10. "Fade to Black"
Album: 'Ride the Lightning'
This song was Metallica's first slow song that showed a different side for the band. It contains lyrics about suicide and contains emotion that many songs could not even come close to conveying. The song's heaviness is contained in its lyrics and Hammett's amazing guitar solos.
9. "Enter Sandman"
Album: 'Metallica' aka 'The Black Album'
Metallica's most popular and well known track also happens to be one of their best. Lyrically it has dark themes and a very catchy chorus. The main guitar riff and the guitar solo are both very memorable. Despite how much this song is played to death, I had to include it on the list.
8. "Battery"
Album: 'Master of Puppets'
This song was a brilliant opening track to Master of Puppets. It begins with an acoustic guitar riff that soon ends as the song's speed and heaviness comes to the forefront. I love this song and it is definitely one of the most impressive opening tracks that any album has ever had.
7. "Blackened"
Album: '...And Justice for All'
Another excellent opener to one of the band's most impressive albums. "Blackened" brings speed and ferocity and really unique sounding guitar tone to the forefront throughout its entirety. This song really set the tone for the entire ...And Justice for All album thanks to its opening guitar riff.
6. "Sad but True"
Album: 'Metallica' aka 'The Black Album'
"Sad but True" has an amazing groove driven guitar riff that is easily one of the band's best. The guitar solo is also terrific and the song's lyrics are extremely memorable and meaningful. This song is easily one of the best slower songs the band has ever done.
5. "Master of Puppets"
Album: 'Master of Puppets'
I get that this is always viewed as Metallica's masterpiece, but there are a few songs I enjoy more than this one. The opening guitar riff that carries the entire song may just be the band's best and the lyrical themes of drug addiction is also fantastic. This is one of Metallica's most epic tracks they have ever done.
4. "The Unforgiven"
Album: 'Metallica' aka 'The Black Album'
"The Unforgiven" is one of Metallica's best ballads that contains heavy verses and a soft chorus, which makes it more progressive than most ballads. My favorite Kirk Hammett guitar solo of all time is also on this track. This song is brings forth both Metallica's soft and heavy side at their best.
3. "Creeping Death"
Album: 'Ride the Lightning'
Using the book of Exodus from the Bible as their inspiration for the lyrical themes of the plague of death in Egypt. This is definitely one of my favorite song's for both its lyrical content and its headbanging riffs. Throw in some excellent guitar solos and we have a classic thrash tune.
2. "Ride the Lightning"
Album: 'Ride the Lightning'
The title track is not often looked at as the best track from this album, but for me it is. The lyrical themes about a man's thoughts of a man on death row are terrific. The chorus is instantly memorable and the riffs are ridiculously catchy. The guitar solos are also fantastic.
1. "One"
Album: '...And Justice for All'
This song is a monster. It has amazing lyrics about post traumatic stress disorder are haunting and memorable. The slow more melodic buildup creates atmosphere that directly contrasts this song's hard hitting ending that features some head banging riffs and blistering fast guitar solos.
