The List of Metallica Albums in Order of Release Date

Metallica albums in order: Metallica is an American heavy metal band, formed in 1981. What started as the brainchild of James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich in Los Angeles has developed into a majority San Francisco-based music group that has been ruling the music world for the past three decades. Known for their fast tempo, complex instrumentation, and even more aggressive playing, Metallica is widely regarded as one of the “big four” bands of thrash metal, along with other innovators of the genre Megadeth, Anthrax, and Slayer. In the lineup are long-standing lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo—Metallica has moved through career phases that have continually redefined the heavy metal genre.

From the early “Kill ‘Em All” to the latest one in 2023, “72 Seasons,” they prove their permanence and evolution. The article deals with Metallica albums in order, covering an overview of the band’s large discography of studio albums—11 in number—live albums—eight in number—and many singles and music videos. Every Metallica album is a milestone in their career, evidencing that they scaled the ladder up in innovation and adaptation but didn’t forget where they came from. Join us as we outline the development of one of the world’s most influential rock bands, album by album.So, if you are a die heart fan of Metallica then check out here we have gathered all Metallica albums in order of release so far.

 

All Metallica Albums Available on:  Apple Music 

Also See: Megadeth Albums in Order 

How many albums does Metallica have?

The discography of American heavy metal band Metallica includes 11 studio albums, eight live albums, three extended plays, 44 singles, 10 video albums, 43 music videos, one soundtrack album, one collaboration album and three box sets.

Check Out The List of Metallica Albums in Order Here!

Here is the list of Metallica Albums in Order of Release Date:

1. Kill ‘Em All — July 25, 1983
2. Ride the Lightning — July 27, 1984
3. Master of Puppets — March 3, 1986
4. …And Justice for All — September 7, 1988
5. Metallica — August 12, 1991
6. Load — June 4, 1996
7. Reload — November 18, 1997
8. St. Anger — June 5, 2003
9. Death Magnetic — September 12, 2008
10. Hardwired… to Self-Destruct — November 18, 2016
11. 72 Seasons — April 14, 2023

 

All Metallica Albums List in Order

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1. Kill ‘Em All (1983)

Kill ‘Em All Tracklist

1. Hit the Lights
2. The Four Horsemen
3. Motorbreath
4. Jump in the Fire
5. (Anesthesia)-Pulling Teeth
6. Whiplash
7. Phantom Lord
8. No Remorse
9. Seek & Destroy
10. Metal Militia

Their 1983 debut studio album, “Kill ‘Em All,” could be described as the thrash metal cornerstone. This thrashing monster of an album unleashed on the world numerous aggressive and at times fast songs that totally defined their style and solidified their reputation as founders of the genre. The CD contained a number of the band’s raw energy, intricate guitar work, and incredibly fast drumming with tracks like “Hit the Lights,” “Seek & Destroy,” and “Whiplash.”. Most importantly, having the attitude of recklessness and an unapologetic sound, “Kill ‘Em All” set the base for Metallica’s later success and easily established its status as one of the most influential heavy metal bands ever.

 

2. Ride the Lightning (1984)

Ride the Lightning Tracklist

1. Fight Fire with Fire
2. Ride the Lightning
3. For Whom the Bell Tolls
4. Fade to Black
5. Trapped Under Ice
6. Escape
7. Creeping Death
8. The Call of Ktulu

Their second studio album, “Ride the Lightning,” was released in 1984 and is recognized as one of the immortal thrash metal masterpieces. It brought musical maturity to the band and laid down their signature sound of aggression. Instrumentally, songs such as “Fade to Black,” “Creeping Death,” and the self-titled “Ride the Lightning” displayed power with incredible guitar riffs and banging drums, accompanied by very aggressive lyrics. The dark and introspective lyrics are on subjects such as death, war, and societal issues. Powerful writing and an innovative sound made “Ride the Lightning” one of the staples of heavy metal history.

 

3. Master of Puppets (1986)

Master of Puppets Tracklist

1. Battery
2. Master of Puppets
3. The Thing That Should Not Be
4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
5. Disposable Heroes
6. Leper Messiah
7. Orion
8. Damage, Inc.

The year was 1986 and “Master of Puppets” was a milestone album that inserted Metallica into the heavy metal hall of fame. These complex song structures with their crazy riffs at lightning speed courtesy of a guitar and provocative lyrics pretty much epitomized the album and the group. Songs like “Master of Puppets,” “Battery,” and “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” were instant classics, delivering what any fan is looking for: the perfect degree of melodiousness mixing with a high level of aggression. “Master of Puppets” is a classic for all time, and a majority of quotations call it the greatest heavy metal album. It serves as a vivid example of Metallica’s potential in releasing compressed, emotional music.

 

4. …And Justice for All (1988)

…And Justice for All Tracklist

1. Blackened
2. …And Justice for All
3. Eye of the Beholder
4. One
5. The Shortest Straw
6. Harvester of Sorrow
7. The Frayed Ends of Sanity
8. To Live Is to Die
9. Dyers Eve

Released in 1988, “.And Justice for All” is the fourth studio album from Metallica, considered by many to be an archetypal masterpiece of the thrash metal genre. The album perpetuated musical skill with the band and showed intricate songwriting. Hearty guitar riffs, complicated solos, and socially charged lyrics provide a vehicle through which Metallica tackles injustices, corruption, and wearing down of personal freedoms. The production of the record, with its deliberately light amount of bass, has always been a point of contention with fans and critics alike. Still, “.And Justice for All” is undeniably one of the milestone releases that secured Metallica’s position as probably the most influential metal band of all time.

 

5. Metallica (1991)

Metallica Tracklist

1. Enter Sandman
2. Sad but True
3. Holier than Thou
4. The Unforgiven
5. Wherever I May Roam
6. Don’t Tread on Me
7. Through the Never
8. Nothing Else Matters
9. Of Wolf and Man
10. The God That Failed
11. My Friend of Misery
12. The Struggle Within

The Metallica came out with a self-titled album, more commonly known as the “Black Album,” in the year 1991. It was a career-defining moment for this band as it started changing things around by venturing more into mainstream music without losing its heavy metal touch. This album included the classic tracks “Enter Sandman,” “Sad But True,” and “Nothing Else Matters.”. Heavy riffs, professional hooks, and introspective lyrics make Metallica’s self-titled album one of the most famous and influential works ever issued by the band, which finally cemented their position as one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time.

 

6. Load (1996)

Load Tracklist

1. Ain’t My Bitch
2. 2 X 4
3. The House Jack Built
4. Until It Sleeps
5. King Nothing
6. Hero of the Day
7. Bleeding Me
8. Cure
9. Poor Twisted Me
10. Wasting My Hate
11. Mama Said
12. Thorn Within
13. Ronnie
14. The Outlaw Torn

It was a big turn around, with their sixth studio album, “Load,” METALLICA made a huge leap into different sound compared to the previous thrash metal style in 1996. By this album, they were approaching alternative rock with a heavy blues sound, focusing much on melody and more introspective lyrics. This new mature and introspective side gave a big platform through songs like “Until It Sleeps” and “Hero of the Day.”. “Load” has seen mixed reactions from fans and critics—the former glad about what the band was doing, the latter missing their earlier aggressive sound. It is, however, a big statement in Metallica’s discography, standing for readiness to explore other musical areas.

 

7. Reload (1997)

Reload Tracklist

1. Fuel
2. The Memory Remains
3. Devil’s Dance
4. The Unforgiven II
5. Better than You
6. Slither
7. Carpe Diem Baby
8. Bad Seed
9. Where the Wild Things Are
10. Prince Charming
11. Low Man’s Lyric
12. Attitude
13. Fixxxer

Metallica’s 1997 “Reload” marked a fair departure from the thrash metal sound of earlier times, heavy on an alternative metal and hard rock direction by the balance between heavy riffage and melody. This album included the very popular songs “Fuel,” “The Memory Remains,” and “The Unforgiven II.” Although it received mixed reviews from critics, “Reload” still managed to have some commercial success by hitting number one on the Billboard 200 chart. For Metallica, it remained a huge disc in its inventory because it showed a different dimension of their evolution and daring attitude toward newer musical genres.

 

8. St. Anger (2003)

St. Anger Tracklist

1. Frantic
2. St. Anger
3. Some Kind of Monster
4. Dirty Window
5. Invisible Kid
6. My World
7. Shoot Me Again
8. Sweet Amber
9. The Unnamed Feeling
10. Purify
11. All Within My Hands

Released in 2003, Metallica’s St. Anger has become an album split between fans and critics. This was where the real deviation from the traditional sound of the band occurred, with a raw, aggressive approach and very stripped-down production. The album has heavy guitar riffs, pounding drums, and some pretty introspective lyrics that dwell on themes of anger, frustration, and personal struggles. St. Anger showed Metallica in the mood for more modern and alternative metal sounds, featuring things like downtuned guitars and a lack of solos. Although it received a polarizing reception, it would be an important record for Metallica’s discography—representing one of the turbulent times for the band.

 

9. Death Magnetic (2008)

Death Magnetic Tracklist

1. That Was Just Your Life
2. The End of the Line
3. Broken, Beat & Scarred
4. The Day That Never Comes
5. All Nightmare Long
6. Cyanide
7. The Unforgiven III
8. The Judas Kiss
9. Suicide & Redemption
10. My Apocalypse

In 2008, Metallica returned to thrash metal with the album Death Magnetic. It made a very strong comeback for the band after the criticism faced from its previous albums. This album was much heavier and more aggressive, with complicated guitar playing and drumming, raw emotional vocals from James Hetfield. The songwriting of Death Magnetic was critically acclaimed, with energy and renewed vitality. It contained a number of memorable tracks, including “The Day That Never Comes” and “All Nightmare Long,” which set the pendulum swinging once again for the presence of Metallica in metal.

 

10. Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (2016)

Hardwired… to Self-Destruct Tracklist

1. Hardwired
2. Atlas, Rise!
3. Now That We’re Dead
4. Moth into Flame
5. Dream No More
6. Halo on Fire
7. Confusion
8. ManUNkind
9. Here Comes Revenge
10. Am I Savage?
11. Murder One
12. Spit Out the Bone

The Hardwired. to Self-Destruct” is the eleventh studio album by Metallica, issued in 2016, eight years after the appearance of “Death Magnetic.” It caters to the heavy metal dictates with aggressive and powerful riffs, thunderous drumming, and soaring vocals. It has 12 tracks, among them such popular singles as “Hardwired,” “Moth into Flame,” and “Atlas, Rise!” “Hardwired. to Self-Destruct” received positive reviews from critics and became a commercial success in many countries. That is the reaffirmed statement of Metallica being one of the most influential and long-lasting bands ever in heavy metal history.

 

11. 72 Seasons (2023)

72 Seasons Tracklist

1. 72 Seasons
2. Shadows Follow
3. Screaming Suicide
4. Sleepwalk My Life Away
5. You Must Burn!
6. Lux Æterna
7. Crown of Barbed Wire
8. Chasing Light
9. If Darkness Had a Son
10. Too Far Gone?
11. Room of Mirrors
12. Inamorata

Metallica’s 72 Seasons arrives seven years on from Hardwired.to Self-Destruct. The band were certainly considering life cycles, with the title and the premise of 72 Seasons being that all we become as adults is informed by our first 18 years, or 72 seasons. The title track—as well as the fourth single—from the album starts off with a Motörhead-type groove, then just goes right into flat-out, rip-roaring thrash Metallica developed back in the ’80s. “Shadows Follow” and “Too Far Gone?” are old-school thrash cuts; the latter includes Thin Lizzy flair via some great guitar harmonies.

Meanwhile, “Screaming Suicide” is a suicide song sung from the perspective of suicide (“Keep me inside, my name is suicide”), while “You Must Burn!” sounds like it could’ve been on the Black Album back in 1991. Apart from the obvious references, there are other instances throughout 72 Seasons that make it sound like Hetfield was going down memory lane when coming up with these songs.

Conclusion:

“Metallica Albums in Order” is documenting in which succession the band went from leaders as innovative purveyors of thrash metal to popular, commercially successful leaders of various metal music styles. With 11 studio albums on its sleeve, Metallica has always tried to work over the edge, coming up with likely anthems or outstanding proficiency. Ranging from the raw energy of “Kill ’em All” to the refined aggression of “Death Magnetic,” arriving at even more introspective depth with “72 Seasons,” an album that speaks bounds. The legacy of Metallica lies in its music, but it is also in the influence that it has been able to rouse of the genre, holding a very tight connection with the fans that place them onto a small pedestal as one of the greatest metal bands in history.

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