Tag: metallica (Page 2 of 2)

The band that everyone loves to moan at. Not sure why, as they know their limitations and basically they do what it says on the tin.

This is the RSD version on red vinyl. This is definitely a return to form after the very disappointing St Anger and the poorly produced Death Magnetic, even though the songs were really good on that album. I personally think this album sits really well with the classic albums, and would have been a natural successor to And Justice. This is their 10th studio album, and the first for 8 years mainly due to the ongoing issues with James’ health and addictions. The haters can do one for all I care as this is a killer album. For those of you who are used to listening to this album on CD, the running order is slightly different so they can squeeze the tracks on the vinyl.

Opener and the title track is classic Metallica huge riffs fat guitars and plenty of chugga chugga. Atlas Rise, another monster tune and was the first single. By this time you should be bouncing round the house. Now That Your Dead is a slightly more experimental song, and a slower pace, but still a monster tune.

Over to Side 2 we go and the other single, Moth Into Flame, is ripping it up with some fast fat riffage and loading up on the chugga’s. James’ vocals are stronger than he has ever done. In fact, the whole band are smokin’. I still don’t like Kirk’s lead sound though. I think it’s too thin and too much wah wah, but that’s just me. Am I Savage is next and slows the pace right down at the intro before exploding into a slow grind. Disc 1 closes with Halo On Fire, which starts slow, and is what Metallica dish up for a ballad – with a great melodic vocal from James before reverting to big chugga’s at the middle section.

Onto Disc 2 we go and Confusion announces its arrival with staccato drums and matching fat guitars and chugga chugga’s a plenty. Dream No More with its monster Sabbath style riff is next – a huge sounding tune. ManUNkind ends Side 3, with a slow bass and guitar sequence before it gets all Metallica with a huge catchy riff and groove.

Flipping over to Side 4 with Here Comes Revenge, and there’s no let up in the quality of the songs – another huge tune. Murder One is next and it’s a fitting tribute to Lemmy with an evil riff. In the blink of an eye, the last song Spit Out The Bone is upon us, and its the song with a nod back to the early days as it’s pure old school thrash.

So don’t believe the haters, Metallica are far from finished and I really enjoyed it.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

It always amazes me the hate that this album gets amongst fans and non-fans. First it was the whole sell-out thing by doing a video for One, which was something they said they would not bow down to. But you know what? The whole scene had changed since they began, especially with MTV starting up and being such an influential medium. Then there was the whole “Where’s the bass?” thing. James did mention much later on that they were just messin’ with the new guy. Plus, you can here it anyway it’s just not prominent. Also Lars gets some grief over his drumming skills on this album as well, which is mind boggling to me as his playing is fantastic here. Anyway, I really like this album, so zero negative vibes from me. This was to be the last album produced by Fleming Rasmussen before they would go with Bob Rock and mega stardom.

Let’s get down to the tunes. We start with the epic Blackened, a nailed on textbook Metallica masterpiece. Huge fat riff, plenty of chugga-chugga and that change in pace awesome. Title track is next , and basically more of the same, no let up in the quality here. Next, and an epic slow fade into the beginning of Eye Of The Beholder, and we are off and running. This needs to be played LOUD!!! Then a bonafide ‘Tallica classic, One, is next with its very striking anti-war message about a soldier who has lost all of his limbs and nearly all of his senses. This was the one that made everyone pay attention – not just the metalheads.

So that’s disc 1 done, now onto disc 2 with Shortest Straw – with a groove change very early on in proceedings, with plenty of jun-jun’s to keep that head banging. It’s quite noticeable how the mood is becoming a lot more serious with the lyrics compared to their earlier albums. Monster track, Harvester of Sorrow, is next with that sooooo doomy beginning that fits the subject matter perfectly. Then one of my favourite Metallica tracks ever, The Frayed Ends of Sanity, which starts with an almost funky choppy groove with a huge riff. The middle section and the ending is killer. If this doesn’t get you bouncing round the broom cupboard then nothing will. Flip over onto the last side and straight into the acoustic intro to Live Is To Die, an almost instrumental that was about as mellow as Metallica got at the time. Which brings us to album closer, Dyers Eve, which is very early ‘Tallica, and the only song that has thrash written all over – superb ending.

So there you have a fantastic album that doesn’t deserve all the hate.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.