"To Live is to Die" on Ride the Lightning would have made the album feel more mature and somber. It would bridge the gap between the raw thrash of Kill 'Em All and the sophisticated compositions of Master of Puppets even more effectively than "Ktulu" did, highlighting Cliff Burton’s classical influence while he was at the height of his creative powers.
Instead of being buried, Cliff’s bass would be the melodic centerpiece. We’d hear his signature Rickenbacker growl and wah-pedal flourishes during the atmospheric sections. "To Live is to Die" on Ride the
Alternatively, without "To Live is to Die," Justice might have featured a completed version of a song like "Vulturus" or an entirely different instrumental epic that leaned further into the "Holy Wars" style of technical thrash. The Verdict We’d hear his signature Rickenbacker growl and wah-pedal
On ...And Justice for All , the track is defined by a dry, sterile, "clicking" production. If recorded in 1984 at Sweet Silence Studios with producer Flemming Rasmussen: If recorded in 1984 at Sweet Silence Studios
While "Ktulu" is a Lovecraftian, cinematic epic, "To Live is to Die" is deeply personal.
The guitars would carry the thick, saturated "wall of sound" heard on tracks like "Fight Fire with Fire."