By Ian Murphy (Who else would it be by?)

Few (if any, really) bands in the history of Rock have been able to combine heavy music with good songwriting like Metallica has. Bands who are as heavy usually are left wanting as songwriters and good tunesmiths often cannot wield the heaviness hammer with any control well enough to salvage their songs. Metallica succeeds in both areas. From the brutal precision of “Battery” to the crushingly heavy “Sad But True” to the shimmering masterpiece of “The Unforgiven”, Metallica covers an enormous sonic range that is almost hard to believe. Their command of dynamics and dramatic effect are second to none. Often imitated (and I am guilty of this!) but never duplicated, the Metallica sound is truly their own, and no one has fully been as successful they way they have been in their nearly 35 year career.

Below are the best of Metallica, compiled by a guy who has been a huge fan for nearly 20 years. There are great songs missing of course (the ol’ 10 slot conundrum), but I feel my list is pretty complete. Left off are obvious played out songs, post 1996 sackless Metallica. These songs are reflective of Metallica at the very top of their game. Yes, they wrote good songs after Load in 1996, but the caliber and quality was not up there with their best work, which was written from 1983-1991. Any diehard Metallica fan should at least respect this list (and they can be crazy!), so if some of your favorites are missing, it is probably because you haven’t listened to enough of their best stuff, or I ran out of space. Hopefully the latter, but if the former is true for you, may Larz jam a steel drumstick up your ass.

TOP TEN METALLICA

10. “King Nothing” (1996) off of Load.

9. “Master of Puppets” (1986) off of Master of Puppets.

8. “Ride The Lightning” (1984) off of Ride the Lightning.

7. “Blackened” (1988) off of …and Justice for All.

6. “Seek And Destroy” (1983) off of Kill ‘Em All.

5. “Disposable Heroes” (1986) off of Master of Puppets.

4. “One” (1988) off of …and Justice for All.

3. “Battery” (1986) off of Master of Puppets.

2. “Sad But True” (1991) off of Metallica

1. “Fade To Black” (1984) off of Ride the Lightning.

*Note: Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters, and anything post 1996 are absent either due to sucking or being played ad nauseam. If you want to see those songs, wait for my “Top Ten Overplayed Horsehit” list, upcoming on NewzBreaker…

Honorable Mention:

“Frayed Ends of Sanity” (oh wee oh, we oooooh) (1988) off of …And Justice for All.

“Sanitarium” (1986) off of Master of Puppets.

“For Whom the Bell Tolls” (1984) off of Ride the Lightning.

“Four Horsemen” (1983) off of Kill Em’ All.

“Of Wolf And Man” (1991) off of Metallica.

“The Unforgiven” (1991) off of Metallica.

[si-contact-form form=’3′]