Fade to Black

Fade to Black can refer to:

In film:

In music:

Fade to Black (song)

"Fade to Black" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica, released as the first promotional single from its second studio album, Ride the Lightning. The song was ranked as having the 24th best guitar solo ever by Guitar World readers.

The song peaked at number 100 on Swiss Singles Chart in 2008. The song is certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Background

In an interview with drummer Lars Ulrich on the set of the production MTV Icon: Metallica in 2003, he recalls how he and vocalist/rhythm guitarist James Hetfield were "obsessed with death" at the time the album and song were produced.

The song's lyrics address suicidal feelings. It begins with an acoustic guitar introduction and becomes progressively heavier as the song goes on, similar to their future songs, "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)", "One", and "The Day That Never Comes". James Hetfield commented on the song in a 1991 interview with Guitar World:

Since its release, "Fade to Black" has been a fixture in Metallica's live performances. It was also the last song that Metallica performed live with former bassist Jason Newsted before he left the band. Newsted's last gig was at the VH1 Music Awards on November 30, 2000. It was one of his favorite Metallica songs, and was said to be of great sentimental value to him, although it had been written before he had joined the band. His previous band, Flotsam and Jetsam, performed a song called "Fade to Black" on their 1986 album Doomsday for the Deceiver before he left to join Metallica.

On Every Street

On Every Street is the sixth and final studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 10 September 1991 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The follow-up to the band's massively successful album Brothers in Arms, On Every Street reached the top of the UK albums chart and was also certified platinum by the RIAA.

History

On Every Street was released on 10 September 1991, more than six years after the band's previous album, Brothers in Arms, and was Dire Straits' sixth and final studio album. It was released to mixed reviews and was not as popular - or as successful - as its predecessor, though it had still sold more than 15 million copies worldwide by 2008. It reached number 12 in the United States and number one in the United Kingdom and numerous European countries. The album was produced by Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits.

By this time, the band comprised Knopfler, John Illsley, Alan Clark, Guy Fletcher and Chris White, and the album features session musicians including Paul Franklin, Phil Palmer, Danny Cummings and American drummer Jeff Porcaro from Toto.