Metallica Ride The Lightning

Album Dive

Ride The Lightning, Metallica’s 2nd album is, without a doubt, one of THE most glorious sophomore SLAMS (not slumps) in Metal history (like right up there with Paranoid and Vulgar Display of Power).

Given that it’s recently celebrated its 36th anniversary, we here at Metal Nerdery HQ felt that it was time to DIVE in a bit further to this thrashsterpiece and give it the Metal Nerdery Treatment.

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Any metalhead who hears the phrase "80's era Metallica" will IMMEDIATELY conjure visions of James, Lars, Kirk and Cliff (R.I.P.) and be transported back to the days of yore, back before Metallica was a household name, back before they were part of The Big Four of Thrash Metal Royalty, back before Master of Puppets was even a "thought".

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Metallica:  Ride the Lightning (the Sophomore SLAM of Thrash Metal!)

Released July 27, 1984 on Megaforce Records

Recorded 02/20/84-03/14/84 

@ Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark





Fun factoids tangentionally related to RTL:

“Why, then you go on to Death Row at state prison and just enjoy all that good food until it's time to ride the lightning. It won't belong.”



Any metalhead who hears the phrase “80’s era Metallica” will IMMEDIATELY conjure visions of James, Lars, Kirk and Cliff (R.I.P.) and be transported back to the days of yore, back before Metallica was a household name, back before they were part of The Big Four of Thrash Metal Royalty, back before Master of Puppets was even a “thought”. Back to 1984 and the badassness of Ride The Lightning

So prepare your favorite relaxer and JOIN US as we go back to the Days of Yore (let’s call it Pre-Puppets-Thrash-Core) and discuss some of the trivia associated with the album, go through some of the tracks, and address how hilarious “misheard lyrics” can be.



  • The title for the album was derived from the above passage of Stephen King’s “The Stand”.

  • Cliff Burton (Bass, R.I.P.) introduced music theory to the band (no doubt contributing to their quantum leap forward in song-craft and sheer quality of musicianship from Kill ‘em All).

  • Peaked at #100 on Billboard 200 with ZERO radio exposure.  Remember kids; this was also pre-intergooglewebz too…tape trading and mailing lists.  Old school.  Analog.

  • First time they created songs in the studio.

  • Escape:  consensus is “this is why record label executives don’t write songs” and “this is why James likes this song the least (even though, it’s STILL Metallica, and it’s STILL got the War Pigs nod with the siren, so that gets the condiments I think; Mr. Iommi would be proud).

  • Cliff Burton co-wrote 6 of the album’s 8 tracks.  Dave Mustaine (at this point, tangentionally related by Megadeth and NOT even in the band anymore!!) co-wrote 2 of the 8 songs.

  • James penned all the lyrics; Kirk had some input with Creeping Death (with some unused Exodus goodness)

  • Check out this Revolver article on RTL song trivia for MORE fun facts:  these are FASCINATING!



Show Notes:

(00:00): 1 st Official METALLICA Metal Nerdery Episode: Ride The Lightning Album Dive/Lightning vs Puppets and the context of #bolth/Released 07/27/1984 (36 years young!)

(05:16): The mystery of James’ master wrystery/#clinky and some RTL factoids/Intro to Fight Fire with Fire/Loudwire Metallica Ride The Lightning FACTS

(10:40): The title inspiration (Thank you Stephen King!)/Songwriting credits* (see also the prior Metal Nerdery episode regarding the Great Riff Conspiracy(?))/A moment of beer (and a FREE plug!)/#itswhatbitchesdrink/The Metallica Sonic “Palette”/A Tangentional connection to RJD/Flemming Rasmussen/#squealer

(15:51): Imagine RTL sans James/Fade to Black/The hatred of Escape/Bill’s tangentional postproduction notes relative to KEA/sophomore SLAM (NOT Jinx!)

(20:00): The Tracks: Fight Fire with Fire (#bookingalonghella #waitwhat #looksotired/Look for our future Metal Nerdery #misheardlyrics episode/#weallshalldie because #bartsingslikeamotherfucker

(24:47): Ride The Lightning (and capturing the magic with a click track)/#themiddleofthemiddle/#waitforit/6:35

(30:28): That’s NOT a bell! / For Whom the Bell Tolls and Bill’s Tangentional Perspective/How to also play Fairies Wear Boots/The Staples of the Metallica Set

(34:14): Fade to Black, Metallica and Star Wars/#eyepissing/Trapped Under Ice

(40:33): Escape (Metallica gets croutons!)/Creeping Death (and Cliff ‘Em All)/#cantbeloudenough/Matt’s misheard lyrics/#revveduplikeadouche/Remember that guitar solo!?/#bringbackconcerts

(48:48): Call of Ktulu (Wizards of Metal)/The Metallica Sonic Palette/#whatsthatnoise (Bill’s Remix #justkidding)/The experience of listening to an album vs listening to a download/The tsunami of harmonies (GO BUY THIS ALBUM!!)/The Visual vibe of Metallica’s sound

Metal Nerdery