From the album: Kill 'Em All (1983) "Hit the Lights" was originally a song that James Hetfield bought to Metallica from his time with his previous band Leather Charm but it took on new life when Lars Ulrich and Hetfield remodelled it for Metallica. As an opening track on a debut album, it is nigh on perfect. It may sound a little primitive and chaotic but that was the point. Here were four highly talented young adolescents, greasy, covered in acne and full of youthful bravado who were on a mission to thrash your lights out! Which is exactly what they did. 'Hit The Lights inventive chugging riff, James Hetfield's' feral screams, Kirk Hammett's firebrand solo, Cliff Burtons fluid bass lines and Lars' chaotic drum work threaten to veer completely out of control and yet somehow the band maintain a controlled rhythm and groove which persists even as the tempo breaches the sound barrier. Just like the band, Hit The Lights sure aint pretty but it did announce the arrival of Thrash Metal and that's pretty phenomenal in its own right.