Released: November 23, 1993

Songwriter: Lars Ulrich James Hetfield Dave Mustaine

Producer: James Hetfield Lars Ulrich

[Verse 1]
By the last breath of the fourth winds blow
Better raise your ears
The sound of hooves knock at your door
Lock up your wife and children now
It's time to wield the blade
For now you've got some company

[Chorus]
The horsemen are drawing nearer
On the leather steeds they ride
They've come to take your life
On through the dead of night
With the four horsemen ride
Or choose your fate and die
Aw yeah!

[Verse 2]
You've been dying since the day you were born
You know it's all been planned
The quartet of deliverance rides
A sinner once a sinner twice
No need for confession now
'Cause now you have got the fight of your life

[Chorus]
The horsemen are drawing nearer
On the leather steeds they ride
They've come to take your life
On through the dead of night
With the four horsemen ride
Or choose your fate and die
Aw yeah!




[Bridge]
Time! Has taken its toll on you
The lines that crack your face
Famine! Your body, it has torn through
Withered in every place
Pestilence! For what you've had to endure
And what you have put others through
Death! Deliverance for you for sure
Now there's nothing you can do

[Verse 3]
So gather round, young warriors now
And saddle up your steeds
Killing scores with demon swords
Now's the death of doers of wrong
Swing the judgment hammer down
Safely inside armor blood guts and sweat

[Chorus]
The horsemen are drawing nearer
On the leather steeds they ride
They've come to take your life
On through the dead of night
With the four horsemen ride
Or choose your fate and die
Aw yeah!

Metallica

Like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden before, Metallica has managed to transcend the genre from which it was originated. To their metal fanbase they are considered one of the Big Four bands of thrash metal, alongside Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer; however Metallica is also one of the most commercially successful bands in all of rock music, having sold 110 million records including the 16x platinum Metallica, which stands as both the highest selling metal album of all time and most successful album of the past 25 years.

Metallica was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles after drummer Lars Ulrich placed an advert in the classifieds newspaper The Recycler, which was answered by singer/rhythm guitarist James Hetfield. They were soon joined by lead guitarist Dave Mustaine, who later formed Megadeth after being kicked out of the band because of his substance and alchohol abuse, and bassist Ron McGovney, a childhood friend of Hetfield. These two early members were replaced with Cliff Burton (who relocated the band to San Francisco) and ex-Exodus lead guitarist, Kirk Hammett to form the band’s classic line-up.

The band released three albums, 1983’s Kill ‘Em All, 1984’s Ride The Lightning and 1986’s Master of Puppets before the tragic and untimely death of Cliff Burton on September 27th, 1986.