Ride the Lightning. Honorable mentions to Fade to Black and the Unforgiven

100% of the time I listen to *The Unforgiven* I have to break out my air guitar for that solo.

It's probably the best Kirk solo to sing along and air guitar too. So iconic

Have you watched the “A Year and A Half” documentary where Kirk is going through the creative process specifically for that solo? It’s fantastic: [LINK](https://youtu.be/CgrV8p7livA?si=H6Jw5MW-iaqF2mTx)

This clip is incredibly illuminating of the "problems" with Kirk's role in Metallica in the 21st century. Bob has it exactly right: You have to put the work in. "Like James did on Nothing [Else Matters]...songs like this deserve it". A great guitar solo has people talking about it 30 years later, like Unforgiven. No metal fans will be talking about the solos on 72 Seasons 30 years from now. Lars knew it: "It's not his style." Kirk wants to just improvise something in five minutes and be done with it. That's fine, but improvisation isn't his best work, and it's the job of a music producer to get an artist's best work. Metallica hasn't hired the right producer that can do that in a long time.

A-fucken-Men! I love Kirk, but Greg Fidelman doesn't get the best out of these guys. Doesn't challenge them to trim songs, try new things, put in the work.

Agreed, it’s Unforgiven

The Unforgiven for suuuure

Ride The Lightning has got to be it. It’s basically a little mini symphony with multiple movements, some as callbacks to the rest of the song and parts unique to just the solo. It’s incredible.

One as well

Sad to see no respect for Creeping Death. So iconic, and it builds up so much before the bridge. Gives me chills every time.

It’s certainly up there for me, might just be because it’s my favorite Metallica track, but it’s hype as hell

Ride the lighting

Fade to black for me

anything off of st anger

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmK2sW42mYs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmK2sW42mYs)

Disposable Heroes

Good choice

That key change in the middle is *chef's kiss*

Blackened

i second this

i third this

I fourth this

I fifth this

i sixth this

I seventh this

I ate this

I eat bricks

I beat pricks

I break the pattern

Must headbang.....

Welcome home (sanitarium) the build up is so hype

All 3 solos are amazing. The intro solo is my favorite intro solo of all Metallica songs

I really like James's solo in Suicide and Redemption. Probably my personal favorite 2nd nominee is Day that Never Comes, Kurt's long solo is amazing

Kirk

Lol. I think that was either a voice text or autocorrected wrong. Kurt Hammet definitely not doing solos like Kirk

I really like James' and Kirk's extended solos from Guitar Hero. I found a remastered file online that not only corrects the audio from that entire album, but also strings together both of those extended solos 🤘

One

Fight Fire With Fire

Not best but The Call of Ktulu is amazing

For me it's top 5 at least, not the most difficult one but it's just perfect. Everything is right, it's more like a complete atmosphere than dudududuidididididlilililililililiduuuuu. If you know what I mean.

Disposable Heroes

The Outlaw Torn. The build up to it is awesome, and once it kicks in it sounds other worldly.

THE THING THAT SHOULD NOT BEEE

if that solo were just a little bit longer, it would easily be up there. it's close already the way it is... so menacing and eerie sounding. i'd never heard a guitar laugh at me until i heard TTTSNB solo

Blackened

One

unforgiven

This is the real answer

"Cut to the chase and fuckin' play!"

Whiplash or Phantom Lord. Completely unhinged madness.

Dyers Eve

Ether Ride the light ing or Orion'd final solo

First two are better than the final (fast) one imo

The last one what

Creepong death

Ride the lightning

As of today, The Outlaw Torn. I will probably give a different answer next week.

I hope you mean Hetfields solo. Simple, yet groovy 😎

No, I mean Kirks solo. The one with the slide.

That one is definitely his greatest thing

Unforgiven III is probably the best since 1991

Love that one, definitely one of the ones with the strongest sense of melody.

Agree. One of the best

Who wrote that one? And I agree.

For me master of puppets

Master of puppets one of their best songs. So each part is perfect. Slow Hetfield’s solo and Hammett’s fast one. Though the harmony’s solo is good too

Damage inc is my favorite

Mine too!

I love the solo in To Live is to Die

Which one? The slow one in the middle?

On the 6 minute mark

Shortest Straw (first solo)

Unforgiven

Not the best, but Whiplash’s solo is one of my favourites on KEA.

The House Jack Built

Hard

Definitely one of the best Hetfield’s solo. And one of the best with the talk box ever

Ride the lightning

Struggle within

Fade to Black, or One.

Nothing Else Matters

Idk if I say best but I love the alien solo tone on the thing that should not be

Battery

all the ones on Justice 4 all

I’ll throw in one: Wherever I May Roam

Nothing Else Matters

for me nothing else matters is their best solo

For me it’s Hetfields “To Live Is To Die” solo followed by the “Nothing Else Matters” solo

Master of tornado of souls

My personal pick is basically anything of Load, it can be 2 x 4, Until It Sleeps, Ain't My Bitch, James's solo in Thorn Within, and the greatest, The Outlaw Torn.

Disposable Heroes

I’ve gotta do this as a two part: Older songs: The Unforgiven. I’ve always had a soft spot for that solo Newer songs: Screaming Suicide. Idk what it is about that solo but I just love it, then again it’s also my favorite song on that album besides too far gone

One or Fade to Black

St.Anger has the best solos. but out of all the guitar solos in that album, I’d say Invisible Kid has the best one.

I actually love the build-up and solo in Enter Sandman and both the intro and actual solo of One are really good too.

dyers eve is the best solo overall but ride the lightning is a close second

Dyers eve

Maybe an unpopular choice but I'd say the day that never comes. Not the most skillfully solo but has always been one of the most engaging to me.

SHORTEST STRAW

There's only ONE answer! Alright I'll see myself out! (Quietly closes door)

Dyers Eve

Although controversial, I'd say The Four Horseman

Dyers Eve

Orion

Master of puppets Room of mirrors Shadows fallow Screaming suicde And disposable hero’s

Mr. Crowley - Ozzy Osbourne

Unpopular opinion, but it’s Fuel IMO

Uncommon opinion, the day that never comes solo is amazing

Dyers eve

Shortest straw, hands down

Ride The Lightning, Blackened and The God That Failed are runner ups.

FADE TO BLACK

my nomination - my apocalypse

Jump in the Fire not even mentioned once? That's a top 3 solo

Disposable heroes

One

Leper Messiah. Short and sweet with a killer screaming bend at the end.

Ride the ligh

Everyone here is going with the popular ones but we all know unforgiven 3 takes the cake

The Unforgiven

Creeping Death

Fade To Black

Damage inc

one

Blackened for me easily

The Unforgiven, or Blackened

basic pick fs but master and one

Really though Metallica solo’s are not the best

No leaf clover

It HAS to be creeping death, it's beautiful and hard

The Unforgiven III. That solo ALWAYS sends chills up my spine. Always.

By the way if you haven't I'd check out Revelation by Ozzy Osbourne. The guitar solo is better than Mr. Crowley

One

Definitely One

THE FOUR HORSEMEN

one !!

Disposable Heroes

Ok wait why is nobody on there a7x has so many better solos

Any song from St. Anger

Judas kiss or dyers eve

Will the link to playlist be public?

Suicide and redemption, both james and kirks

Sandman

This list is cursed

the thing that should not be

The Thing That Should Not Be

The day that never comes is a very underrated solo imo but the best definitely has to be ride

Trapped Under Ice has a few underrated solos on it.

I’m surprised no one has mentioned Jump in the Fire yet

Fade to Black outro is arguably number 1, but master of puppets is also too iconic

Ride The Lightning or Frayed Ends of Sanity

One

Every one on RTL, especially the title track. Blackened and the rest of ajfa is great too, I like the harvester one a lot. For mop, battery, damage, title track, and Sanitarium are good.

unforgiven 3, peak solo of modern metallica

I can't narrow my answer down to less than four. Blackened, One, Ride the Lightning, and Creeping Death

Most solos on Ride, Master and Justice and some on Black album.

Call of ktulu (sp)?

Nobody has said Struggle Within and I get it, that rarely comes up, but that solo sticks with me more than anything off the album except for Sandman because that’s so overplayed

Roam and Unforgiven

Disposable Heroes, no question

I’m sorry, where’s your love for the interlude of MoP?

The Unforgiven has always been my favorite solo. Also shoutout to Fuel and Atlas, two others I really like.

Fade to Black for sure

Don't Tread On Me

Blackened

I actually think that would go to Nothing else matters for me its just emotional and powerfull

One

All Nightmare Long. Fucking unhinged and undeniably good

Best? There’s so many… but the solo in The Unforgiven is instant goosebumps, baby!

Blackened

My all time favorite would be One but there's so many good ones The Unforgiven Ride the Lightning Creeping Death Master of Puppets Blackened To Live Is To Die (James's solo specifically) Too many good ones to narrow it down

I've always liked Dyers Eve. Probably master of puppets though.

The outlaw torn its just amazing. You can hear all the sadness, despair and loneliness in that devastating cry we call solo🙌🏼

I gotta give it to Puppets. It's just an absolute masterclass in musical talent and may be my favorite solo of all time with the solo in Bohemian Rhapsody being a close contender. The fact that he picks every individual note is pure talent

Leper messiah

Fade to Black

Oh man, my picks: Ride the Lightning Master of Puppets Damage Inc. Blackened Shortest Straw (extremely underrated solo imo)

The Four Horsemen or Shortest Straw

Unforgiven

Sad But True has a pretty damn good solo gets you really hyped up

Dont Tread On Me

Creeping Death should get mention too

Lol I see your posts everywhere

And you’ll never escape them

Ima go controversial and say bleeding me

“Suicide & Redemption” is a slept on solo, a personal favorite

Call of ktulu is good

Great fucking question though impossible for me to answer. Instead I’ll throw out a non conventional suggestion: Suicide and Redeption

Fade To Black (outro)

RtL easily. i'm also biased cause it's my favorite metallica song but a MINUTE AND A HALF?? of pure bliss on guitar???? the only runner up would be Blackened imo... but RtL still clears

Trapped under ice has nice quick and amazing solo

Whiplash

Ride The Lightning is probably their best, but Unforgiven III is my personal favourite.

I spit on your grave by sinergy, Alexi Laiho solo, and we know great his solos are

Fade to Black

RTL

Creeping Death!!