Metal Storm logo
Metallica - Kill 'Em All review



Reviewer:
8.5

2797 users:
8.58
Band: Metallica
Album: Kill 'Em All
Release date: July 1983


01. Hit The Lights
02. The Four Horsemen
03. Motorbreath
04. Jump In The Fire
05. (Anesthesia)-Pulling Teeth
06. Whiplash
07. Phantom Lord
08. No Remorse
09. Seek & Destroy
10. Metal Militia
11. Am I Evil? [Diamond Head cover] [Elektra reissue bonus]
12. Blitzkrieg [Blitzkrieg cover] [Elektra reissue bonus]
13. The Four Horsemen [live] [digital download bonus]
14. Whiplash [live] [digital download bonus]

The history of the best Metal band began with this cd. In this album the bases of the thrash metal appeared for first time. By this time Metallica was surely the fastest band of the world, even faster than Venom [precursors of Black Metal style]. In this cd Metallica finds an own style which some years later will bring them to the top of Metal.

The musical quality of this cd is not very good, but the quality of composers of Metallica is incredible. Of course the musicians of the band at this time promised much : Dave Mustaine [later, founding member of Megadeth] and the disappeared God of bass Cliff Burton, apart the rest well known band: James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett and Lars Ulrich.

The 10 tracks of the album sprinkle blood, from the initial track "Hit the Lights" to the last one ?Metal Militia?. In this cd the Metalli-Hymn, ?Seek & Destroy? is the cardinal piece. I also have to mention the fantastic bass solo of ?[Anesthesia]-Pulling Teeth? song. I will define this cd in one word: electric.

If you are not into Metallica and you want to start listening to them, this is not a good album to start with, you must listen to the Black Album, because the garage sound of Kill ?em All is really crude, although Metallica was and is much more than a garage band, anyway a cult album, without a doubt.

Written by Iced Iñigo | 22.09.2003




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.

Guest review by
TheH2K
Rating:
7.0
Being an inspirational oeuvre for many bands, Kill 'Em All is the debut album of the most successful band of metal music, the first official package after some arguments among band members and finally Dave Mustaine's dramatic departure.

The songs are super fast and neoteric in many cases. Immediately by listening to this record, the punk roots come into view. The riffs are really heavy, yet raw and unpolished, which means they had a long way to go in terms of musicianship at that time. Solos are performed insanely fast; however, this acceleration causes quite a lot of bum notes in many songs, which are obtrusive. Bass lines are stunning and surely enhancing the quality of the record. Hetfield's voice is fairly squeaky and no way near a qualified singer. Arpeggiated guitar chords in "Phantom Lord" would be definitely worth mentioning.

Read more ››
published 04.06.2020 | Comments (5)


Comments page 2 / 2

Comments: 51   Visited by: 275 users
17.05.2009 - 21:24
Rating: 8
Deadmeat
Necrobutcher
With a better production this one would kill!!! great!!!
----
Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
Loading...
01.06.2009 - 12:54
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
Not a big deal at all. If it wasn't for the historic fact that this is the debut album of one of the most successful metal bands of all time, it would'nt be an album that I was gonna search to listen.
Best songs: Whiplash, No Remorse and Seek And Destroy.
----

----
member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
Loading...
23.07.2009 - 16:43
Rating: 8
Andresopeth

The Four Horsemen! but this album contains a lot of good songs is hard to pick just one!
Loading...
16.10.2009 - 07:42
Rating: 9
wormdrink414

Favorite Metallica album hands down. The Four Horsemen is one of the greatest songs of all time.
Loading...
26.11.2009 - 18:27
Rating: 8
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Written by BloodTears on 12.08.2006 at 20:02

My favourite is seek & destroy and "whiplash", a very simple song that, makes me wana headbang everytime i hear it!

SO TRUE!!!!!
----
14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
Loading...
26.11.2009 - 18:38
Rating: 9
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Written by Boxcar Willy on 26.11.2009 at 18:27

Written by BloodTears on 12.08.2006 at 20:02

My favourite is seek & destroy and "whiplash", a very simple song that, makes me wana headbang everytime i hear it!

SO TRUE!!!!!


That is still true today.
----
Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
Loading...
26.11.2009 - 19:49
THE_BLACK_GOD
Account deleted
Hit The Lights, The Four Horsemen and Motorbreath. these are songs which I like the most from this album and then its Metal Militia.
Loading...
27.11.2009 - 17:29
Rating: 8
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Written by BloodTears on 26.11.2009 at 18:38

Written by Boxcar Willy on 26.11.2009 at 18:27

Written by BloodTears on 12.08.2006 at 20:02

My favourite is seek & destroy and "whiplash", a very simple song that, makes me wana headbang everytime i hear it!

SO TRUE!!!!!


That is still true today.

damn straight!!!
----
14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
Loading...
27.11.2009 - 17:33
Rating: 8
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Written by Guest on 21.06.2007 at 07:14

While I do love this album to death, the reviewer is wrong in saying "In this album the bases of the thrash metal appeared for first time.", since Overkill are regarded as creating the first true recorded thrash song in existence. It's definitely NOT worth a 10, but is perfect in some ways, while others it is not. However, it also packs a tonne of energy into just one disc, which is still amazing, considering when it was made (although others who would rival this album emerged later).

I agree this album is not perfect but it still is pretty damn good!!
----
14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
Loading...
17.07.2010 - 07:21
derplo

Delicious album. i wanna buy.
Loading...
11.06.2011 - 21:17
Death_95

The Four Horsemen and Metal Militia are the best.
Loading...
18.06.2011 - 18:02
Nemo Atkins

I thought I might as well point out that Mustaine was not actually involved in the recording of this album (beyond song writing credits): he was fired a month prior to the recording and Kirk replaced him (if you don't believe me, I read it on Wikipedia). Not a criticism of anything, just a quick note for future reference for everyone.

The album itself is pretty good, although I don't particularly like it when I compare it to their later masterpieces Ride The Lightning (my favourite album by them) and Master of Puppets: the production is pretty messy, which can occationally ruin parts of songs (the opening of "(Anestheria) Pulling Teeth" slightly ruins the track for me) and the riffs can sometimes sound too similar. However, it's still got an awesome track listing and almost every track is pretty solid throughout.
Loading...
18.06.2011 - 21:30
Rating: 8
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Nemo Atkins on 18.06.2011 at 18:02

(if you don't believe me, I read it on Wikipedia)

Just an FYI - Wikipedia is not a credible source.

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing what the information presented in this case, but it's funny reading "I read it on Wikipedia" as a legitimate argument.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
Loading...
23.07.2015 - 20:07
Rating: 9
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
I consider this album as speed metal not thrash, liitle faster and not so heavy
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
23.07.2015 - 23:57
Lord_Regnier

Written by Bad English on 23.07.2015 at 20:07

I consider this album as speed metal not thrash, liitle faster and not so heavy


It IS old-school Thrash.

As for "Speed Metal", the term as been used for so many different styles (for Powermetal like early Helloween, for more traditional Heavy Metal like Motorhead, as well as ultra-fast Thrash like "Reign In Blood") that it is very hard to give a precise meaning to the term these days.
----
"Why would we fear death, when life is so much more frightening?"
Loading...
24.07.2015 - 12:47
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Bad English on 23.07.2015 at 20:07

I consider this album as speed metal not thrash, liitle faster and not so heavy



This IS thrash metal. This is the blueprint for all thrash that follows it.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

Loading...
24.07.2015 - 16:53
Rating: 9
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
But different as other thrash and other this band albums and al thrash as followed , little ''softer''
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
25.05.2016 - 19:34
Rating: 9
@gent_-_orange

That's usually the case with early albums in genres though, would have been weird had they come out of the gates sounding like Kreator, the band took their influences (mostly NWOBHM) and sped it the fuck up.
Loading...
19.04.2020 - 21:35
Rating: 8
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
Written by Boxcar Willy on 27.11.2009 at 17:29

damn straight!!!

Heck yeah! \m/
----
Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
Loading...
23.04.2020 - 18:53
Rating: 8
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Written by RaduP on 19.04.2020 at 21:35

Heck yeah! \m/

Oi vey
----
14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
Loading...
15.08.2020 - 18:39
Rating: 10
BlankFile

Absolute thrash metal classic. \m/
Loading...

Hits total: 10178 | This month: 15