Ride The Lightning: Ride the Lightning was eagerly awaited by all Thrash and Speed Metal fans, still under the spell of Kill'em All and its violence with no compromise. Ride the Lightning was recorded and published in July 1984 and mostly retains the aggression and speed of the first album. One can notice however the first signs of the evolution of Metallica sound towards a more "progressive" and "melodic" thrash, for example in Fade to Black and The call of Ktulu, this evolution was to become clear in the next years (last eighties and early nineties). Therefore there was a great debate among fans and critics at the time, those who wanted Metallica to perpetuate the primordial violence and those who accepted and supported a more "experimental" attitude. Ride the Lighting was a big success anyway, and some of the songs contained in this album are still a "must" in every Metallica live setlist. The instrumental The Call of Ktulu takes the inspitration form H. P. Lovecraft's short story, The Call of Cthulhu and still pays credits (like the Titletrack of the album) to former member Dave Mustaine.

Artist: Metallica
Year: 1984
Type: Studio Album
Format: Vinyl
Produced by: Fleming Rasmussen, Metallica
Genre: Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash
Musicians: Cliff Burton (backing vocals, bass), James Hetfield (guitar, vocals), Kirk Hammet (backing vocals, guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums, Percussion)