10 Best Metallica Songs
8. For Whom The Bell Tolls - Ride The Lightning (1984)
‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ is a standout track on Metallica’s sophomore album. Whilst the majority of the songs on Ride the Lightning have a fast tempo, this track slows things down considerably.
Ironically, despite being one of Metallica’s simplest compositions, the song has plenty of punch. The lengthy introduction is enough on its own to get the adrenaline pumping with its opening power chords and melodic bassline working in tandem with the sound of ringing bells.
Lyrically, the song is influenced by Ernest Hemingway’s novel of the same name, a story which revolves around the Spanish Civil War. As such, death is the key theme of the track, with Hetfield describing the experience of an airstrike during the conflict.
Though the vocals have an impressively haunting quality to them, the majority of the track is an instrumental, and one that is remarkably powerful despite the slow tempo.