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Following the success of Ride the Lightning, Metallica was signed by Elektra Records and continued to build their following by touring Europe and the states. To satiate their rabid fanbase, Music For Nations released the Creeping Death E.P.
"Creeping Death", of course, is the same version from the L.P. Apparently, they felt that this was the strongest song from Ride the Lightning and the one that they felt would best represent the band, especially on the chance that this E.P. was someone's first exposure to Metallica.
As for the other two songs, they do an excellent job covering "Am I Evil?" by Diamond Head . Thankfully, Hetfield chose to utilize his own vocal style, rather than mimic Sean Harris, and the result is actually a little darker and more enjoyable than the original. "Blitzkrieg" is the shorter and faster of the two, and the Metallica does a good job of making the song their own. As with the other, this version is heavier and more aggressive.
Perhaps, the deeper significance of these songs is that they helped inspire fans, such as myself, to dig into the old NWOBHM scene and discover more old bands. So, in paying tribute to those that influenced them, they also helped to keep those old albums relevant by generating interest in a new generation of listeners.
Creeping Death is more of a collector's item than anything else. Both of the cover songs were included on the Elektra version of Kill 'Em All, at least the early presses. Really, the main benefit of tracking this down is merely the cover art, as it's very well done and almost seems as if it would have been more suitable for Ride the Lightning than what they used. At any rate, if you do seek this out, look for the version that also includes the Jump in the Fire E.P.
"Creeping Death", of course, is the same version from the L.P. Apparently, they felt that this was the strongest song from Ride the Lightning and the one that they felt would best represent the band, especially on the chance that this E.P. was someone's first exposure to Metallica.
As for the other two songs, they do an excellent job covering "Am I Evil?" by Diamond Head . Thankfully, Hetfield chose to utilize his own vocal style, rather than mimic Sean Harris, and the result is actually a little darker and more enjoyable than the original. "Blitzkrieg" is the shorter and faster of the two, and the Metallica does a good job of making the song their own. As with the other, this version is heavier and more aggressive.
Perhaps, the deeper significance of these songs is that they helped inspire fans, such as myself, to dig into the old NWOBHM scene and discover more old bands. So, in paying tribute to those that influenced them, they also helped to keep those old albums relevant by generating interest in a new generation of listeners.
Creeping Death is more of a collector's item than anything else. Both of the cover songs were included on the Elektra version of Kill 'Em All, at least the early presses. Really, the main benefit of tracking this down is merely the cover art, as it's very well done and almost seems as if it would have been more suitable for Ride the Lightning than what they used. At any rate, if you do seek this out, look for the version that also includes the Jump in the Fire E.P.
