Ride the Lightning is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 27, 1984, by the independent record label Megaforce Records.
After years of wild thrash metal, Metallica simplified everything and became the biggest band in the world. The Black Album’s dark, muscular sound would permanently alter the course of heavy music.
In 2016, the album became the first metal album to be added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, an honor granted to works deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Chemistry of Consciousness is the sound of Discharge on speed, Slayer with a punk rock chip on its shoulder, The Exploited on a Metallica overdose---the perfect marriage of punk angst and metal guitar licks and hooks.
