From album
Master of Puppets
Metallica · 1986
Details
TonalidadBm
Compás4/4
Tempo96 BPM
Duración6:08
CompositorJames Hetfield / Lars Ulrich
ÁlbumMaster of Puppets
Año1986
ISRCQMKHM1600218
Credits
Music James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich
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The story behind
The raw energy of *Battery* kicks off with a deceptive calm. Imagine a chord progression played on acoustic guitar, almost like a prelude, with a simple melody layered over it. But this peace is short-lived. Suddenly, everything explodes: distorted electric guitars, drums, and bass come in with force, maintaining the initial melodic foundation but now with overwhelming power. This contrast between the initial delicacy and the thrash fury that follows is one of the song's hallmarks. The lyrics, for their part, delve into the idea of controlling anger and how it can influence our actions. However, its roots are anchored in the San Francisco thrash scene of the 1980s. The Old Waldorf club, on Battery Street, was a key meeting point for Metallica. The line "Cannot kill the family, Battery is found in me" seems to be a declaration of belonging and defense of that scene, a shield against the glam sound that dominated Los Angeles at the time. It is an expression of strong bonds and the positive discharge of energy that found its channel in metal.
This piece, which opens the third studio album by Metallica, *Master of Puppets*, was recorded in 1985 at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark. The music was conceived by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, while Hetfield also wrote the lyrics. The song is characterized by a main riff that Hetfield improvised while resting in London. In its live performances, *Battery* was a recurring track, often chosen to open or close concerts, or even to mark the moment before an intermission. Since 2008, it has shared this role with other album opening songs, adapting to the usual setlist rotation. On some occasions, during shows, the music stops before an interlude for Hetfield to interact with the audience, asking "Are you alive?... How do you feel about being alive?". The recording of this song was done with Flemming Rasmussen as producer, and it is Cliff Burton's last work with the band, as he tragically passed away in 1986.
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