10 GUTSIEST Moves Metallica Ever Made (And Whether They Paid Off)
8. Incorporating Ballads
One of the main reasons why thrash grew the way it did was to act as a retort to the hair metal bands that were sweeping the nation. Whereas bands like Motley Crue and Warrant may have been all over MTV, the sounds of the underground were steering metal towards a heavier direction. While Metallica fit the thrash mold to a tee, it was a bold decision to actually include a ballad on their second record.
From front to back, Ride the Lightning is one of the all time greatest thrash records, but "Fade to Black" was a bit of a detour than what the fans were used to. Out of all the classic tracks the band had to offer, why would they even think about breaking out an acoustic guitar for a song? Though the more impassioned fans might have called it selling out, "Fade to Black" has held up well as one of the band's most tortured songs.
The melody may be pretty, but the story of a man nullifying his own life and eventually committing suicide was a dark alternative to songs like "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." Ballads may have been a taboo in the thrash world, but Metallica were the first to prove that a song could be heavy and melodic in equal measure.