Soliloquy

Kill ‘Em All, Metallica’s debut album is filled with what one would usually expect from the band- rage, wrath and fury. A call for redemption and retribution for those who have been wronged by the iniquities of civilisation, this album’s first edition, which came into my hands just last week, is an embodiment of sheer bliss for those of us inclined towards thrash metal. For those of us who have bypassed this phase, it is a call to return to arms. 

Featuring brilliance in the fast percussion, low-register chords and shredding, Kill ‘Em All is one of the pioneering albums of the genre. I was extremely fortunate to have got my hands on its first edition, along with those of Ride The Lightning, The Black Album and Master of Puppets, thanks to the wide catalogue on Amazon. 

The songwriting is juvenile, but that is what lends an essence of charm to the album. Seek & Destroy is perhaps the most well-known song from Kill ‘Em All, helped by Metallica’s preference to perform it last at most of their concerts, but The Four Horsemen, Metal Militia and Hit the Lights are just as special. Whiplash is a personal favourite, but it is by no means the heaviest of the lot. 

As Bernard Doe of the British publication Metal Forces described, Kill ‘Em All is one of the fastest and heaviest albums ever recorded. It is surely not for the faint-hearted. It is, however, thoroughly enjoyable for those who like their tempo high.

Rating: 4/5

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