Five Of The Most Iconic Metallica Riffs

Last week, Metallica's Creeping Death won our poll to find the Riff That Shook The World. But we couldn't leave it there, so here are five more of the best riffs the 'Tallica have given the world.

Seek And Destroy (Kill ‘Em All, 1983)

Before Ride The Lightning landed and redefined thrash before it had barely got off the ground, Metallica were throwing out timeless riff monsters such as this classic, set-ending standard.

Battery (Master Of Puppets, 1986)

A flirtatious bit of acoustic guitar? Some Maiden-esque twin harmonics? They’re pretty epic, but nothing can out-impact the beasty chuggathon of the riff that follows. Epic.

One (…And Justice For All, 1988)

Metallica can throw all the fire, smoke and lasers that they want ahead of this classic – One hinges on one thing and one thing only: that monstrous, mechanical midsection.

Sad But True (Metallica, 1991)

Enter Sandman may be the hallmark, but Sad But True is as big a riff as they come: a slow, pounding beast of a riff fit to level buildings with. Fuck, it even made Kid Rock sound good.

Ain’t My Bitch (Load, 1996)

Quiet there at the back. Load may have its critics, but the fact of the matter is that bangers like this show that the Biggest Band In Metal know their way around a big, groovy hard rock riff.

Read all about the biggest and best riffs in metal in the new issue of Metal Hammer.

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