Tag: metallica (Page 1 of 2)

We all know the Black album sold in its squillions (still does to this day), and it is a great album. It is the one Metallica album that everyone knows, but is it their best? The albums after the Black album contain some memorable songs, but they never reached the heights.

St Anger is a bit of a stinker if I’m being honest. And Justice is a good album, but lacks in the production department and that just leaves the first three. All are classics of the genre, and I’ll never forget hearing Kill Em All for the first time – it was a total game changer, and Ride The Lightning is its twin, but Master Of Puppets is an outright masterpiece and possibly the best thrash album, period. It would also be the last appearance of Cliff Burton before his tragic death.

You can tell they stopped to think about this album and made it as crushing and as awesome as they possibly could. What an opening with Battery – such a killer tune that just melts your face with the riff and speed of the thing. How heavy is The Thing That Should Not Be? Sabbath would have wet themselves if they had come up with that! It’s quite fitting that Orion is on this album – it’s a great tribute to a one off character as Cliff was.

This is the best Metallica album and also is the best thrash album to boot.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

I think this is a great album. I do not buy in to all the hate surrounding the mix of the album. This half speed mastered version in the box set sounds just fine and dandy to me. What was more important, was that Metallica were back!

After the disappointment of Load and Reload, then the not that great St Anger which was recorded while the band were falling apart, it was great to hear that the band still had fire in their bellies to record a kick ass metal album. To me, this album would have been a natural successor to And Justice For All – as style wise, I think it slots in there perfectly. In fact, I’ll stick my neck out and say that there is not a bad track on the whole album. I would put it above Justice in the Metallica league table of albums recorded.

The opening track, That Was Just Your Life, actually could have been recorded at the Justice sessions – a killer opening track. The End Of The Line has a great groove and riff, and is where new meets old Metallica – I really love the ending. What is also interesting is that Bob Rock, who has been handling production duties since the black album, had been replaced by Rick Rubin – who loved old school Metallica. Broken, Beat And Scarred has an interesting riff that sounds very Seattle at times – but way heavier – and it really grooves when the song gets going. The lead off single was The Day That Never Comes, and is as close as Metallica get to a ballad. It does remind you of The Unforgiven and One – well, at least until the peddle most definitely hits the metal.

All Nightmare Long is next and I think it was the second single from the album. It has a much heavier vibe than the previous single, and has a great groove and riff. Cyanide was the first track I heard from the album, and it’s the one I love the most from the record. It’s the one with the catchiest riff and beat, and could have been from the Ride The Lightning sessions. Great track! The Unforgiven 3 follows and is the full on production with strings and everything. Yes, it’s a ballad, and we all know how they are not my favourite form of musical expression, but this is as heavy as a ballad can get. The Judas Kiss brings a return of the heavy, and what I would call a trademark Metallica riff. For me, this is a close second for best track on the album. Suicide & Redemption is the penultimate track, and is the latest of killer instrumentals that the Metallic ones have recorded through the years. It’s just shy of 10 minutes, and is the longest piece on the album.

The album closes out with My Apocalypse, and just as we came in, we go out with a bang. Superb ending to an album, and you don’t want it to end. Everyone is on top of their game here, especially James – it’s great to hear him sounding so good.

This is an easy 10/10 from The Grooveman.

This is the best selling metal album of all time is 30 years old – having sold in excess of 37 million copies! Yeah I know, it blew my mind as well! Metal fans are a funny bunch, and I remember the outcry that the band had “sold out”, and gone – heaven forbid – corporate. The main difference to me is it’s the first time they had worked with a real producer in Bob Rock, who brought the best out of the band and brought out that huge live sound.

You can’t put this album on and tell me it’s not heavy! Just because every song is not 100 mph does not mean it’s not heavy. Just listen to Sad But True – the tone alone is crushing. The God That Failed is as heavy as too much cheese on your burger. The drum sound is epic, and mix that with the huge sounding guitars and the in your face vocal, it’s the sound the band were looking for all along. What a killer tune Enter Sandman is – every musician wishes they could write something as good.

I love this record and so should any fan that says they like metal. Every band evolves and Metallica are the same. Sure they made some wrong turns along that path, but I think they are back to their best.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

There are very few albums that are genuine game changers, Kill ‘Em All is most definitely one of them. Up until this album, thrash was something that Arsenal used to do to Liverpool at Anfield. I have very fond memories of head banging to this beast with Fixer in my bedroom and thinking this was the best thing ever. This wasn’t the first thing the band had recorded. Hit The Lights first appeared on a Metal Massacre compilation and their self financed demo tape, No Life Till Leather. Everyone knows how Mustaine was removed from the band, but his influence is on four tracks that he co-wrote with Lars and James.

Along with Exodus and Anthrax, Metallica were the founders of thrash period. I don’t put Slayer in that category as I consider them to be a joke compared to the other three. There is not one second of this record that does not put a smile on my face, and it still has that effect today. The Four Horseman is an absolute monster of a tune and a definite genre defining track. Whiplash is another killer tune where speed definitely killed. Side 2 has to be the strongest side of metal ever put to record. Phantom Lord, complete with the slowed down section, has great dynamics as well as heaviness and speed. No Remorse has a killer riff and groove, and is simple but effective. Seek And Destroy is probably Metallica’s best known track, and yet is at a more normal pace, but that riff and the repeating chugga’s gets you every time! Close out track, Metal Militia, is just insanity and is as fast as hell. Well, it was at the time!

I wonder if the band that recorded this could see themselves now and what would they think. Anyhoo, this is a classic and if you only could buy one Metallica album, I would chose this one.

10/10 from The Grooveman.