Classic Album Battle...Metallica

[cmd24]

I'm an avid listener of the Chris Jericho podcast, and occasionally, he'll bring on a guest to do a Classic Album Battle. A while back, he did one for Ride the Lightning versus Master Of Puppets. This board could use a little jumpstart...maybe some discussion will get it done! Basically, line up these two albums, track versus track. When I was going thru the list, the two are almost identical, in terms of the way the songs are put on the albums. The only place where I'm making a change is moving Orion back a track, to put it up against Ktulu. That moves Damage, Inc. up. Here it goes:

Album Covers:
I give a slight edge to Master. Both are very cool looking, though. Not much else to say about it. Probably my two favorite Metallica album covers.

Fight Fire With Fire (Ride) vs. Battery (Master)
I lean Battery. Both songs are very heavy in the thrash concept, in my opinon. To me, Battery is more well known. It's also something I've heard live, more often. I don't dislike Fight Fire, but Battery pops more.

Ride the Lightning (Ride) vs. Master of Puppets (Master)
Title tracks, here. When I first got Ride the Lightning, back in '97, or so, the title track was my favorite one. As time has gone one, it falls down the list of that album, for me. I still love it, but there is something about it that doesn't stick with me, for Metallica songs. Master has not done that. Still one of my all-time favorites, and arguably one of Metallica's "anthem" songs. It's heavy and it incorporates the change in sound, in the middle of the song, that these guys have always done so well.

For Whom The Bell Tolls (Ride) vs. The Thing That Should Not Be (Master)
This one is hard for me, because I love both of these songs (plus, Bell was one of the first songs I learned to play on the bass). Thing has such a heavy riff to it, where as Bell doesn't feel as thrashy. But both work tremendously. Probably the hardest one for me to pick, but I lean For Whom The Bell Tolls. Just about any other track would be beaten by The Thing That Should Not Be...just not this one.

Fade to Black (Ride) vs. Sanitarium (Master)
Another tough one, and a couple of the darkest songs that Metallica has done. Both have a melodic sound, but also turn heavy. I love the changes in these two songs. Fade feels like it hit harder, though. Plus it benefits of being the first song the Metallica did, that had this kind of darkness. I go with Fade for those reasons, even though Sanitarium is still one of my favorites.

Trapped Under Ice (Ride) vs. Disposable Heroes (Master)
This is an easy one for me. I've never been a huge fan of Trapped. I like the riff of Heroes. I go with Disposable Heroes all day.

Escape (Ride) vs. Leper Messiah (Master)
Admittedly, I haven't heard Escape in a really long time, so I'm going with Leper on this one. This is another one that the riff really sticks out to me. I'll have to check out Escape, in the next couple days. That could change my opinion!

Creeping Death (Ride) vs. Damage, Inc. (Master)
Another easy one for me, as Creeping Death is one my favorite Metallica songs. It's even better live, when I've seen them. It's heavy, it also allows for good crowd participation, when played live.

The Call of Ktulu (Ride) vs. Orion (Master)
I don't honestly know which way to lean here. I absolutely love both instrumental tracks. I'd probably lean Orion, though I see both songs as the standard for the heavy metal instrumental. The changes in both are perfect. I love the heaviness, and I love the transition in the melodic sections.

Ok...let's hear your opinions!

[Beef Supreme]

I'm an avid listener of the Chris Jericho podcast, and occasionally, he'll bring on a guest to do a Classic Album Battle. A while back, he did one for Ride the Lightning versus Master Of Puppets. This board could use a little jumpstart...maybe some discussion will get it done! Basically, line up these two albums, track versus track. When I was going thru the list, the two are almost identical, in terms of the way the songs are put on the albums. The only place where I'm making a change is moving Orion back a track, to put it up against Ktulu. That moves Damage, Inc. up. Here it goes:

Album Covers:
I give a slight edge to Master. Both are very cool looking, though. Not much else to say about it. Probably my two favorite Metallica album covers.

I like the colors of "Lightning" better, the electric blue Metallica logo is cooler than the marble white one for "puppets," and it does have a stark appeal, but the "Master of Puppets" cover is more emotionally powerful and has more going on. I give it the edge.

Fight Fire With Fire (Ride) vs. Battery (Master)
I lean Battery. Both songs are very heavy in the thrash concept, in my opinon. To me, Battery is more well known. It's also something I've heard live, more often. I don't dislike Fight Fire, but Battery pops more.

This one's easy for me. Not a huge fan of FFWF. It's sounds kinda cliche to me, like what non-metal fans thing metal is all about. "Battery" has that ominous nylon-string guitar intro and then just explodes. Love that song.

Ride the Lightning (Ride) vs. Master of Puppets (Master)
Title tracks, here. When I first got Ride the Lightning, back in '97, or so, the title track was my favorite one. As time has gone one, it falls down the list of that album, for me. I still love it, but there is something about it that doesn't stick with me, for Metallica songs. Master has not done that. Still one of my all-time favorites, and arguably one of Metallica's "anthem" songs. It's heavy and it incorporates the change in sound, in the middle of the song, that these guys have always done so well.

"Master of Puppets" might be not only the best song in this discussion, the best Metallica song ever, it is in the conversation for the best metal song of all time. Again, easy call for me.

For Whom The Bell Tolls (Ride) vs. The Thing That Should Not Be (Master)
This one is hard for me, because I love both of these songs (plus, Bell was one of the first songs I learned to play on the bass). Thing has such a heavy riff to it, where as Bell doesn't feel as thrashy. But both work tremendously. Probably the hardest one for me to pick, but I lean For Whom The Bell Tolls. Just about any other track would be beaten by The Thing That Should Not Be...just not this one.

I like "TTSNB," and I've grown to appreciate it more over the years. But it's a plodder. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is a banger. Just killer. It has that famous bass riff at the beginning that every man, woman, and child in the world thought was a guitar the first time they heard it. "Ride the Lightning" scores their first win here.

Fade to Black (Ride) vs. Sanitarium (Master)
Another tough one, and a couple of the darkest songs that Metallica has done. Both have a melodic sound, but also turn heavy. I love the changes in these two songs. Fade feels like it hit harder, though. Plus it benefits of being the first song the Metallica did, that had this kind of darkness. I go with Fade for those reasons, even though Sanitarium is still one of my favorites.

Agree with just about everything you said here. I give the edge to "Fade to Black" as well. I'll also add that these two songs have some of Kirk Hammet's best work. I think Fade has a little more emotional range. Both classics, though.

Trapped Under Ice (Ride) vs. Disposable Heroes (Master)
This is an easy one for me. I've never been a huge fan of Trapped. I like the riff of Heroes. I go with Disposable Heroes all day.

I like Trapped for the speed metal guitars, but Disposable Heroes is a great song. Much better overall.

Escape (Ride) vs. Leper Messiah (Master)
Admittedly, I haven't heard Escape in a really long time, so I'm going with Leper on this one. This is another one that the riff really sticks out to me. I'll have to check out Escape, in the next couple days. That could change my opinion!

Metallica has said they hate "Escape" and barely ever have played it live. But I kinda like it. To me, "Leper Messiah" is cool, but it's also a plodder like "TTSNB." I like it, but I'm bored a few minutes into it. I'm going with "Escape" here, but I totally know that I'm in an extreme minority on that take.

Creeping Death (Ride) vs. Damage, Inc. (Master)
Another easy one for me, as Creeping Death is one my favorite Metallica songs. It's even better live, when I've seen them. It's heavy, it also allows for good crowd participation, when played live.

Easy for me too. You're right on. Damage is cool, but Creeping Death is one of the greats.

The Call of Ktulu (Ride) vs. Orion (Master)
I don't honestly know which way to lean here. I absolutely love both instrumental tracks. I'd probably lean Orion, though I see both songs as the standard for the heavy metal instrumental. The changes in both are perfect. I love the heaviness, and I love the transition in the melodic sections.

I loved Orion from the first time I heard it. Call of Ktulu took me longer to warm up to, but now that I have, I think it's neck and neck. I'll give the nod to Orion for the interesting stuff Cliff Burton does on it with his bass.

We all know that the opening chord progression in Ktulu was written by Dave Mustaine and later sped up (a lot) and used in Hangar 18, right?

Ok...let's hear your opinions!

Interesting thread.

My tally has:

Master of Puppets: 5
Ride the Lightning: 4


I'm not sure how many other albums line up side-by-side so perfectly as these two.

[Qman65]

Classic album battle Montrose vs Metallica? First Montrose album vs. Kille'm All? What say you? Guess what? I like the first.........MONTROSE!

[Moses Scurry]

I always say Master is their greatest album but ...And Justice is my favorite. Master almost sounds too polished which sounds dumb but I can't describe it any other way.

Creeping Death might be their best song, it's like it all clicked and Metallica became Metallica.

I love AJFA though, the weird mix, the clicking drums and the whole feel is weirdly great.

[Qman65]

Classic album battle, the first Van Halen album vs the first Boston album? Which one wins? Both are epic!

[Beef Supreme]

I always say Master is their greatest album but ...And Justice is my favorite. Master almost sounds too polished which sounds dumb but I can't describe it any other way.

Creeping Death might be their best song, it's like it all clicked and Metallica became Metallica.

I love AJFA though, the weird mix, the clicking drums and the whole feel is weirdly great.

Again, I’m in the minority, but I love the “Justice” sound. It’s really raw and unproduced. I don’t mind the quiet bass (get over it, pussies!). It just makes more room for james’ amazing guitar sound. I don’t think it’s my favorite Metallica album, but it’s my favorite sounding Metallica album.

[Beef Supreme]

Could do "Load" vs. "ReLoad." Maybe to see which album is worse!


Kind of the other side of the coin of "Master of Puppets" and "Ride the Lightning."

[Qman65]

Classic Album battle. Black Sabbaths' first album vs Van Halens' first.