Every shredder has that moment when they discover Metallica. If it’s “Ride the Lightning”, they might turn out to be lil thrashers, if it’s “Fade to Black”, they might end up trying to be the next Yngwie Malmsteen.
For me, it was “Fade to Black” that started my guitar career. I’m not Yngwie, I’m not even good at sweeping, but I fucking love that song and will never forget how it thrusted me into the world of music.
I would sit in front of the computer watching videos from the late 80s and early 90s and trying to mimic Kirk Hammett’s style, but it was never ever quite the same. I would sift through Ultimate-GuitarTabs.com and look for the proper tabs, but in the end it just came from listening over and over again.
When I saw them play this song, it kind of broke my heart in two. I was with my older brother, who turned me into the world of Metal and it felt like something came full circle. It was definitely weird in that everyone around me was so different from the crowds I was used to, and everyone was filming. Overall though, the fourteen year old inside of me couldn’t stop smiling.