Guest Blogger: Ryan H1

When one thinks of the '80s, big hair, loud music, and teens driving down the road with their windows down blasting their rock music, with these fond memories, Metallica always comes to mind. This band is hands down one of the best heavy metal bands in history. From memorable rifts to mind blowing lyrics, no one has done it like Metallica. It seemed that throughout the '80s, Metallica ruled the charts with unforgettable songs like “Enter Sandman,” “Battery”, “Unforgiven,” “Master of Puppets,” and many more. When people think of heavy metal, little thinking must be done to understand what the songs are about. Metallica felt differently about this idea and established this belief with their song “One.” This song has an unforgettable intro rift and guitar solos that hooks listeners time and time again, however the most interesting part of this song is the lyrics. It took me several listens to fully grasp the meaning Metallica was trying to convey. This song is actually about a soldier that was injured in battle and lost his “life.” The soldier must live his life even though he is scared and living off machines. He hopes for death but does not get his wish. Metallica wanted to convey the common dislike for war and show the after effects that it has.
Put simply, Metallica is music genius. They have a song for any mood. If you are angry, lonely, depressed, empowered, or anything else, Metallica is the band for you. If this isn’t enough to convince you to listen to this band, there are several bands that are similar to these Gods. One of the closest is Megadeath. Both bands have a similar philosophy to their songs and, are considered a part of the “Big Four of Thrash.” The other bands that are in this group are Anthrax and Slayer. All of these bands are similar; they have a variety of song feels and love unforgettable solos, rifts, and unmatched speed.
I personally agree with Billboard.com’s belief that “Metallica was easily the best, most influential heavy metal band of the '80s.” Metallica took hold of the rock genre and still hasn’t let go. I feel that this group is completely worth every music listener’s time and money. You may not fall in love with them immediately, but with time, everyone will find a song by Metallica that speaks to them.