Live version for us this week, from Live Shit: Binge and Purge. Metallica arguably at their peak powers: long hair, tight as fuck, Jason bringing the MOTHER-FUCKING-DIE backup vocals, Lars with his massive kit and owning it, Kirk before his love for wah absorbed everything. Live Shit was a love letter to the band, from the band. Recorded over 3 nights, it showcases the best the band had to offer. Released on VHS and Casette Tape with packaging reminiscent of tour cases and boy was it pricey. Even today it commands fairly serious money when nobody has a VHS player!

And the song, Creeping Death, is a huge staple of Metallica’s catalog, with a blistering pace of intro that is a mastclass in downpicking from James, matched by Lars’ playing. These days they are down a few BPM compared to the original on Ride The Lightning. Originally a Kirk track also, with a face melting solo breaking up the verse/chorus structure. Lyrics drawn from The Bible about Egyptian plagues add heft to the song too, it is unashamedly dark.

Arguably this track has influenced blackened thrash considerably, go listen to Hellripper after this track

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8mwkqZNXSc

And the homage is all here. Anyway, if you’ve seen Metallica live: you’ve seen Creeping Death. Has anyone got a specific memory to share about this track?