Metallica's first album is a classic. If I were a wise man, I would just leave it there, but Lane would propably kick me for such a short review. So I'll make a feeble attempt to explain the workings of a god. So here goes...

The working name for 'Kill 'Em All' was 'Metal up Your Ass', which to my opinion would have been just as fine. But 'Kill 'Em All' is just as brutal (and perhaps just a tad more commercial?) a name for a killer album.

'Kill 'Em All' is stuffed with energetic riffing, melodies, hooks, great solos and forceful lyrics from 'Hit the Lights' straight through to 'Metal Militia'. I don't think there's a single uninteresting song on this record. The fast riffings and raw singing made Metallica The Band in the newly named thrash-scene in the beginning of the eighties and 'Kill 'Em All' The Album. And of course the legendary Cliff Burton is still on the bass on this record. Especially on '(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth' Cliff really shows why he's still appreciated as one of the greatest bass-players, in metal, ever.

Metallica plays well, especially if you think that Kirk had been in the band only a little while after Dave Mustaine left. Of course the playing lacks some of the virtuosity of the later years, but all in all, there isn't much to complain. James gives his everything to the lyrics even though his voice is still pretty high. It may sound a bit funny at times, but actually it's just a reminder on how young they were when they made this record.

There's such ferociousness and energy on this album that you just can't find it on any Metallica album since. I wasn't a metalhead in the beginning of the eighties and I am still not a punkfan, so I'm kind of surprised myself that I like this album so much. My personal favorites are 'Motorbreath', 'Jump in the Fire' and 'Whiplash' and I don't think I have anything with such brutality, force and style as 'Kill 'Em All' on my recordshelf.

Reviewed by Tommi
01/03/2002 17:23

This album begins with a lightning fast picked E-Tuned guitars (Hetfield & Hammett) which sets the pace for what the CD is going to be like. Well in this era of heavy metal Metallica was considered not only to be thrash metal but speed metal as well. Finely produced by Paul Curcio and Jon Zazula, this entire release is something easy to get into if you're a fan of these genres of music. Metallica circa 1983-1988 I'd say put out uncompromising metal which during the 80's was considered pretty extreme.

As to what road they went during the 90's to present day does not reflect anything at all like 'Kill 'Em All'... It was blatantly obvious with the release of "The Black Album" (1991) they simply abdicated their thrash metal roots and completely sold out. But focusing on 'Kill 'Em All' the rhythms and leads are innovative, Hammett simply shredding on lead and Cliff Burton (RIP) puts out his talent on bass with 'Anesthesia - Pulling Teeth'.

The lyrical aspect of this release has nothing really to do with Satanism just filled however with hatred towards humanity without any compromise in that respect. Hetfield's vocals go well with the music especially the high-end screams!!! I don't consider this release their best of the 80's I'd say 'Ride the Lightning' (1984), 'Master of Puppets' (1986) and '...And Justice for All' (1988) were their absolute best work.

There really aren't many thrash acts during the 80's that were more innovative in songwriting quality than Metallica. Although I do consider Slayer, Exodus, and Anthrax were also some damn good thrash bands as well. But Metallica reigned superior over these other bands. Musically 'Kill 'Em All' has guitar riffs that are simply unique, awesome, distorted as all hell and memorable tracks from beginning till the end of the album.

I would consider 'Kill 'Em All' to be one of my most played out records that I've heard but I still am not sick of these songs. It's a shame that a band that displayed so much potential which is evident on this release all the way up till '...And Justice for All'. I think that if Cliff Burton was still around they probably wouldn't have taken their thrash roots away and become a total waste musically. Maybe some would argue this but I believe that he would've at least kept them within their thrash metal roots.

'Jump in the Fire' and 'Am I Evil' were the only 2 tracks that were more or less demonic. Other than those the lyrical content consisted (like I mentioned previously) to be more about the thrash metal scene i.e. 'Whiplash', 'Hit the Lights', 'No Remorse' and 'Seek and Destroy'. My personal favorite tracks are: 'Hit the Lights', 'Seek and Destroy' and their cover of Diamond Head's 'Am I Evil'.

Metallica used to scoff at the idea of making videos... However, after 'One' came out they began to make more music videos to make more money obviously. That's why I'm reiterating the point that if Cliff was still around they wouldn't have become "Metallisux" as coined by most old fans of the group. But 'Kill 'Em All' is pretty much everything good that I look for in a thrash metal release. If you don't have it already in your archives then I urge you to pick it up ASAP!!!

Rating: 8½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Death8699
04/06/2007 13:30