By The Riff Report Blog
When Metallica start an album, they don’t ease you in gently with a nice acoustic ditty and a cup of tea. Nah butt, they kick the bloody door down with a sledgehammer and demand your full attention. Album openers are sacred in the world of metal – they set the tone, announce a new era, and in Metallica’s case, often melt your face clean off. 🔥💀
We’ve taken every official album opener from Metallica’s studio albums and ranked them from the merely mighty to the earth-shattering. Strap in, tighten your wristband, and let’s go from worst to best.
💿 12. Frantic – St. Anger (2003)
“Frantic tick tick tick tick tick tick tock…” ⏰
It’s chaotic. It’s raw. It’s Lars hitting a biscuit tin. There’s something here, but the production does it dirty. A bold opener to a messy but ambitious album. It tries to punch through walls but forgets to put on gloves.
Verdict: More “tick tock” than “tick boom.”
💿 11. Hardwired – Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (2016)
“We’re so fed / s outta luck” – and we’re off!
Metallica go full thrash mode from the jump, and it’s tasty, but a little too straightforward. It’s like ordering a double espresso but getting one of those tiny hotel sachets instead.
Verdict: Fast, furious, but lacks the dangerous vibe of their classic intros.
💿 10. Hit the Lights – Kill ‘Em All (1983)
Where it all began. 🤘
It’s raw, it’s wild, it’s like a bunch of 19-year-olds trying to outplay Motorhead in a garage. Iconic in history, but less refined than what came next.
Verdict: You gotta respect your elders, even if they’re a bit scrappy.
💿 9. That Was Just Your Life – Death Magnetic (2008)
Now this intro builds! 👀
Pulse, heartbeat, tension… then BOOM, Hetfield riffs your head off. It’s complex and layered, but sometimes gets a bit lost in itself.
Verdict: A return to form, with just a few too many turns in the maze.
💿 8. Fuel – Reload (1997)
“Gimme fuel, gimme fire, gimme that which I desire – OOH!” 🔥
Love it or loathe it, this is Metallica at their sleekest, MTV-era peak. It’s got swagger, speed, and those tasty grooves.
Verdict: More monster truck rally than thrash masterpiece, but bloody fun nonetheless.
💿 7. Ain’t My Bitch – Load (1996)
Controversial, this one. 🧐
It’s groovy, bluesy, heavy, and definitely not 80s Metallica – but it slaps! The southern-fried riff hits like a bar fight in a Nashville dive bar.
Verdict: Not everyone’s pint of Brains, but a bold, stomping statement.
💿 6. Lux Æterna – 72 Seasons (2023)
Out of nowhere in 2023, Metallica said: “Let’s go again!”
This is a total NWOBHM throwback with ‘Tallica speed. Short, sharp and relentless – and Hetfield sounds like he’s 25 again.
Verdict: A tidy mix of old-school vibes and modern muscle.
💿 5. Battery – Master of Puppets (1986)
Now we’re talkin’! 🎸
A haunting acoustic intro lulls you in – then the tsunami of riffs hits. This song punches so hard it could knock M. Bison out of Street Fighter.
Verdict: Classical intro + thrash chaos = proper job!
💿 4. Blackened – …And Justice for All (1988)
Backwards guitars. Gritty production. Riff apocalypse.
This one’s complex, dark, and just bloody massive. The opening blast from AJFA sounds like the beginning of an angry revolution.
Verdict: A technical beast. Anger, but in 7/4 time. Tidy!
🥉 3. Fight Fire with Fire – Ride the Lightning (1984)
It’s got lutes, mate. LUTES. Then – BOOM. The fastest, most panicked intro they’ve ever recorded.
It sounds like the band saw the apocalypse coming and recorded it in real time.
Verdict: Classical + chaos = metal genius.
🥈 2. Enter Sandman – Metallica / The Black Album (1991)
You knew this would be high. 🧠💣
It’s iconic. That clean intro, the quiet-to-loud build, the BIG RIFF – it’s like stepping into a horror movie narrated by James Hetfield.
Verdict: You can argue it’s overplayed, but you can’t deny it’s legendary.
🏆 1. The Ecstasy of Gold / That Was Just Your Life – LIVE BONUS
Okay, we’re cheating slightly. But when Metallica walk out to Ennio Morricone’s The Ecstasy of Gold at live shows, then smash into Whiplash, Battery, or whatever fury they’ve lined up – NOTHING compares.
But if we’re sticking to studio album openers…
🏆 REAL #1. Creeping Death – Ride the Lightning (Unofficial Opener… But)
Ok ok, we’ll behave.
🏆 REAL REAL #1. Fight Fire with Fire – Ride the Lightning (1984)
We’re going back. Because nothing opens the gates of hell like “Fight Fire.” It’s the perfect Metallica opening. Tension, release, blistering riffs, and a message of nuclear doom.
Verdict: The thrash opening every other metal band wishes they wrote. Absolute carnage.
🤔 Honourable Mention:
- The Call of Ktulu (Instrumental): It didn’t open an album, but it should’ve.
- Lords of Summer (Bonus): Surprisingly decent live opener, just a bit long.
- Whiplash: Not an opener, but it feels like one.
🧠 Final Thoughts
Metallica know how to set the bloody tone. Whether it’s speed metal panic, groove-laden riffage, or apocalyptic wailing, their album intros are events. And even at their weakest, a Metallica opener still hits harder than most bands at full throttle.
So next time you hear those opening notes, remember – you’re not just starting an album.
You’re launching a bloody war cry. 💀🎧
🗣️ What’s YOUR favourite Metallica opener? Tell us over on @theriffreportuk or scream it into the void from a festival hilltop. Your choice. 😈
#Metallica #MetallicaRanked #RiffReport #HeavyMetal #AlbumOpeners #ThrashTillDeath
