open 12 to 7 today and we have live music and glassbowers in the shop ! on this date 30 years ago ! Ride the Lightning is the second studio alb** by American thrash metal band Metallica. The alb** was released on July 27, 1984, through the independent record label Megaforce Records. It was certified 6× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2012, having shipped six million copies in the United States.