Metallica / Germany 09.14.1985 Complete Soundboard Edition

A full live album from the legendary festival that defined the “Ride the Lightning” tour has arrived! This release preserves the best available master recording—sourced from official material—for posterity. The legendary event took place on September 14, 1985, at Loreley (West Germany). It features a powerful soundboard recording captured at the “Metal Hammer Festival,” organized by a pioneering heavy metal magazine. This festival is truly legendary; pro-shot footage has long been known to exist, with segments even appearing in the *Cliff ‘Em All* video. Alongside “Day on the Green,” it has reigned as a definitive professional record of the *Ride the Lightning* era. This release presents the ultimate version of that performance as a complete live album. Before diving into the impressive audio quality, let’s look at where this show fits into the timeline. Given the recent acclaim for the *Hollywood Palladium 1985 Soundboard* release, it is worth reviewing the band’s activities from that period to understand the context of each performance. 1984: Jan 7–22: North America #1 (6 shows); Feb 3–12: Europe #2 (6 shows); Mar 27 & Apr 8: UK (2 shows) ← *Marquee 1984 (*Ride the Lightning* completed Mar 14); Jun 6–10: Europe #3 (5 shows); Jul 20 & Aug 3: North America #2 (2 shows); Aug 29: Le Bourget show; Nov 16–Dec 20: Europe #4 (25 shows). 1985: Jan 10–Mar 19: North America #3 (55 shows) ← *Hollywood Palladium 1985; Aug 17: Monsters of Rock 1985; Aug 24: Berkeley show; Aug 31: Day on the Green appearance (*Master of Puppets* production began in Sept); Sep 14: Metal Hammer Festival ← ★This Title★; Dec 29 & 31: North America #4 (2 shows). This was Metallica in 1985. The tour officially designated as the “Ride the Lightning Tour” comprises only the “Europe #4” leg in late 1984 and the “North America #3” leg in early 1985. Afterward, while performing a few one-off shows—primarily at festivals—they began production on their next album, *Master of Puppets*. Their appearance at the Metal Hammer Festival, featured here, was a special performance during that transitional period. While the recent *Hollywood Palladium 1985 Soundboard* release captured a roughly 60-minute headline set from the “North America #3” club tour, this title presents a blistering ~73-minute headline performance delivered on the massive stage of a festival. A brutal soundboard recording that pummels your very insides. As previously mentioned, this show is known for its surviving pro-shot footage, but the definitive version is the complete recording included in the *Ride the Lightning* 30th Anniversary Deluxe Box. This release is derived from the soundboard master tape—which appears to have leaked during that production process. Sourced via the same exclusive channel as the aforementioned *Hollywood Palladium 1985 Soundboard*, it shares the same origin as the official pro-shot video, yet it isn’t an exact replica; it seems to have undergone remastering, perhaps originally intended for a live CD release. The sound is, in a word, formidable—incredibly thick and massively powerful. While the opening track, “Creeping Death,” appears to be supplemented by a different recording for its first section, the rest of the set explodes with a massive, raw, and gritty sound. You can hear the crowd’s call-and-response, suggesting it wasn’t a direct feed from the mixing console, yet the instrumental audio itself is completely unprocessed and unadjusted; the balance is rough—it feels like a raw, “straight-from-the-tape” recording. Far from being a negative, this rawness amplifies the destructive power of their brutal thrash metal, making it sound incredibly cool. The riffs—sharp enough to feel like a cleaver swinging inside your brain—cut through with precision, while the ultra-powerful low end pummels and kicks at your very core. It’s a wild, unbridled performance that seems to scream, “Musical perfection? Who cares about that?”—and it’s absolutely intoxicating. While the *Hollywood Palladium 1985 Soundboard* offered a sadistic, direct-line intensity—like having a plug jammed straight into your ear—this release is a powerhouse soundboard recording that captures the sheer, violent scale of a festival performance. You just want them to keep pummeling you with those crunchy riffs… It is a killer soundboard recording that makes your whole body tremble with a kind of ecstasy you’d never dare speak of in polite company. A complete version that includes the final four songs missing from the standard master—this brutal sound captures a commanding full-length set where the band headlined an up-and-coming festival. The standard master recording previously in circulation began midway through the opening track, “Creeping Death,” and was missing the final four songs: “Whiplash,” “Fight Fire with Fire,” “Am I Evil?,” and “Motorbreath.” As mentioned earlier, while the opening of “Creeping Death” on this release is patched using a different recording, the final four tracks are captured in pristine soundboard quality, making this a complete live album. Let’s take a look at the full setlist: *Kill ‘Em All* (6 songs): “No Remorse,” “(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth,” “The Four Horsemen” (*), “Seek & Destroy,” “Whiplash” (★*), “Motorbreath” (★); Others (5 songs + 2 songs) – *Ride the Lightning*: “Creeping Death,” “Ride the Lightning,” “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “Fade to Black,” “Fight Fire with Fire” (★); Others: “Disposable Heroes” (*), “Am I Evil?” (★). Note: (★) indicates songs missing from the previous master; (*) indicates songs not included on the *Hollywood Palladium 1985 Soundboard* release. Compared to the aforementioned *Hollywood Palladium 1985 Soundboard*, the inclusion of “Disposable Heroes,” “The Four Horsemen,” and “Whiplash” is a major highlight. “Disposable Heroes,” in particular, makes its historic world premiere here; the band unleashed a brand-new song—which hadn’t even been recorded yet—on a massive festival stage, creating an impact that is hard to overstate. Furthermore, the climax—featuring the blistering “Fight Fire with Fire” and a seamless transition from “Am I Evil?” (with an inserted guitar solo) into “Motorbreath”—offers an experience impossible to get from the standard master. This full live album drives home the band’s immense potential during a peak period of the *Ride the Lightning* tour, right as they were in the thick of creating their future masterpiece, *Master of Puppets*. It is a thrilling, exclusive release that emerged from the shadows of the official production process. A powerful soundboard recording of the performance at the Metal Hammer Festival on September 14, 1985. Sourced from a leaked master obtained via the same exclusive channel as *Hollywood Palladium 1985 Soundboard*, this is a complete live album that includes the final four songs missing from the standard master. It is an essential release offering a full, approximately 73-minute show—featuring the world premiere of “Disposable Heroes”—delivered with ferocious, high-impact soundboard audio. Freilichtbühne Loreley, St. Goarshausen, Germany – September 14, 1985 (Leaked Soundboard Recording!!) (72:45) 1. The Ecstasy Of Gold 2. Creeping Death 3. Ride The Lightning 4. Disposable Heroes 5. No Remorse 6. (Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth 7. For Whom The Bell Tolls 8. The Four Horsemen 9. Fade to Black 10. Seek & Destroy 11. Whiplash 12. Fight Fire with Fire 13. Kirk Hammett Solo 14. Am I Evil? 15. Motorbreath SOUNDBOARD RECORDING