Ride the Lightning
Encyclopedia
Ride the Lightning is the second studio album by the American heavy metal
band Metallica
. It was released on July 27, 1984 through the independent record label Megaforce Records
. The album was certified gold by the RIAA
on November 5, 1987 and was most recently certified 5x platinum on June 9, 2003. Ride the Lightning is considered a classic thrash metal album by fans, critics and band members themselves and is considered one of the greatest metal albums of all time.
" and the nearly 9-minute closing instrumental "The Call of Ktulu". It was the last Metallica album to credit former lead guitar
ist, Dave Mustaine
.
The album was listed at number 3 on a list compiled by metal-rules.com of the Top 100 Metal Albums of All Time and #5 by IGN Music on the Top 25 Metal Albums.
Q
magazine (Summer/01, p. 127) - 5 stars out of 5 - "Reaffirms their status as the pre-eminent metal band of the modern era....They broke with the conventions of thrash metal to record the genre's first power ballad in 'Fade to Black'."
Kerrang!
(p. 50) - "[The album included] melody, maturity and musical intelligence. It was these traits which helped them broaden metal's scope."
, resulting in the end of the world.
The song was covered by Apocalyptica on their album Cult
, as well as by Polish
death metal
band Vader
, released as a bonus track on their album Necropolis
. Black metal
band Abigail Williams
also covered Fight Fire with Fire as a bonus track to their 2010 album In the Absence of Light
.
The song is featured on Guitar Hero: Metallica
, along with "For Whom the Bell Tolls", "Fade to Black" and "Creeping Death" from Ride the Lightning.
In Flea's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee speech for Metallica, he cited this as being the first Metallica song he heard.
. It was also released as downloadable content for the music video game Rock Band
.
novel by the same name; said novel is about the horror and dishonor of modern warfare.
The chromatic introduction, which was written by bassist Cliff Burton
before joining Metallica, is often mistaken for an electric guitar; it is, in actuality, Burton playing a bass guitar
through distortion and a wah-wah pedal
.
"For Whom the Bell Tolls" has been covered by several bands; most notably, by punk rock
band Shotgun Remedy on the album A Punk Tribute to Metallica, by Apocalyptica
on the album Inquisition Symphony
and by Sunn O)))
on its album Flight of the Behemoth
. It was also the opening song for the 2009 movie Zombieland
.
", "One
", and "The Day That Never Comes
".
Kirk Hammett
's guitar solo on the song was ranked number 24 on the 100 Best Solos Ever Reader's Choice in the September 1998 issue of Guitar World.
Many notable bands have covered "Fade to Black", including Apocalyptica
, Apoptygma Berzerk
, Disturbed, Sonata Arctica
, Steel Prophet
, The Lemonheads
, and Iron Horse
.
Metallica have received letters from fans who were dissuaded from committing suicide by the song.
entitled "Impaler", which was later released on its album Tempo of the Damned
(2004).
Until the World Magnetic Tour
, "Trapped Under Ice" had only ever appeared 5 times in its entirety in Metallica's live set. The first two times the song was performed live in Poperinge, Belgium on November 17, 1984, Paris, France on November 18, 1984, Frolundaborg, Gothenburg on February 13, 1987, then again in Chicago, Illinois on January 5, 2000 and finally in Peoria, Illinois on August 24, 2004. James Hetfield
commented on the song appearing once again on their live show's setlist on stage with: "Some guy asked us to play this song before the show. We haven't played it in like 15 years. So don't blame us for the fuck ups."
The song is playable track in Guitar Hero: World Tour. "Trapped Under Ice" was covered by parody metal band Austrian Death Machine
on its 2009 album Double Brutal
.
, it was jammed.
"Escape" was covered by the American heavy metal band Hatebreed
on its 2009 album For the Lions
and also by French progressive death metal band Gojira
.
The bridge of the song (with the recognisable lyrics "Die, by my hand!") was written by Hammett in his former band Exodus for the song "Die by His Hand". The song was recorded and released by Exodus as a demo, but never featured on a studio album.
"Creeping Death" was covered by Welsh glam metal band Tigertailz
for a b-side in 1990, Welsh metalcore
band Bullet for My Valentine
on Kerrang!
s 25th Anniversary Higher Voltage compilation disk, the Italian black metal
band Stormlord
as a live track on its extended play
The Curse of Medusa, and by rock band Drowning Pool
on the Ozzfest 2002
live album.
. The song's working title was "When Hell Freezes Over".
The idea of the song "The Call of Ktulu" is based upon H. P. Lovecraft
's book The Shadow Over Innsmouth
which was first introduced to the rest of the band by Cliff Burton. The song's name was taken from one of H.P. Lovecraft's main stories featuring Cthulhu, The Call of Cthulhu
, which was written in 1928 for the magazine Weird Tales
. The name "Ktulu" is originally written "Cthulhu" by H.P. Lovecraft. In the story, it says that mentioning the name Cthulhu (Verbally or written) will bring him closer. Metallica changed the title to "Ktulu", in fear of the beast.
"The Call of Ktulu" is also the last song to include songwriting credit for Dave Mustaine. Mustaine later recorded the song "Hangar 18
" for Megadeth's 1990 album Rust in Peace
. Both songs have the same chord progression in the intro.
Production
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
. It was released on July 27, 1984 through the independent record label Megaforce Records
Megaforce Records
Megaforce Records is an American independent record label which was founded in 1982 by Jon and Marsha Zazula to publish the first works of Metallica. It has offices in New York and Philadelphia. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony Music Entertainment/RED Distribution...
. The album was certified gold by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
on November 5, 1987 and was most recently certified 5x platinum on June 9, 2003. Ride the Lightning is considered a classic thrash metal album by fans, critics and band members themselves and is considered one of the greatest metal albums of all time.
Reception
Ride the Lightning contains the speed of Kill 'Em All on songs like "Trapped Under Ice" and "Fight Fire with Fire", but also contains the first of Metallica's longer, more intricate tracks, such as "Fade to BlackFade to Black (song)
"Fade to Black" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the first promotional single from its second studio album, Ride the Lightning...
" and the nearly 9-minute closing instrumental "The Call of Ktulu". It was the last Metallica album to credit former lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
ist, Dave Mustaine
Dave Mustaine
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
.
The album was listed at number 3 on a list compiled by metal-rules.com of the Top 100 Metal Albums of All Time and #5 by IGN Music on the Top 25 Metal Albums.
Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
magazine (Summer/01, p. 127) - 5 stars out of 5 - "Reaffirms their status as the pre-eminent metal band of the modern era....They broke with the conventions of thrash metal to record the genre's first power ballad in 'Fade to Black'."
Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
(p. 50) - "[The album included] melody, maturity and musical intelligence. It was these traits which helped them broaden metal's scope."
Bernett's misprint
In 1984, the French record label Bernett Records misprinted the color of the album cover in green, rather than blue. 400 copies with the green cover were pressed. Because of their rarity, this misprint caused these green albums to become a guaranteed collectors item.Fight Fire with Fire
The introduction to "Fight Fire with Fire" displays Metallica's evolving towards a more harmonically complex style of songwriting. The lyrical themes focus on revenge and ArmageddonArmageddon
Armageddon is, according to the Bible, the site of a battle during the end times, variously interpreted as either a literal or symbolic location...
, resulting in the end of the world.
The song was covered by Apocalyptica on their album Cult
Cult (album)
Cult is Apocalyptica's third album, released in 2000 with a special-edition released in 2001 containing an extra disc. This album also saw a small trend starting in their single releases, as both "Hope" and "Path" have second versions called "Path Vol. 2" and "Hope Vol. 2" with lyrics sung by...
, as well as by Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band Vader
Vader (band)
Vader is a Polish death metal band from Olsztyn, formed in 1983. According to Piotr Wiwczarek, the band's founding singer and guitar player, the band's name was inspired by Darth Vader from the Star Wars film series. Lyrical themes include stories by H. P. Lovecraft, WW2, horror and anti-christian...
, released as a bonus track on their album Necropolis
Necropolis (album)
Necropolis is the eighth studio album by the Polish death metal band Vader. The album was released on Nuclear Blast on August 21, 2009. A video was shot for the song "Never Say My Name" which is based partially on the book "The Gospel According To Satan" by Patrick Graham.On April 8, 2009, Vader...
. Black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band Abigail Williams
Abigail Williams (band)
Abigail Williams is an American metal band, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, but now based in Los Angeles. Formed in 2004, the group would suffer constant changes to their line-up...
also covered Fight Fire with Fire as a bonus track to their 2010 album In the Absence of Light
In the Absence of Light
-Personnel:* Ken Sorceron – vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards* Ian Jekelis – guitar* Ken Bedene – drums...
.
The song is featured on Guitar Hero: Metallica
Guitar Hero: Metallica
Guitar Hero: Metallica is a music video game developed by Neversoft and distributed by Activision. The game was released in North America on the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 on March 29, 2009 and on PlayStation 2 on April 14, 2009, with a European release in May 2009...
, along with "For Whom the Bell Tolls", "Fade to Black" and "Creeping Death" from Ride the Lightning.
In Flea's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee speech for Metallica, he cited this as being the first Metallica song he heard.
Ride the Lightning
"Ride the Lightning" is Metallica's first song which directly pointed on the misery of the criminal justice system; the lyrics are written from the perspective of someone who is anticipating death-by-electrocution. The song is one of two on the album that credits former member Dave MustaineDave Mustaine
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
. It was also released as downloadable content for the music video game Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
.
For Whom the Bell Tolls
The lyrics of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" are based on the Ernest HemingwayErnest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
novel by the same name; said novel is about the horror and dishonor of modern warfare.
The chromatic introduction, which was written by bassist Cliff Burton
Cliff Burton
Clifford Lee "Cliff" Burton was an American musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the American heavy metal band Metallica....
before joining Metallica, is often mistaken for an electric guitar; it is, in actuality, Burton playing a bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
through distortion and a wah-wah pedal
Wah-wah pedal
A wah-wah pedal is a type of guitar effects pedal that alters the tone of the signal to create a distinctive effect, mimicking the human voice...
.
"For Whom the Bell Tolls" has been covered by several bands; most notably, by punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Shotgun Remedy on the album A Punk Tribute to Metallica, by Apocalyptica
Apocalyptica
Apocalyptica is a band from Helsinki, Finland, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso and drummer Mikko Sirén...
on the album Inquisition Symphony
Inquisition Symphony (album)
Inquisition Symphony is the second studio album by the Finnish metal band Apocalyptica. The album branches from their previous effort, containing only four Metallica covers. The remainder of the compositions are by Faith No More, Pantera, and Sepultura, as well as three originals by Apocalyptica...
and by Sunn O)))
Sunn O)))
Sunn O))) is an American doom metal band known for its synthesis of diverse genres including drone, ambient, noise, and black metal. Supported by a varying cast of collaborators, the band has two core members: Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson .-History:Sunn O))) is named after the Sunn...
on its album Flight of the Behemoth
Flight of the Behemoth
Flight of the Behemoth is the third album by Sunn O))). Significantly, the band collaborated with Japanese noise artist Merzbow, who mixed tracks 3 and 4, and used drum machine and vocals on the track "FWTBT"....
. It was also the opening song for the 2009 movie Zombieland
Zombieland
Zombieland is a 2009 American zombie comedy film directed by Ruben Fleischer from a screenplay written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The film stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin as survivors of a zombie apocalypse...
.
Fade to Black
"Fade to Black" is a power ballad. The lyrics suggest a man contemplating, and eventually committing suicide. Musically, the song begins with a clean, undistorted guitar introduction and becomes progressively heavier, similar to Metallica's future ballads, "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
"Welcome Home " is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the third and final single from their third album, Master of Puppets...
", "One
One (Metallica song)
"One" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the third and final single from their fourth album ...And Justice for All. "One" was also the band's first Top 40 hit single, reaching number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100...
", and "The Day That Never Comes
The Day That Never Comes
"The Day That Never Comes" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica and the lead single from their ninth studio album, Death Magnetic...
".
Kirk Hammett
Kirk Hammett
Kirk Lee Hammett is the lead guitarist and a songwriter in the heavy metal band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. Before joining Metallica he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, Hammett was ranked 11th on Rolling Stones list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
's guitar solo on the song was ranked number 24 on the 100 Best Solos Ever Reader's Choice in the September 1998 issue of Guitar World.
Many notable bands have covered "Fade to Black", including Apocalyptica
Apocalyptica
Apocalyptica is a band from Helsinki, Finland, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso and drummer Mikko Sirén...
, Apoptygma Berzerk
Apoptygma Berzerk
Apoptygma Berzerk is a Norwegian musical group. They have achieved success with a brand of synthpop, and ballads backed with electronic rhythms, commonly known within the scene and referring to themselves as "futurepop". Apop has won awards and top-10 spots in Germany and Scandinavia...
, Disturbed, Sonata Arctica
Sonata Arctica
Sonata Arctica are a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, originally assembled in 1995. Their later works contain several elements typical of progressive metal.....
, Steel Prophet
Steel Prophet
Steel Prophet is an American power metal band led by the founder and main writer Steve Kachinsky.-History:The band started in the middle of the 1980s in Middletown, Connecticut. The group's initial lineup consisted of Kachinsky on guitar, Gary Stocking on vocals, Wayne Faircloth on bass, and Harry...
, The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band first formed in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member....
, and Iron Horse
Iron horse
An Iron horse is an iconic literary term originating in the early Victorian culture when horses still powered most machinery, excepting windmills and stationary steam engines, the term was common and popular in both British and North American literary articles.Iron Horse was used admiringly when...
.
Metallica have received letters from fans who were dissuaded from committing suicide by the song.
Trapped Under Ice
"Trapped Under Ice" is about a person trapped in a cryogenics chamber. It is based upon a demo song of Hammett's former band ExodusExodus (band)
Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
entitled "Impaler", which was later released on its album Tempo of the Damned
Tempo of the Damned
Tempo of the Damned is the sixth album by thrash metal band Exodus. It marked their first full-length album of new material in over 11 years, the last being Force of Habit released in 1992....
(2004).
Until the World Magnetic Tour
World Magnetic Tour
World Magnetic Tour was a 2008/2009/2010 concert tour by American heavy metal band Metallica in support of the group's ninth studio album, Death Magnetic, which was released in September 2008....
, "Trapped Under Ice" had only ever appeared 5 times in its entirety in Metallica's live set. The first two times the song was performed live in Poperinge, Belgium on November 17, 1984, Paris, France on November 18, 1984, Frolundaborg, Gothenburg on February 13, 1987, then again in Chicago, Illinois on January 5, 2000 and finally in Peoria, Illinois on August 24, 2004. James Hetfield
James Hetfield
James Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
commented on the song appearing once again on their live show's setlist on stage with: "Some guy asked us to play this song before the show. We haven't played it in like 15 years. So don't blame us for the fuck ups."
The song is playable track in Guitar Hero: World Tour. "Trapped Under Ice" was covered by parody metal band Austrian Death Machine
Austrian Death Machine
Austrian Death Machine is an American metal side project from San Diego, California, founded by As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis to be a parody and tribute of Arnold Schwarzenegger's films.-Biography:...
on its 2009 album Double Brutal
Double Brutal
Double Brutal is the second full length album by As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis' parody project Austrian Death Machine. Unlike the previous album, Total Brutal, Double Brutal is a two disc effort; the first disc composed of original songs inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, and the...
.
Escape
Originally entitled "The Hammer". Metallica has never played the song in its entirety live; however, during the encore at the last concert of the World Magnetic TourWorld Magnetic Tour
World Magnetic Tour was a 2008/2009/2010 concert tour by American heavy metal band Metallica in support of the group's ninth studio album, Death Magnetic, which was released in September 2008....
, it was jammed.
"Escape" was covered by the American heavy metal band Hatebreed
Hatebreed
- History :Hatebreed was formed in 1994 in Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven. They began by recording a three song demo and selling it to locals. Those three songs would eventually be released on a split seven inch with New York's Neglect in 1995...
on its 2009 album For the Lions
For the Lions
For the Lions is a cover album by American metalcore band Hatebreed. The album was released on May 5, 2009 through Koch Records. The album consists of 18 cover songs from bands that had an influence on Hatebreed's music...
and also by French progressive death metal band Gojira
Gojira
Gojira is a heavy metal band formed in 1996 in Bayonne, France. The band was known as Godzilla until 2001. Gojira is composed of Joe Duplantier on vocals and guitar, his brother Mario Duplantier on drums, Christian Andreu on guitar and Jean-Michel Labadie on bass...
.
Creeping Death
"Creeping Death" describes the Plague of the Death of the Firstborn (Exodus 12:29). The lyrics deal with the 10 plagues on Egypt, and throughout the song, four of the ten plagues are mentioned as well as the Passover.The bridge of the song (with the recognisable lyrics "Die, by my hand!") was written by Hammett in his former band Exodus for the song "Die by His Hand". The song was recorded and released by Exodus as a demo, but never featured on a studio album.
"Creeping Death" was covered by Welsh glam metal band Tigertailz
Tigertailz
Tigertailz are a glam metal band hailing from Cardiff, Wales. They are most famous for their 1990 album, Bezerk, which made the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart, and spawned a couple of successful singles...
for a b-side in 1990, Welsh metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
band Bullet for My Valentine
Bullet for My Valentine
Bullet for My Valentine are a Welsh heavy metal band from Bridgend, formed in 1998. The band is composed of Matt Tuck , Michael Paget , Jason James , and Michael Thomas . They were formed under the name Jeff Killed John and started their music career by covering songs by Metallica and Nirvana...
on Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
s 25th Anniversary Higher Voltage compilation disk, the Italian black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band Stormlord
Stormlord (band)
Stormlord is an epic black metal band from Rome, Italy. They have released four full-length albums, which are: Supreme Art Of War , At The Gates Of Utopia , The Gorgon Cult , and Mare Nostrum...
as a live track on its extended play
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
The Curse of Medusa, and by rock band Drowning Pool
Drowning Pool
Drowning Pool is a four-piece alternative metal band from Dallas, Texas.-Early days :Drowning Pool rose to fame while playing along with Ozzy Osbourne during an Ozzfest tour. Their 2001 debut album, Sinner was certified platinum within six weeks...
on the Ozzfest 2002
Ozzfest 2002
Ozzfest 2002 is a live recording of Ozzfest 2002. It was recorded during the concert in Boston, and has the Main Stage performances of Hard rock and other symilar style bands as System of a Down, Rob Zombie and Adema...
live album.
The Call of Ktulu
"The Call of Ktulu" was Metallica's second instrumental song, following the first instrumental "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth" from Kill 'Em AllKill 'Em All
Kill 'Em All is the debut studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on July 25, 1983. Since its release, it has been certified 3x platinum by the RIAA, having sold over 3 million copies in the United States alone.-Music:...
. The song's working title was "When Hell Freezes Over".
The idea of the song "The Call of Ktulu" is based upon H. P. Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft
Howard Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
's book The Shadow Over Innsmouth
The Shadow Over Innsmouth
The Shadow Over Innsmouth is a novella by H. P. Lovecraft. Written in November-December 1931, the story was first published in April 1936; this was the only fiction of Lovecraft's published during his lifetime that did not appear in a periodical....
which was first introduced to the rest of the band by Cliff Burton. The song's name was taken from one of H.P. Lovecraft's main stories featuring Cthulhu, The Call of Cthulhu
The Call of Cthulhu
The Call of Cthulhu is a short story by American writer H. P. Lovecraft. Written in the summer of 1926, it was first published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales, in February 1928.-Inspiration:...
, which was written in 1928 for the magazine Weird Tales
Weird Tales
Weird Tales is an American fantasy and horror fiction pulp magazine first published in March 1923. It ceased its original run in September 1954, after 279 issues, but has since been revived. The magazine was set up in Chicago by J. C. Henneberger, an ex-journalist with a taste for the macabre....
. The name "Ktulu" is originally written "Cthulhu" by H.P. Lovecraft. In the story, it says that mentioning the name Cthulhu (Verbally or written) will bring him closer. Metallica changed the title to "Ktulu", in fear of the beast.
"The Call of Ktulu" is also the last song to include songwriting credit for Dave Mustaine. Mustaine later recorded the song "Hangar 18
Hangar 18 (song)
"Hangar 18" is a song by American heavy metal band Megadeth from the 1990 album Rust in Peace. UFO conspiracy theories, or possibly Hangar 18, the 1980 film based on those theories, inspired drummer Nick Menza to write the lyrics. Shortly thereafter, frontman Dave Mustaine composed the music...
" for Megadeth's 1990 album Rust in Peace
Rust in Peace
Rust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on September 24, 1990, it was the third Megadeth album distributed through Capitol Records. The album was the band's only collaboration with record producer Mike Clink who was the first producer to...
. Both songs have the same chord progression in the intro.
Singles
- "Fade to BlackFade to Black (song)"Fade to Black" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the first promotional single from its second studio album, Ride the Lightning...
" was released as a promo single in 1984, in black vinyl and glow in the darkPhosphorescencePhosphorescence is a specific type of photoluminescence related to fluorescence. Unlike fluorescence, a phosphorescent material does not immediately re-emit the radiation it absorbs. The slower time scales of the re-emission are associated with "forbidden" energy state transitions in quantum...
green. - "For Whom the Bell TollsFor Whom the Bell Tolls (Metallica song)"For Whom the Bell Tolls" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the third and final single from their second album, Ride the Lightning....
" was released as a promo single with two versions of the song, an edited version on side A and the album version on side B. - "Creeping DeathCreeping Death-Covers:* New Jersey Hardcore band Shattered Realm includes a cover of "Creeping Death" on the reissue of their 2002 album "Broken Ties Spoken Lies"* Plays Metallica by Four Cellos by Apocalyptica.* During Ozzfest 2002 by Drowning Pool....
" was released as a single, with the b-side also known as Garage Days Revisited (precursor to the extended play The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-RevisitedThe $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-RevisitedAt the end of "Last Caress"/"Green Hell" are a few bars of Iron Maiden's song "Run to the Hills", but is played out of key. Iron Maiden responded to this on a b-side cover of the Montrose song titled "Space Station No...
(1987)): covers of "Am I Evil?Am I Evil?The song was made most famous by Metallica's cover of the song, found on the 1988 re-release and the Japanese version of its debut album Kill 'Em All , though the cover was originally released as a b-side to the "Creeping Death" single in 1984, and was later released on Garage Inc. in 1998...
" (originally by Diamond HeadDiamond Head (band)Diamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, England. The band is recognised as one of the leading members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and is acknowledged by later bands like Metallica and Megadeth as an important early influence.-Early history:Formed by...
) and "Blitzkrieg" (originally by BlitzkriegBlitzkrieg (band)Blitzkrieg are a heavy metal band from Leicester formed in 1980, consisting of Brian Ross , Ken Johnson , Guy Laverick , Paul Brewis and Phil Brewis ....
). Both of the b-side cover songs were later featured on the Garage, Inc. compilation.
Track listing
Personnel
Metallica- James HetfieldJames HetfieldJames Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
– lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Lars UlrichLars UlrichLars Ulrich is a Danish drummer, and one of the founding members of the American thrash metal band Metallica. He was born in Gentofte, Denmark to an upper-middle class family. A tennis player in his youth, Ulrich moved to Los Angeles, California at age sixteen to pursue his training; though rather...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Kirk HammettKirk HammettKirk Lee Hammett is the lead guitarist and a songwriter in the heavy metal band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. Before joining Metallica he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, Hammett was ranked 11th on Rolling Stones list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure... - Cliff BurtonCliff BurtonClifford Lee "Cliff" Burton was an American musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the American heavy metal band Metallica....
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
Production
- Metallica; Flemming RasmussenFlemming RasmussenFlemming Rasmussen is a Danish engineer, producer, mixer and owner and founder of Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark.-Biography:...
; Mark Whitaker – producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
s - Flemming Rasmussen – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- George Marino – remasterRemasterRemaster is a word marketed mostly in the digital audio age, although the remastering process has existed since recording began...
ing - Metallica - cover concept
- AD Artists - covert design
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
100 |
| 1985 | UK Albums Chart | 87 |
| 2007 | Finnish Album Chart | 9 |
| 2008 | Australian ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart | 37 |
Certification
Since the beginning of the Sound-Scan era in 1991, Ride the Lightning has sold 4,334,000 copies.| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| United States | 5x Platinum |
| Canada | 2x Platinum |