Whiplash

The raw energy of Whiplash, one of Metallica's early cuts, is felt from the first second. This track, which is part of their debut album Kill 'Em All, was released as the group's first single. The composition, attributed to James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, captures the intensity of headbanging, that feeling of letting yourself be carried away by the music to the point of feeling a whip crack. The recording took place between May 10 and 27, 1983, at Music America Studios in Rochester, New York, under the production of Paul Curcio. The single included, in addition to the main version of Whiplash, some "fake live performances" of Seek & Destroy and Phantom Lord, which were actually studio recordings with crowd noise added.

Whiplash not only marked the beginning of Metallica's discography as a single, but it was also one of the last compositions for Kill 'Em All, having been played live for the first time on October 23, 1982. Its impact has transcended time, being covered by various artists. Notable is the performance by Motörhead, who received a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for their cover, an award that came in 2005. The song has also appeared in video games such as Guitar Hero: Metallica and Tony Hawk's Underground 2. Other bands like Destruction, Pantera (under the name "Pantallica" in a performance with Jason Newsted), Stone Gods, and Abaddon of Venom have also paid tribute to this song with their own versions.