Song Analysis 1: "Fade to Black" by Metallica

Metallica is not only one of the original heavy metal bands, but they are also one of the greatest. Formed in Los Angeles by lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, they quickly became well-known in the area for their jarring riffs and punishing vocals. They even spawned another of the most famous heavy metal bands; they kicked out their original guitarist Dave Mustaine, who went on to front Megadeth. They drew much of their influence from the original gods of metal, Black Sabbath, in that they dealt heavily in morbid lyrics and colossal guitars. What they weren’t known for, however, was branching out lyrically. On their second album, Ride the Lightning, they produced one of the most famous metal songs of all time: “Fade to Black”. In this song, the listener is consumed meant to be overwhelmed by feelings of depression and sadness.

The lyrics Hetfield wrote for this song excellently capture the themes he was trying to convey. It tells about a man who is extremely depressed and wants to commit suicide and ultimately succeeds. At the beginning of the song, the man feels powerful and deep sadness; “Getting lost within myself/Nothing matters, no one else”. This sadness builds momentum until he seriously contemplates suicide; “No one but me can save myself/But it’s too late”. The song climaxes with the man giving in to his emotions and ending his life; “Death greets me warm/Now I will just say goodbye”.

When James Hetfield wrote the lyrics to this song, he was clearly feeling very troubled. The way in which the emotions build momentum until they explode works fantastically to draw the listener into the song. And not only are the words and the structure of the lyrics beautifully crafted, the guitar work augments the emotions so perfectly that it can’t be ignored; the outro solo is widely considered one of the best ever written. Although Metallica has an extensive career spanning over 30 years of nonstop production, it still stands out as one of their signature tracks. Many believe that Metallica is the greatest heavy metal band of all time, and with songs as universally excellent as “Fade to Black”, it’s hard to argue.