‘Fade to Black’: the Metallica song that divided their audience
When Metallica released Ride the Lightning in 1984, censorship in the whirlwind of the so-called ‘satanic panic’ was at an all-time high. As long as rock and heavy metal were being scrutinised for their perceived harmful content, bands like Metallica were caught in the crossfire, often facing backlash and protests despite the absence of any true connection to Satanism in their lyrics.
While Metallica weren’t single-handedly at the centre of the era’s moral panic, albums like Ride the Lightning became associated with an increasing list of dangerous content, as the themes were often misinterpreted as promoting the occult and subverting the safe parameters of Christian ideology, thereby drawing unwarranted criticism and censorship.
Aside from the distracting nature of external societal unrest, the album also marked a significant aspect of Metallica’s evolution, with complex songwriting and even darker themes that coalesced with their label as the forerunners in contemporary rock and metal. Despite appearing more complex than the previous year’s Kill ‘Em All, however, the outsider focus remained heavily on one thing, and one thing only—that it was the inner workings of the devil himself.
At this juncture, the members of Metallica faced two options: ignore the ongoing perils of corrupted minds or charge on, no matter the risk. Obviously, they chose the latter, but that didn’t mean coasting along in a false bubble of security. In fact, it meant facing scrutiny and controversy head-on. ‘Fade to Black’ emerged as a somewhat distinctive piece amid such a fiery movement, particularly as its theme focussed more narrowly on depression than overtly devilish influences.
The song, inspired by the bleak depths of falling into a pit of despair and depression, does not hide away from its dark messaging as James Hetfield sings: “There is nothing more for me / Need the end to set me free.” Alongside heightened concerns about the impact of music on impressionable listeners’ actions, songs like ‘Fade to Black’ stirred controversy about the impact music had on society’s young minds and whether it was exacerbating their mental health during a time when order needed to be restored.
However, despite Lars Ulrich later sharing that it was written to show listeners that “we’re in this together”, Hetfield couldn’t shake the feeling that it would remain immensely divisive. “[The song got a] good and bad response,” he told Rolling Stone. “When the censorship thing started, that was one of the songs they tried to attack,” he said.
Hetfield added: “These parents finding their kids dead in the garage with these lyrics, sucking on an exhaust pipe. People tried to sue bands for their mistakes.”
Interestingly, Hetfield also revealed that the song resulted in them getting floods of letters from fans about how the song saved their life. Still, the overwhelming negativity generated by those afraid of external influence made him realise one thing: that music’s power to connect and heal could be overshadowed by fear and misunderstanding, driving home the importance of staying true to their message despite the backlash.
