Ride The Lightning - Metallica > Reviews > Signs of genius

Author's product rating:   

Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency of tracks
How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Value for Money

Advantages:	Early enough to be interesting to fans of the later material and yet still good songs
Disadvantages:	Trapped under ice, whoops .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Metallica’s second album starts with a deceptively gentle acoustic introduction to the blisteringly fast “Fight Fire With Fire” (An idea the used again at the start of Master of Puppets), still played live by Metallica as part of the Killride medley. For Whom the Bell Tolls is an epic song about war with one of the best song intro’s Metallica have ever come up with. Fade to Black was at the time the closest thing Metallica had done to a ballad and indeed it’s for the most part more laid back then their material recorded at this time. However, I refuse to believe the rumours that this song was written about one of their guitar amps going missing! Trapped Under Ice, well – I guess they were still learning their trade at this time and so this song can be excused. Creeping Death is (yet another) epic song, this time about Moses and the plagues of Egypt! Finally there is The Call of Ktulu. This song is simply fantastic though if they could write songs of this standard at this time you have to wonder how Trapped Under Ice made it onto Ride the Lightning. Anyway, Call of Ktulu is again, an epic song, this time though James gives his voice a rest is a stunning piece just short of nine minutes. Why don’t ‘tallica still do these fantastic, epic instrumentals anymore? Overall it’s not quite a classic but well worth having.