RIDE THE LIGHTNING

This is an excellent album when it comes from a Metalhead's point of view, but from a progressive rocker it's just ok. More of the progressive elements in Metallica's career come later, especially with Master of Puppets and ...And Justice for All, and Death Magnetic.

But it's an amazing album. It really is. The progressive influence in this album stands mostly in the Call of Ktulu which is a surreal horrifying song, almost sounding like the soundtrack to the famed Lovecraft God. It's completely instrumental, which is common in progressive rock. Another progressive song is Fade to Black, without a doubt the best and most epic song on the entire album. It features heavy metal, acoustic guitar parts, and starts building up until and epic heavy metal climax at the end.

Anyway, the album is less progressive a lot of times, but for any metalheads, it's still a great album! One of Metallica's best.