Every riff, every scream, every face-melting solo – served loud and cheeky by The Riff Report
1. Master of Puppets
📀 Master of Puppets (1986)
The anthem. The monster. The song that controls your soul. Eight and a half minutes of flawless thrash perfection. Metallica’s magnum opus.
“Obey your master!” – and yes, we bloody well do.
2. One
📀 …And Justice for All (1988)
Part power ballad, part war nightmare, and 100% emotionally destructive. That machine-gun outro? 🥁 Proper battlefield vibes.
3. Fade to Black
📀 Ride the Lightning (1984)
The first time Metallica went emotional, and fans wept into their denim jackets. Haunting, heavy, and hellishly good.
4. Battery
📀 Master of Puppets (1986)
Starts soft, ends in absolute chaos. Like your nan before and after a pint of cider. 💥
5. Creeping Death
📀 Ride the Lightning (1984)
LET MY PEOPLE GO! 🤘 Biblical thrash? Yes please. The “Die! Die! Die!” chant is pure moshpit ritual.
6. For Whom The Bell Tolls
📀 Ride the Lightning (1984)
That opening bass chime is basically a bat signal for headbangers everywhere. Instant pit starter.
7. Seek & Destroy
📀 Kill ’Em All (1983)
Raw, nasty and rebellious. It’s been closing gigs for decades for a reason.
“We’re scanning the scene in the city tonight…” – and it’s about to go OFF.
8. The Unforgiven
📀 Metallica / The Black Album (1991)
Sad cowboy core. Melodic, moody, and unforgettable. The first of a trilogy, but this one hits deepest.
9. Ride the Lightning
📀 Ride the Lightning (1984)
They wrote this at like, 20 years old. And it SLAPS. Electrifying riffs, existential dread – tidy.
10. Blackened
📀 …And Justice for All (1988)
Apocalyptic thrash fire. The intro reverses in like it’s rewinding the end of the world.
11. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
📀 Master of Puppets (1986)
It’s not just a song, it’s a descent into madness. And it’s glorious. Creepy in all the right ways.
12. Enter Sandman
📀 Metallica / The Black Album (1991)
Iconic. Overplayed? Maybe. But try not shouting “EXIT LIGHT!” when it kicks off. You can’t. It’s law. 😈
13. Harvester of Sorrow
📀 …And Justice for All (1988)
Chuggy. Doom-laden. Underrated AF. It lumbers like a pissed-off troll.
14. The Four Horsemen
📀 Kill ’Em All (1983)
Biblical annihilation delivered with punky speed. Proof Metallica were born to thrash.
15. Sad But True
📀 Metallica / The Black Album (1991)
Sludgey, sinister, and HEAVY. That main riff is thick enough to spread on toast.
16. Damage, Inc.
📀 Master of Puppets (1986)
“F**k it all and no regrets!” – just pure unhinged violence. Peak closing track energy.
17. The Thing That Should Not Be
📀 Master of Puppets (1986)
Lovecraftian. Down-tuned. Absolutely filthy. Feels like Cthulhu smashing your nan’s garden gnome.
18. Dyers Eve
📀 …And Justice for All (1988)
James Hetfield trauma-core. Breakneck speed, raw vocals, parental rage. Catharsis in song form.
19. The Call of Ktulu
📀 Ride the Lightning (1984)
Eight-minute instrumental that drags you into the abyss. No lyrics. Just riffs. Yes, please.
20. Disposable Heroes
📀 Master of Puppets (1986)
Anti-war brilliance disguised as a wall of riffs. Fast, brutal, and still horrifyingly relevant.
21. Whiplash
📀 Kill ’Em All (1983)
It’s literally about headbanging. Nuff said. You’ll want to punch dance your way through a brick wall.
22. No Leaf Clover
📀 S&M (1999)
Symphonic Metallica? Turns out it works. THIS SONG. That orchestral drop? Absolute chef’s kiss. 🎻🤘
23. Bleeding Me
📀 Load (1996)
Long, emotional, sludgy and kinda stunning. A deep cut worth bleeding for.
24. Frantic
📀 St. Anger (2003)
Yes, the bin-lid snare is back. But this one slaps. “My lifestyle determines my deathstyle” – edgy and we love it.
25. Moth Into Flame
📀 Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (2016)
Modern Metallica banger alert! Fast, fierce, and full of fire. Fly into this one, ya moth.
🎸 Honourable Mentions
- Fuel – GIMME FUEL GIMME FIRE
- Mama Said – Hetfield goes cowboy acoustic? Somehow works.
- Spit Out the Bone – Modern thrash beast.
- Wherever I May Roam – Big desert vibes, sitar intro, pure arena flex.
🤘Final Thoughts (While Windmilling)
Metallica’s discography is so deep, we could’ve done 100. But these 25? They’re the big ones. The heavy-hitters. The spine-tinglers. Whether you’re a Kill ’Em All die-hard or you found them through Stranger Things (cheers, Eddie Munson), these songs prove why Metallica are still kings of metal, nearly 50 years in.
So go on – make yourself a playlist, crack open a cold one, and get ready to scream “YEAHHH!” like Hetfield himself.
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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