genevieve Williams
A review by s-gilly on Kill 'Em All - Metallica June 17th, 2009
Author's product rating:
Originality
Groundbreaking
Lyrics
Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks
Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Good
Value for Money
Good
Advantages:
Pretty much created thrash metal
Disadvantages:
The band is very inexperienced
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
The album ‘Kill ‘em all’ originally titled ‘Metal up your ass’ was the debut album of American thrash metal band known as Metallica. The band intended to call it Metal up your ass with the album cover featuring a very unpleasant looking dagger coming out of a toilet but due to the producing company refusing to produce something out standing like this, they settled on the name we know now, which was inspired by a pissed off Cliff Burton saying how they should ‘kill ‘em all’. This being Metallica’s first album was said to be the birth of thrash metal with its cross between Metal and Punk. Too punk to be metal and too metal to be punk. Released in 1983 and sold just 7000-10000 copies in the first couple of months, less than half set to be sold but it is now a multi-million selling product and that’s just in the U.S. Americas biggest Metal band had to start some where, and this album is the start, strong lyrics, awesome Riffs and a plentiful supply of solos, what better way to begin.
Lead vocals/guitar: James Hetfield Drums: Lars Ulrich Bass: Cliff Burton Lead Guitar: Kirk Hammett
Hit the lights- 4:17 This song can be considered by a fair few people as the song that made Kill ‘em all. Lyrically this is in my eyes, not very good. Instrumentally though, I think this song has an amazing tune, an awesome solo and a brilliantly fast tempo. Hit the lights is a great opening song for the album but it’s probably for this, the album didn’t sell to well, bearing in mind this genre of music had never been heard before. A great song to listen and though the lyrics do not capture Hetfield at his best, they certainly stick in your head.
The four horsemen- 7:13 A personal favourite of mine, originally written by Dave Mustaine of Megadeth but due to tension in the band, Mustaine left. So the band changed the song which was called The Mechanix to The four horsemen, they then changed the lyrics and Kirk Hammett added a guitar solo in the middle and its this guitar solo that I think makes this song. It just jumps at you, it doesn’t come at a normal point in the song, it just hits you and it’s this effect that makes it what it is. The beat of this song is supposed to sound like horses hooves hitting the ground giving a nice feeling to the song along with the story about the end of the world that it tells. The song itself is fast paced with powerful lyrics which is what made the album and its songs great, it was just the ‘we don’t give a shit’ attitude that moved this album along. It’s the sheer aggressiveness of this song that makes it what it is. The song itself inspired a nickname for the four piece band which is pretty obvious.
Motorbreath- 3:08 The song begins with a nice drum intro then the guitars come in and make it sound more like horse hooves than ‘the four horsemen’. Like the first two songs it has a very fast tempo (it is thrash metal) and about half way through a good attempt at a solo comes in but its about 2 and a half minutes in when the real solo hits and its excellent and also brings about the ending of the song. The lyrics though not especially strong are made up by the rhythm they fit into. Definitely a song to be listened to.
Jump in the fire- 4:41 A song that begins like no other, straight into an amazing riff that sticks in your mind and then pieced together with a bit more guitar and drum work. The lyrics are made really well and put in at just the right moments to keep this tune from having a slight gap. The guitars never seem to repeat and there’s a fairly good solo that get better as it goes on followed immediately by more lyrics to great effect. The better solo comes at the end though and speeds up hugely and pounds along at 100mph then gradually dies down to a dramatic end. One of the best songs on the album.
(Anesthesia) Pulling teeth- 4:14 This song is just one 4 minute long bass solo which is relatively unheard of but is pulled off to great effect if you can appreciate the talent behind it. Burton changes the tempo continuously through this song so that its not boring like many instrumentals actually are. Then surprisingly, it cranks up a notch where the rest of the band play a small background part and gives off a great beat to nod along. The song itself though shows what Cliff brought to the band and really makes the song stand out.
Whiplash- 4:09 I think its this track that put the name to thrash metal, any faster and it may just sound like a drill in your ear, a very tasteful musical drill all the same. Unlike the other songs on the album though the lyrics seem to speak more to the audience than to have a real story behind it. A track like this just allows those head bangers out there to really go mad ‘bang your head against the stage like you never did before, make it ring, make it bleed, make it really sore’. The track allows you to see that the band were really just a few rebellious youngsters who loved their music. In all, a classic track where the guitar solo is just plain awesome and can be listened to over and over.
Phantom Lord- 5:02 The beginning of this song starts slow, which after whiplash comes as a brief moment of respite but then all four instruments start up and mix into one tune that creates a truly original riff that you can really get into. It uses many effects that makes the transition from the slow drone to this really magnificent riff and just lets the power flow out. I think the lyrics don’t have the emphasis on them that the other songs do and are moved into the back ground but its not a huge loss because the tune makes up for this and always keeps you guessing as it progresses through the song. The solo in this is immense and then fades into a real eerie melody that allows you to drift into the music then is followed by more amazing solos from Hammet.
No Remorse- 6:27 No remorse truly captures the meaning of the term ‘powerful lyrics’, they just keep coming and flow along great with an immense tune. The song begins with an amazing solo which is what you should be getting used to by now and then implements even more throughout the song. Together with the lyrics and the guitar work make this one of the most powerful songs that I’ve ever heard and should definitely be played loud. At almost exactly 5 minutes in, the entire tempo picks up and the lyrics follow suit making the last minute of this song truly a masterpiece.
Seek and Destroy- 6:56 My words just cannot do justice to how powerful this song really is. One of the most memorable tunes from metal history and has lyrics that anyone can sing along to. Often mistaken for a militia march type song when it is actually just about drunkenness but the way the lyrics tell the story, it’s really just a matter of how you want to interpret it. The lyrics are put across in a powerful way and again the tune doesn’t disappoint. If there is one song on this album that you’re going listen to, it should be this one.
Metal Militia- 5:06 Metal Militia is, in my eyes under appreciated due to the fact it is the last on the album but the tune that backs it is just as fast as that of Whiplash so don’t write this album off until this song has finished. I see this song as a cross between Whiplash and The Four Horsemen (TFH) using the power of TFH and the intense rhythm of Whiplash to give a nice over view of how the album in general sounds. It still contains the amazing solos, powerful lyrics and is mixed superbly and fades out with a marching sound to truly outline how strong this album sounds.
Thanks for reading this review, it is the first I’ve wrote so please fell free to criticise. The album itself should be a starting point for anyone who likes early thrash and I recommend taking the time to listen to it, even if it is just to get a feel for the genre.
More Reviews
Review Em All Review ofKill 'Em All - Metallicaby
mr_blonde
Advantages: See Review Disadvantages: See Review
...so to speak. kill Em All is the very first album that metallica released mainstream, and considering it got absolutely no airplay whatsoever on the radio or television, the fact it got to number 10 in the album chart is testament to the power of the band's music. The 4 band members that produced the Kill Em All included James Hetfield (vocals and mean guitarist), Kirk Hammett (sublime lead guitarist from the school of Satriani), Lars Ulrich (insane ... ...that a tribute must seriously go out to for being a part of making the metallica truck roll, and he is Cliff Burton (Supreme Bassist), who was tragically killed when the band's coach crashed.
I have said before that I feel metallica are the fastest band in the world (I know there are faster individual musicians, I am talking as a band here), and this is the album that I would use to back that fact up, and that was without the maturity and power ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Damn fine debut album, nice addition to you're CD collection Disadvantages: Couple o' crappy tracks
...to 1983, when first album, Kill 'Em All was released. Metallica are no doubt a Metal band, but back in these days and more noticably on this album, they bordered the line of Thrash Metal, which is basically very fast Metal, like Slayer for example. Now this isn't one of Metallica's best albums, but it still manages to be brilliant.
Back in these days, Metallica were -
James Hetfield - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Kirk Hammett - Lead Guitar
Cliff Burton ... ...lyrics off 4 songs on Kill 'Em all and 3 on Ride The Lightning. Unfortunately he was sacked due to heavy drinking, fortunately he made Megadeth, which was a positive thing.
It's time now to get onto the important stuff, which basically means I'm gonna review all the tracks on the album and give them a rating out of 10. Firstly I will set out a track listing for you all, just for the sheer fun of it.
1. Hit The Lights
2. The Four Horsemen
3. Motorbreath
...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: It's choas! Huge slurry of noise just as Metallica intentded! Disadvantages: poor recording quality
Kill 'Em All
1983, Megaforce
Well here we go, the start of this incredible band's career. This album is just pure thrash metal a genre this band created along with the likes of Slayer and Anthrax. This album launched Metallica into the limelight and this is the album that brough the public's attention to this trully talented band. Hit The Light's (4.17) This is an amazing start to the album, 100mph of thrash choas. The slightly bluesy riffing set ... ...quick solo's Hammet pulls out of his bag are amazing and really shows what Metallica can do! This track hits you full force if your face, and knocks you flat on your arse!
Rating: 9/10
The Four Horsemen (7.13) The longest track on the album, but its seven minutes of razor sharp riffing with amazing time changes at every corner. The Lyrics here are very well written and Hetfield's vocal's work amazingly well with the music. Hammet's solo's again ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
How does it compare to ...
Value for Money
very helpful
25.09.2005
(26.09.2005)
For Fans Only Review ofKill 'Em All - Metallicaby
wampyrii
Advantages: . Disadvantages: .
...most of the tracks. However, Kill 'em All is an out and out thrash album, from a time when thrash albums were few and far between and in this sense Metallica can be seen as a leader in the field and perhaps this album was important, but unless you are a huge fan you are unlikely to care. Concentrating on speed guitar work rather than actual song writing ability this is probably only of interest to the real Metallica fan who wants to look back at ... ...something great to his/her collection. There are a few saving graces though. Firstly, tracks like Phantom Lord, Whiplash and Seek and Destroy give an idea of the talent which was yet to be released. Phantom Lord has a great riff and some intelligent(ish) lyrics, whilst Whiplash is still played at Metallica concerts now because of its sheer speed and live impact. On CD however, this doesn't come across so well, particularly as the production here ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: The thrashing pace! Disadvantages: The poor production!
Kill 'Em All is the Metallica Album you buy if you just gotta' have every one in the collection! If you are a fan 90s Metallica, you will not be a fan of 'mullet' Metallica! This fact is sad but true.
Basically, Kill 'Em All is very repetitive and completely and utterly under-produced. With more experience, each and every on of these songs would have been a classic, but influenced by a lot of beer, bad attitudes and shocking haircuts, the Tallica ... ...these songs to medley-format!
Kill Em All is fast, frantic, angry and mean. It defines thrash metal and was a leader in the race for world-wide, black jeans, white hi-top domination! Unfotunately, it is not listener friendly - you really have to be in the mood to sit through this one. The stand-out tracks of this disc are the galloping 'The Four Horsemen', the psychotic 'Seek and Destroy' and the clearly punk influenced 'Motorbreath'.
Although ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
...This album is the one that started it all for Metallica. COming off the back of the attrocious 'Kill 'emall' this music here is almost unrecognisable from that which is found there (apart from Trapped Under Ice which sounds like it was left over from that album). There are some seriously awesome tracks to be found here. Highlight of this album are:
For Whom The Bell Tolls - a moody masterpiece about war
Creeping Death - about moses in egypt an epic piece
Fade To Black - Metallica first (almost a) ballad track - excellent
The only criticism here really is that it is only 8 tracks long but that can be forgiven as 7 of them are excellent....
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Amazing riffs, solos and the band has matured alot since last album. Disadvantages: None
...Ride the Lightning is the second studio album released my heavy metal/ thrash giants Metallica. Released July 27th 1984 and has since sold over 5 million copies in the USA alone. The album was released a year after Kill ?emall (Metallica?s debut album) and in such a short time you can really tell how much the band has matured from ruthless teenagers to more deep musicians. The album deals with what some people would call stereotypical metal themes but I think that Metallica have gone further on the topics and really put a lot of thought into each track giving each one a uniqueness about it. As with Kill ?emall Dave Mustaine has been given credit for a couple of the songs on this album.
Lead vocals/ guitar: James Hetfield
Drums: Lars Ulrich
Bass: Cliff Burton
Lead guitar: Kirk Hammet
Fight Fire with Fire- 4:45
The opening song to...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Technicality, originality, speed, Disadvantages: Dawn Patrol seems like a filler track
...This album was released shortly after metallicas ...And Justice For All, most believed that metallica couldn't be beaten. But credit to Dave Mustaine for making not only a better album, but probably the best thrash metal album ever. This album is highly underrated, which is a shame because it is a great album and a must have for any self respecting metal fan.
You should own this album if you like megadeth, thrash metal, speed metal, incredible guitar, incredible solo's etc
Best Tracks;
Holy Wars...The Punishment Due
Hangar 18
Take No Prisoners
Poison Was The Cure
Lucretia
Tornado Of Souls
Rust In Peace...Polaris
If you like this i would suggest; Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? (Megadeth), KillEm' All (Metallica), Master Of Puppets (Metallica), Reign In Blood (Slayer), The Sound Of White Noise (Anthrax), Killing Is My...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Album Notes: Metallica: James Hetfield (vocals, guitar); Kirk Hammett (guitar); Cliff Burton (bass); Lars Ulrich (drums). Originally released on Megaforce. Occasionally one album can be pinpointed as the turning point in a musical genre. KILL 'EM ALL is one such album and, boy, did the heavy metal genre need a transfusion of new blood. Herein trad metal was stripped of its late-70s pomposity and reduced to its base element of brutal sonic force. The rhythm section of Burton and Ulrich do a masterful job, as does rhythm guitar ace and vocalist James Hetfield, on a set that owes a debt to punk as much as to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. The phantasmagorical allusions are still there in the lyrics, as are some long-winded guitar solos, but otherwise KILL 'EM ALL promised a creative rebirth for hard rock.
Album Reviews: Rolling Stone (11/89) - Ranked #35 in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Albums of the '80s" survey. Q (Summer/01, p.127) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Reaffirms their status as the pre-eminent metal band of the modern era....combining the power of classic rock with the raw speed and DIY attitude of punk. Thrash metal had arrived..."
Titles on disc 1
1.: Hit The Lights
2.: Four Horsemen
3.: Motorbreath
4.: Jump In The Fire
5.: Pulling Teeth (Anasthesia)
6.: Whiplash
7.: Phantom Lord
8.: No Remorse
9.: Seek And Destroy
10.: Metal Militia
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since : 25/07/2000
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