Album of the Day

Lightning struck for Metallica with their second studio album - the 1984 collection earned the band a label deal with Elektra and set them on the path to heavy metal stardom. Cut in Copenhagen with producer Flemming Rasmussen, RIDE THE LIGHTNING was a major step forward from the quartet's debut; the arrangements display greater harmonic complexity, and James Hetfield's lyrics have broadened in scope to touch upon social issues including the terrors of modern war (“For Whom The Bell Tolls”) and capital punishment (the title track). Metallica's bold sonic experimentation was all the more impressive given the siege conditions of the album's recording; the band's gear had been stolen three weeks before they hit Denmark, and tour commitments gave them less than a month in the studio. In spite of this, RIDE THE LIGHTNING is a thrash metal masterpiece, and we'll give it another ride today in honor of Hetfield's birthday.