The opening track on “Master of Puppets,” widely regarded as the apex of the thrash genre, “Battery” begins with a menacing, ascending classical guitar riff. It escalates from there into a frenzied uptempo crusher, which pays homage to Metallica’s loyal fans. The fans are the battery that gives them...
[Verse 1]
Lashing out the action, returning the reaction
Weak are ripped and torn away
Hypnotizing power, crushing all that cower
Battery is here to stay
[Chorus]
Smashing through the boundaries, lunacy has found me
Cannot stop the battery
Pounding out aggression, turns into obsession
Cannot kill the battery
Cannot kill the family, battery is found in me
Battery, battery
[Verse 2]
Crushing all deceivers, mashing non-believers
Never-ending potency
Hungry violence-seeker, feeding off the weaker
Breeding on insanity
[Chorus]
Smashing through the boundaries, lunacy has found me
Cannot stop the battery
Pounding out aggression, turns into obsession
Cannot kill the battery
Cannot kill the family, battery is found in me
Battery, battery
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 3]
Circle of destruction, hammer comes crushing
Powerhouse of energy
Whipping up a fury, dominating flurry
We create the battery
[Chorus]
Smashing through the boundaries, lunacy has found me
Cannot stop the battery
Pounding out aggression, turns into obsession
Cannot kill the battery
Cannot kill the family, battery is found in me
Battery, battery
Battery, battery
Battery was written by Lars Ulrich & James Hetfield.
Battery was produced by Metallica & Flemming Rasmussen.
We’ve played all the songs live. “Battery” was our perennial opener for years and
sometimes it still ends up being our opening. It’s played frequently.
—Lars Ulrich, Library of Congress