In the summer of 1984, with the specter of Big Brother looming in the background, two significant records were released back-to-back—Haunting the Chapel by Slayer in June and Ride the Lightning by Metallica in July. Both bands, who had borrowed elements from speed metal that had existed since the '70s and was being played by various bands in the early '80s, intensified the speed metal characteristics and infused them with their own unique style, creating the new genre of thrash metal. While both bands’ debut albums also contained tracks with elements that could be classified as thrash, they didn’t present as cohesive and definitive a sound as their subsequent works. However, despite both being thrash metal bands, it’… More

There’s a saying that the second albums of the so-called thrash "Big 4" bands are their best works. While core fans may sometimes prefer the debut albums, most thrash metal fans would likely agree with this statement. In the case of Metallica, the (commercial) leader of the Big 4, this sentiment rings especially true. In short, Ride the Lightning is a significant milestone, marking the true birth of thrash metal and the beginning of Metallica's distinct thrash sound. It carries important historical value both as a landmark that signals the dawn of thrash metal and as the spark that ignited Metallica’s eventual (commercial) success.

Metallica placed the most important and outstanding tracks at the beginning and end of… More