Metallica: 10 Best Lars Ulrich Drum Performances
4. One
Lars is one of the few drummers in the metal scene who is as much a songwriter as he is a percussionist. With each Metallica release, Ulrich has always had a certain way of looking at the big picture so that the songs come out as great as they can. While he normally sacrifices some skill when playing for the song, "One" is the moment he successfully combined his furious dexterity in a way that suited the song.
Most of the track is a typical Metallica ballad, centered around the idea of a man being trapped inside his mind after being paralyzed during war. Once we reached the midpoint though, the song shifts into panic as the soldier feels that there is no escape. While the manic guitar riff leads the charge, it's actually Lars that gets the ball rolling first.
As the guitars chug away, you hear that double bass rhythm start in the kick drum, almost like Ulrich is preparing you for the thrashing that you're about to be subjected to. As soon as the guitars and solo kick in, all bets are off as Ulrich annihilates the kit with insane drum rolls all while keeping that double bass groove going. You need to put muscle into every Metallica track, but this is the closest to a full body workout as it gets when sitting on a drum stool.