Metallica released their debut album, Kill ‘Em All, in 1983. Since then, each new studio album has marked a new evolution for the band. In the 1990s, they started aiming for mainstream success. Then, with more recent releases, they moved closer to their thrash metal roots.
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Metallica has introduced countless listeners across multiple generations to the world of metal. With so many studio albums, live albums, and killer compilations, the band has a deep catalog. However, longtime fans agree that their first four albums are some of the best metal albums ever recorded. The list below features deep cuts from each of those iconic albums.
[RELATED: Metallica’s First Four Albums Ranked Worst to Best]
1. “Am I Evil?” from Kill ‘Em All
This is, without a doubt, the deepest cut on this album. In fact, some Metallica fans have gone their whole lives without hearing this thrash metal masterpiece. Originally by the NWOBHM band Diamond Head, the band included “Am I Evil?” on the 1988 reissue of Kill ‘Em All. It wasn’t on the original pressing and doesn’t appear on any other reissues, including the two versions of the album available on streaming platforms today. It does, however, appear on the compilation album Garage Inc.
In the opening verse, a young person watches their mother, a witch, being burned at the stake. The rest of the song sees the protagonist growing up and taking brutal revenge on those responsible.
2. “Escape” from Ride the Lightning
“Escape” remains the least popular track on Ride the Lightning. Other than “Fade to Black,” it is the least heavy song on the record because it was the result of record executives wanting Metallica to write something that would garner radio play. Unfortunately, it wasn’t released as a single, and fans often skipped it when playing the album. The band has largely forgotten about the track as well, only playing it live when performing Ride the Lightning in its entirety.
Is it the heaviest thing they’ve ever recorded? No. Is it still a great song? Absolutely. The riffs may not be as heavy as the rest of the album, but the musicality is still there. Decades after its release, “Escape” deserves a reappraisal.
3. “Damage, Inc.” from Master of Puppets
Metallica closed one of their best albums, Master of Puppets, with “Damage, Inc.” They pulled inspiration from Bach’s “Come Sweet Death” for the bass intro. After a moment of atmospheric calm, it breaks into one of the fastest and heaviest riffs on the album. On an album with titanic songs like “Disposable Heroes,” “Battery, ” and the title track, it’s easy to see how even the best songs could get lost in the mix.
On any other album, this blistering song about senseless violence and vengeance would have been a highlight. The crushing riffs and James whispering “Damage, Incorporated,” to introduce the face-melting solo are enough to make this a must-hear for new fans and a favorite among those who have been listening to Puppets for decades.
4. “The Frayed Ends of Sanity” from …And Justice for All
“The Frayed Ends of Sanity” remains the least listened-to song on …And Justice for All, and that’s a real shame. This song about the crushing weight of mental illness is nothing short of spectacular. Metallica’s first album with Jason Newsted saw them doing their best to show the world what they had learned from making their first three albums. The topics were existential and complex, the songs were packed with riffs, and the product was something that should have been a classic.
“Frayed Ends of Sanity,” with its opening chant lifted from the flying monkeys from Wizard of Oz and it’s handful of crushing riffs is the epitome of what they were trying to do with their 1988 release.
Featured Image by Michel Linssen/Redferns
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