Shortly after arriving in New York in April 1983, Mustaine was replaced by Exodus shredder Kirk Hammett and the boys hit the studio for the first time. The tape-trading circuit went crazy for it, and after repeatedly well-received shows in the Bay Area, Metallica found themselves relocating there after convincing bassist Cliff Burton to leave his band Trauma and replace McGovney.Įast Coast metal merchant Jon Zazula pitched the band on an album deal with his indie label Megaforce Records and 1983 found them traveling to New York in a stolen U-Haul to record their first album. After hitting the opener’s circuit in LA (where they supported the likes of Saxon) they recorded their first ever demo No Life ‘Til Leather. Their ascent was to be relatively quick, driven by sheer work-rate, effort and a rare musical chemistry. Soon, the two had recruited Hetfield’s friend and housemate Ron McGovney to play bass, Dave Mustaine to play lead guitar, and taken the name Metallica after a suggestion from Bay Area metal scene friend Ron Quintana. One of the biggest selling acts in American history, were born on Octowhen drummer Lars Ulrich and guitar player/singer James Hetfield got together via Ulrich’s LA Recycler newspaper ad. Produced by Metallica, Flemming Rasmussen Very highly recommended.'(Genevieve Williams) An excellent mix of rapid-fire guitar riffs, rip-roaring solos, and singer James Hetfield's trademark growl, this is thrash metal at its finest. There's also 'Creeping Death,' which remains a concert favorite. Interestingly, the best track on this album is probably 'Fade to Black,' a slower, more introspective song about suicide. Thematically, it explores death and dying from myriad points of view: nuclear war ('Fight Fire with Fire'), electric-chair execution (the title track), and drowning ('Trapped Under Ice').

While not as ambitious as the subsequent Master of Puppets, this early Metallica album is indubitably one of their best. 'Don't let that classical-guitar-ish opening to 'Fight Fire with Fire' fool you-Ride the Lightning packs a heavy-metal wallop. At 47 minutes, it is Metallica's shortest studio album. 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. The overall recording costs were paid by Metallica's European label Music for Nations because Megaforce was unable to cover it. 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. 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. Although rooted in the thrash metal genre, the album showcased the band's musical growth and lyrical sophistication. The title was taken from a passage in Stephen King's novel The Stand. The artwork, based on a concept by the band, depicts an electric chair being struck by lightning flowing from the band logo. The album was recorded in three weeks with producer Flemming Rasmussen at the Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark. 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.

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