Ride the Lightning finds Metallica aggressively expanding their compositional technique and range of expression. Every track tries something new; every musical experiment succeeds mightily. The lyrics push into new territory -- more personal, more socially conscious, less metal posturing. But the true heart of Ride the Lightning lies in its rich musical imagination. There are extended progressive epics; tight, concise groove-rockers; thrashers that blow anything on Kill 'Em All out of the water; and the barest hints of melody that have been added to the choruses. Heavy metal hadn't seen this kind of ambition since Judas Priest's late-'70s classics, and Ride the Lightning effectively rewrote the rule book for a generation of thrashers. If Kill 'Em All was the manifesto, Ride the Lightning was the revolution itself. ~ Steve Huey