Released: August 25, 1988

Songwriter: Jason Newsted Lars Ulrich James Hetfield

Producer: James Hetfield Lars Ulrich Flemming Rasmussen

[Instrumental Intro]

[Verse 1]
Blackened is the end
Winter it will send
Throwing all you see
Into obscurity
Death of Mother Earth
Never her rebirth
Evolution's end
Never will it mend
Never

[Chorus]
Fire, to begin whipping dance of the dead
Blackened is the end
To begin whipping dance of the dead
Color our world blackened

[Verse 2]
Blistering of Earth
Terminate its worth
Deadly nicotine
Kills what might have been
Callous frigid chill
Nothing left to kill
Never seen before
Breathing nevermore
Never

[Chorus]
Fire to begin whipping dance of the dead
Blackened is the end
To begin whipping dance of the dead
Color our world blackened

[Post-Chorus]
Blackened!

[Bridge]
Opposition (Opposition)
Contradiction (Contradiction)
Premonition (Premonition)
Compromise
Agitation (Agitation)
Violation (Violation)
Mutilation (Mutilation)
Planet dies
Darkest color
Blistered Earth
True death of life
(Termination) Termination
(Expiration) Expiration
(Cancellation) Cancellation human race
(Expectation) Expectation
(Liberation) Liberation
(Population) Population laid to waste
See our mother
Put to death
See our mother die

[Guitar Solo]

[Verse 3]
Smoldering decay
Take her breath away
Millions of our years
In minutes disappears
Darkening in vain
Decadence remains
All is said and done
Never is the sun
Never

[Chorus]
Fire to begin whipping dance of the dead
Blackened is the end
To begin whipping dance of the dead
Fire is the outcome of hypocrisy
Darkest potency
In the exit of humanity
Color our world blackened

[Post-Chorus]
Blackened!

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.