Metallica: 10 Best Lars Ulrich Drum Performances

It may not have seemed like it at the time, but Metallica had a lot to prove with the release of And Justice For All. Though it stands as a classic now, the band really needed to hunker down after the loss of bassist Cliff Burton and come through with something that would not only live up to their previous standard, but surpass their previous track record.

From the start, "Blackened" assured every metal fan that there would be life after death for Metallica. While the main riff of the song belongs to Jason Newsted, the real star of the show is Ulrich, who plays in lock step with the guitar riff throughout the track.

Ulrich's previous work tended to favor playing a furious groove across the track, but the riff's odd time signature led to him thinking differently, leading to the hyper speed snare hits that run throughout the track.

Even when the guitars come to a standard metal lurch, Ulrich still fills in the gaps with a drum sound that overtakes the bottom end. In recent years, Ulrich himself has ranked "Blackened" among some of his best drumming performances. With all the subtle intricacies of the track, that pride is certainly warranted.