Metallica started off as a raw thrash metal band, then began to work in some wild
fantasy/horror/philosophical ideas in a sort of prog-thrash hybrid that grew
and grew and grew until it almost ate itself up in lengthy riffage, returned to more traditional midtempo five-minute verse/chorus
constructions that retain all the hookiness of their early work (if little of
the intensity), then got confused and did all kinds of things -- blues-rock, weird-metal, a triple-album of cover tunes, an orchestral work, and a horrific piece of shit -- before returning to the thrash metal from hence their weave was woven. The guitarwork has always been incredibly tight - two
guitarists working as one - with lots of emphasis on the distorted stutter
riff sound that characterizes the finest work of the genre. Were they innovative? I'm not sure. There were certainly thrash bands before them, but surely they brought something of their own to the table. I don't know. And ummmm......
well, let's just start discussing the individual albums. I'm sick of this
generalization crap. Frig you, generalization - in all of your unruly forms!
- Reader Comments
- DougS@aol.com
To set the record straight, most people point to an obscure
Swiss band called Hellhammer (I think that was their name) as the originators
of speed. Hellhammer became Venom and Venom is really the true starting point
of speed metal, circa the late 70's/ early 80's. Like Motorhead, Venom was
originally a 3 piece band. Unlike Motorhead, Venom couldn't make any claims
to being musical in any way. It was all noise, albeit fast noise. I've never
owned or heard a Venom album so I can't say how good they were. I have heard
Motorhead and though they were fast, they weren't really metal, more hard
blues. Some other people point to Girlschool as a founding member of the
speed scene, but I've never heard them either.
Metallica weren't innovators. Their contribution to the speed scene was to
build upon what the early speed bands did and refine it and make it more
acceptable to the masses. As to their sudden rise in popularity, it can be
traced to two events. First was the backlash to the glam metal scene of the
late 80's. The second and probably more important event was that they were
picked to support Ozzy Ozbourne's U.S. tour in 1986 (when Master Of Puppets
was released). This allowed them to expose the mass metal audience to the
speed scene.
- jnw@iglobal.net (Jim Hull)
Well, all I know is this: Lars Ulrich was/is a maniac Lemmy Kilmister
fan, virtually worshipping the guy. Make of that what you will... I
think early Metallica owed more than a little bit to them, while having
much better "musical ability" and a more updated "shred" tone with
Mustaine...who the hell knows? Me? I think the Ramones are their
Daddies...!
- iceman@sugar-river.net
Didn't Hellhammer become Celtic Frost? Although, you are right about
Metallica not being innovators, just kind of refined on what was already
there.
- dswalen@concentric.net (Doug Swalen)
In your summary you've got a comment from me regarding the history of
speed metal. I was incorrect in saying that Hellhammer became Venom.
Hellhammer did in fact become Celtic Frost as another person pointed
out. Thing is I knew that. I don't know why I said Venom for. But Venom
is still probably the earlies incarnation of a Speed band. It's really a
three way tie between Venom, Motorhead, and a third band; Sodom. Sodom
was also a three piece band. In their later years they were more like a
three piece Slayer...very fast...faster than Slayer...more Sepultura
speed. I've got one of their albums which you probably wouldn't like too
much because of the singer.
- Azmodi@aol.com
I'm undecided on the whole "Metallica selling out" thing, but in the end, it doesn't really matter - if I like the music, I'll listen to it. That being said, this isn't a bad album at all,
just the Metallicars paying homage to the bands they themselves enjoy. I really have to comment on the Motorhead covers, though - what were these guys thinking? There are
some things you just shouldn't do, and some bands whose songs you really just shouldn't cover; AC/DC and, specifically in this case, Motorhead, come to mind. The four
Motorhead covers are really just pathetic, good-intentioned as they are in spirit. Newsted can barely manage to play Lemmy's basslines competently, and they sound so
stilted, reinforcing the notion that if God played bass, He'd sound like Lemmy (Tom Angelripper did a better job with Sodom's cover of "Iron Fist," but even he couldn't
measure up to the mighty Kilmister); Hetfield sounds like a little kid when his delivery is compared to Lemmy's. Metallica just really sucks the life out of these songs - imagine
if they'd tried to play "Ace of Spades!" I truly hope that Metallica doesn't try to cover any further Motorhead songs, because they'll just embarass themselves again -
especially if they try and cover some of the really fast later Motorhead songs, like "See Me Burning" or "On Your Feet or On Your Knees." Of course that leads to the
question, how come Motorhead (whose median age must be in the mid to late 40's - Lemmy's nearing 60, now) can play faster and heavier music than Metallica? I suppose the
answer (sadly) is obvious... All that being said, Sepultura's "Orgasmatron" cover IS really good, and Lemmy does a killer version of "It's a Long Way to the Top." Still, you
have to know who your masters are.
- themadzorkis@yahoo.com (Jim Matzorkis)
Hey man, I must disagree with anybody who disregardes
metallica as an innovative band. What people don't
seem to understand is that these guys did more than
just pound staccatto 16th notes at 250 beats a minute.
These guys knew their theory (especially Burton) and
they put their knowlege to good use through to 1991,
when they released the Black Album. Look, I'm a
thrash metal fan, so I was mildly hurt when Metallica
abandoned me and released Metallica. But I still
respected them as artists, because they still wrote
the
music wonderfully. (nevermind the
pretend-to-still-remember-our-true-fans songs like
"Holier Than Thou" and "Through the Never", both a
pathetic 150 bpm) Sure it was more polished, less raw,
less agressive - fine. The music still had class, and
they were still scores ahead of anybody else at the
time.
Now, on the other hand, Load and Reload are not so
much "sellout" albums as they are "we have a good
name, so people will now buy anything we slap it on"
albums. In other words, it seemed to me that they just
stopped trying altogether. It was as if they realized
that the masses would still eat up music without any
effort behind it, just as long as they recognized the
name Metallica. They knew they wouldn't have to be so
meticulous about how they put stuff together, and so
they gave themselves a break and produced a bunch of
sub-standard music. Just for an example, listen to
the solos Hammet belts out in "Damage Inc.",
"Blackened," "Ride The Lightening," "Enter Sandman,"
and "Wherever I May Roam." It's obvious that he spent
time and effort putting each one of those masterpieces
together. Now listen to his pitifull effort on "Hero
of the Day," as well as his shit work in all the
post-black album solos. Isn't it obvious that he's
just fucking around? There's no substance there, no
emotion behind what's being played. The problem I have
with Load and reload is not the lack of speed. Hell,
they dropped enough in speed in "Metallica" to piss
any self-repecting thrash fan off. There's something
else missing. Its the dense layering of intricate
riff on top of intricate riff. It's the masterful
fashion by which the songs fit together. It's
Hammett's soulfully powerfull
wailing guitar solos. In short, it's the effort that
made their past releases such masterpieces.
- catalan@tepic.megared.net.mx (Ernesto Catalan)
This is for Doug, who mentioned that the originator's of "speed metal" were "Swiss" band called "Hellhammer" who later turned into "Venom". Mmmm. Doug, if I were you I would make historical comments that were at "least" accurate. Hellhammer is a totally different band from Venom. Hellhammer are being cited as the founding fathers of "Black Metal" (along with Bathory). The band later changed its name to Celtic Frost and released many albums through out the 80's. Hellhammer only released one EP and a couple of demo tapes (some available on a CD comp). Venom, on the other hand, were the most "extreme" band of the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal). In fact, their sound owes a LOT to Motorhead, although Venoms dispensed of the more obvious rock 'n roll leanings of the former. Although their were, to some extent, considered as the "spark" that ignited the Thrash/Speed metal movement, many critics, fans and music writers acknowledge that honour to be Metallica's. Thrash Metal, as we knew it, became evident in Metallica's first album, "Kill 'Em All. The dizzing speeds (way faster than Venom's, by the way), the relentless riffage of the guitar (which spawed a whole new style of playing guitar) and the top-of-your-lungs vocals made serious comparisons to hardcore punk bands of the time. But their song structures, odd melodies and quasi-classical musings on guitar revealed them as punks with a metal heart. Other bands of the band may also be important to mentioned, since they were more obscure and never attained the recognition of Metallica. One of them is Canada's Exciter, a band that predated "Kill 'Em All" by a matter of months. They almost had "the" sound nailed down, but it ultimately Metallica who got it right. The other one was Chicago's Znowhite, who featured a female on vocals. Their sound was pretty intense, and the guitar playing worthy of admiration, but again, Metallica came and swept away any competition. One final note: It's noce to see you mentioned Girlschool. They were, in fact, a very heavy band at the time, despite them being girls. They were basically a female version of Motorhead (with whom they had close ties) and this sounded quite similar: speedy, dirty, almost bordering on punk. Unfortunately they ended up sounding like a lot of those mid-80's pop metal L.A. bands. Actually, The Donnas sound a lot like a mellowe version of Girlschool. Nuff said!
- rowland.mcdonnell@physics.org
Dates and stuff. Where does this speed metal or whatever you want to
call it come from? Some thoughts after reading the bit about 'Kill 'Em
All - MegaForce 1983.' on http://www.markprindle.com/metallia.htm
Motorhead started up in about 1975. Lemmy had a band called `Iron Fist
and the Hordes from Hell' beforehand (after being sacked from Hawkwind);
that was the direct precursor of Motorhead. I've read Lemmy's
description of Motorhead as a blues band; just very, very fast.
Motorhead's first album release was `On Parole' in 1976. The album
called Motorhead by Motorhead was released in 1977 - 'twas their second.
http://www.cannedchaos.com/motorhead_disc.html
Larry Wallace was in the band (IFatHfH *and* Motorhead, IIRC) in the
very early days. He'd previously been the guitarist with the Pink
Fairies, also very fast and very noisy - but predating Motorhead and
playing a similar sort of thing.
Lemmy had developed his trade (so to speak) playing with Hawkwind
starting in 1971 (Hawkwind started up in 1968ish - first name `Band X'
or `Group X' depending on who you ask
http://www.starfarer.net/timelin1.html . People don't pay much
attention to Hawkwind, but in Simon King (from 1972) the band had a
*very* fast and dedicated drummer
http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/hawkwind/index.html , and when you've
got Lemmy on bass the effect is - well, what you get is a cross between
fast metal and whacked out hippy space rock. Certainly loud and fast -
try the Hawkwind track `Brainstorm' from the `Space Ritual' album, to
take one example. Maybe the bpm isn't as high as some would like, but
imagine how it'd feel at a gig with some really *big* speakers. As I
heard Lemmy say about the effect of the music being so loud and fast `We
used to really hurt people at times'.
So you might call Lemmy under cover of Motorhead the godfather of speed
metal - but the story began a long time before Motorhead. Consider also
that Lemmy developed his musical ideas by listening to what was going on
around him - stealing some elements, developing others, inventing some.
I'm sure a careful study could show the line of development all the way
back to the old bluesmen and rock'n'rollers - and where did those styles
come from, in their turn?
btw, far from being a silly overblown band in the early days, Iron
Maiden was a *reaction* to all that sort of stuff that bands like Led
Zep put on. Then Bruce Dickenson replaced Paul Dianno in the early
1980s, and I began to lose interest (I shan't tell you my age, but that
should give you a hint). btw, I saw Robert Plant and Jimmy Page perform
at a folk festival[1] a year or so back and was utterly blown away. The
bloke I thought was Jimmy Page was flying around like he was 18 years
old and had a *huge* grin on his face a lot of the time.
Rowland
(who grew up in London and has a copy of the leather-clad `No Remorse'
which he bought new when it came out in 1984 and never did care how
silly anyone thinks it is)
[1] Priory of Brion appeared at Cropredy in 2000.
http://www.moss53.freeserve.co.uk/crop2000.htm
I note that page say Jimmy Page wasn't there. Well, *I* thought I saw
him, and heard him - it was the guitar playing which convinced me that
it could hardly be anyone else because hardly anyone at all can play
like that (it's not humanly possible to move your hand up and down the
fretboard like that - he must have made a pact with the devil). But
then again, I was a fair way back from the stage so I could be mistaken.
On the other hand, my wife recalls Jimmy Page being introduced and is
*sure* it was him.
On the other other hand (is that three so far?), the music was superb,
so who really cares?
Kill 'Em All - MegaForce 1983.
Regardless of the violent title and bloody cover art,
this isn't an incredibly threatening collection of songs. Fast as hell, sure,
but mostly really celebratory and sweaty, with lead shrieker James Hetfield
just as likely to be singing about rockin' and rollin' as death and
destruction. The production is phenomenal, the guitar tones are raw, mean,
and alive (like early Van Halen - in duplex sound!), and the whole combo is
tighter than a very small girdle worn by a very large animated tree.
Exciting stuff meant to get your blood a-flowin' and fist a-pumpin' at no real
enemy whatsoever. The only real problem with the album is that, in comparison
to the mindbogglingly thrashin' speed shredders "Hit The Lights,"
"Motorbreath," "Phantom Lord," "Metal Militia" and the deservedly legendary
"Whiplash," the slower, more conventional metal tracks, though catchy enough,
seem awfully sluggish. "Jump In The Fire" and "Seek And Destroy" in
particular seem to be poking along at like one mile per hour. I guess they
help to make the fast ones seem even tougher, but they still seem a bit out of
place. Awww, why complain? Cliff Burton's distorted bass solo is totally
wild and, if I recall correctly, is cherished by bass freaks just like
"Eruption" is honored by budding guitarists. And ummm.... Oh! The lengthy
"Four Horsemen," in addition to being about sixty-eight jillion times catchier
than The Clash's song of the same name, makes it pretty clear that these
acne-prone lads are capable of tons more than straight head-bangin' R 'n' R.
Artistic growth? Comin' up!
- Reader Comments
- DougS@aol.com
When I first heard this record I liked it a lot. These days, I consider it a
pretty bland record; it doesn't hold up well to the passage of time. It's
more of a monument to what the metal sound was like in the early 80s than a
"classic speed" album. The slow songs ARE too blase. The faster songs are okay
but the production, which I loved at the time, is now kinda lame when stacked
up against modern (read: late 80's) speed albums. Only "Four Horsemen" and
"No Remorse" still manage to motivate any real feeling in me nowadays.
By the way, "Four Horsemen" was a slowed down version of a song Dave Mustaine
wrote called "Mechanix."
- G.H.A. vanHagen@kub.nl (Gilbert van Hagen)
This one is raw and promising, but the only truly exceptional song is
the Mustaine composition "Four horsemen". I think this album is
strongly overrated. The subsequent releases are much better. Moreover,
I find that when you listen back to those old Black Sabbath albums,
you encounter many riffs which ten to fifteen years later turn up on a
Metallica album. Also, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (e.g. Iron
Maiden, Saxon and Diamond Head) were a clear inspiration for the band.
Metallica, indeed, was never all that innovative.
- iceman@sugar-river.net (Nathan Brewer)
ok, i FINALLY got this album again (it really sucks when people steal your
albums), and only having the "Jump In The Fire" single when i didn't have
this record, i forgot how good the faster songs are. many songs here point
in the great direction of Ride The Lightning. the production also
sounds pretty good to me too. if only they put "No Remorse" on Ride The
Lightning in place of "The Call Of Ktulu"...
- jsj@swcp.com (Nima J)
First of all i think that Gilbert van Hagen is an asshole. Metallica is
totally innovative, and i don't agree with him. in regards to the album,
its not their greatest but it still kicks ass. those hard-ass solos are
great! I really enjoyed "The four horsemen," "no remorse," and the dark
theme on "Phantom lord."
- durba@ibm.net (Patrick Durba)
I recently bought this album (I owned all the others, but never got
around to buying this one) and I agree, this is probably the greatest
debut of all time. The best song, though, is "Motorbreath". I disagree
about the production, however. The drums are poorly tracked so that
Lars' snare sounds muddy. This is also a problem with Ride and
Master.
- Orionload@aol.com
It's unfortunate that there is no mention of "am I evil" or "blitzkrieg" in your
review. I know most people haven't seen Kill Em All with these two songs but
"Am I Evil?" is worth the price of the album alone. A true Metallica classic
although I like Diamondhead's version of it as well.
- tedaldi@acsu.buffalo.edu
Kill 'Em All certainly isn't the most revolutionary heavy metal
record of all time, but it DOES seem pretty cool today considering it came
out in 1983. I just can't stand James Hetfield's "singing" on this album...
was he taking lessons from Michael Stipe at the time???
- xfoundationx@mail.geocities.com (Dean Reis)
THIS ALBUM RULES. ITS FAST AND ITS FUN. WHO CAN BEAT LYRICS LIKE "NO
LIFE TIL LEATHER, WE'LL KICK SOME ASS TONIGHT!". WHAT A WAY TO START
OFF A CAREER.
- pmtapia@worldnet.att.net (The Chameleon)
I enjoy this album a whole bunch. The main reason I got it was because of
Cliff Burton's bass solo on the album, for me that's reason enough to get
it, but the other songs are pretty damn cool as well. James Hetfield sure
sounds strange on this album with a voice still going through puberty, but
that's hardly a distraction. Like Mark said, the whole band is very tight
at this point, and you can sure the hell tell. Some songs just don't do it
for me, just sounding like generic metal, and like I said, James's voice
gets annoying like in the main chorus of "Motorbreath". But "Hit the Lights",
"Phantom Lord", "Four Horseman", and "Seek and Destroy" sure kick my ass
all over the place. The bloody cover art is good and it's fun to see the
picture of Metallica way back in the day when they looked really funny.
Gets a 7 from me.
- Joemarabel@aol.com
I think Kill 'Em All is the best Metallica album. When I first started playing
guitar, I've always wanted this sound. I used to write songs like these.
- jim.morrison@montego.com (Michael Rohm)
Cool title, although this album isn't perfect. The first side rocks, but
the second side has never really appealed to me. I was not with Metallica
"from the beginning" so I have no clue how revolutionary this was to people
in the early 80s, although I can imagine if all you had were bands like
Judas Priest and Iron Maiden (not that I dislike either; but they're not
like Metallica, obviously) that this would sound pretty revolutionary
(unless you were into the more underground stuff like Venom and Mercyful
Fate, who I think were out around this time?). Certainly not a poor album,
by any stretch of the imagination.
- InMyEyes82@aol.com
Well, it's been a long time since someone's posted on this board, so I'll post
my tastes now. Kill Em All- In my opinion, a raw, immature, but nonetheless
tight album. The production sucks so bad it hurts, but the songs are very good
and if you have ever heard "Whiplash" live, you know how much ass it kicks
compared to the studio version. Also, Lars' bass drum is almost impossible to
hear, though his snare sounds crisp enough. I would give it an eight. Many
people disagree with me, but I find alot of similarities between this album
and the later Load/Reload stuff. "Jump In the Fire" and "No Remorse" could
easily be on those albums and no one would think it odd.
- rangas@hotmail.com
Kill 'Em All was the last of the early albums I bought, but it is still
as good as Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets and
...And Justice For
All. I was blown away the first time I heard this album, hell wasn't
everybody. The one thing that I don't think anyone has mentioned is that
these guys were fucking were barely out of their teens when they made
this album. Look on the photo on the back of the Cd booklet, they've got
zits for fuck's sake! And they still made this masterpiece. Whenever I'm
pissed off, I listen to this album, and it makes me even madder. Should
be considered a masterpiece simply for "Phantom Lord" - One of
Metallica's best by far.
- mburrus@zdnetmail.com (Michael Burrus)
wow! This album is amazing! Not the best, but most of these songs are true
classics. My favorites are "Whiplash", and "Metal Militia" too! I love the
production, and I can see why other metallica fans would disagree. It's not
HEAVY, but it's raw, and aggresive. Metallica would never sound the same
again.
- Dan804935628@aol.com
A fucking 10 for sure! "kill em all" starts off with a song that was first
heard on one of the "metal massacre" releases,"hit the lights",and from there
it does'nt slow down or soften up {the word ballad was'nt in the vocabulary
at this time}. I feel sorry for the kids that discovered this band from
"load" or anything after that. The best song here is "no remorse" in my
opinion.......the band continued to make heavy metal music for about the next
3 releases but nothing they recoded after this sounded as raw and
unapolagetic,fuck this is what metal is supposed to sound like!
- Jcjh20@aol.com
Awesome record. My favorite Metallica album. Raw, tight as hell, live sound and it just
kicks my ass all over the place. And Cliff's bass solo IS definatly the "Eruption" for
bass freaks. Cliff gets my vote for Best bass player ive ever fuckin heard in my opinion.
Flea just doesnt hold a candle to this shit. Some of my faves are "Jump In The Fire", "Four
Horsemen", "Whiplash", "Seek And Destroy", "Motorbreath", every song totally rules.
10/10.
- hjk23@cornell.edu
This is in response to the discussion about Metallica's
status as innovators and the history of thrash metal
in-general... For some reason, I'm quite interested by
this subject and have done some research on it (what
else is there to do in college, anyway?) ---> Don't
post this part, please. :)
The whole history of thrash metal seems pretty haphazard
- there's no general consensus on when and wwhere it
began, or who started the whole thing. Though many will
argue, I believe you can hear the very beginnings of
what would become the thrash sound all the way back in
1969, with Zep's "Communication Breakdown" - you can
really hear the foundation for Motorhead's sound in that
song. Further signs of thrash/speed can be heard in Deep
Purple's song "Fireball" from 1971 (Wargasm covered this
song and when you make the guitar tone heavier, it
sounds very much like a modern-day thrash song) and
"Highway Star" from 1972.
I believe the first song that can be in any way
be classified "thrash" is Sabbath's "Symptom of the
Universe," from 1975 - as Prindle said in his review,
this is a VERY important song. 1977 sees the release of
Motorhead by Motorhead (obviously), probably the
single most influential band in this genre (and all of
so-called "extreme metal"). While I wouldn't categorize
Motorhead as metal per se - the guitar tone was more
bluesy then metallic - they were the first band to fuse
the blues-rock approach of Sabbath and the speed of
punk, laying the true foundation for thrash metal. So,
like the Stooges (who are considered "The Godfathers of
Punk" without being punk themselves), Motorhead are "The
Godfathers of Thrash" (or, rather, Lemmy is, because
Lemmy IS Motorhead).
The members of Venom were also from England and watched
Motorhead play, and they started playing similar music
(though much less skillfully). Unlike Motorhead, Venom
were/are definitely metal, and their 1982 release Black
Metal (predating Slayer and Metallica's first LPs by a
year) features double-speed riffs, i.e. the
quintessential trademark of thrash metal.
So, I would have to say that Venom released the first
thrash album, but that Slayer and Metallica were
probably the first true thrash *bands*, as Venom's
previous release was not a thrash record and Venom is
generally considered mostly a black metal band.
Hellhammer (which became Celtic Frost) did not release
"Apocalyptic Raids" until 1984, placing them two years
behind Venom, robbing of them of the status of
thrash-originators (as someone claimed); Frost has
always been more death metal, anyway, and with Possessed
can claim to be the first true death metal band.
Similarly, Sodom did not release their first EP until
1984, putting them behind Venom (of all the thrash bands
still around from this early period, however, Sodom are
unquestionably the most vicious and have changed their
approach the least).
On the difference between thrash and speed metal... Some
people may argue, but there is a major distinction
between the two. While I know less about speed then
thrash, the first true speed metal song seems to be
Priest's "Exciter" (1978), the approach displayed later
elaborated on in future Judas Priest releases, and also
in the work of such bands as Iron Maiden, Agent Steel,
Rage, and Running Wild. Speed metal is actually not as
fast as thrash, but is generally more melodic and far
less heavy and "brutal" (as that factor is quite
important to some metal fans). Listen to a Rage's
"Perfect Man" and then Slayer's "Reign in Blood" and the
differences become obvious quite quickly.
Well, I think that concludes the history lesson on
thrash metal...
- Paul.Leach@rxsol.com
To set the record straight, I'd like start off by saying Dave Mustaine is
lame. I hate the dude, he's just a prick, simple as that. So when some
people (*cough* Doug S. *cough*) try to make Metallica look inferior to
Megadeth by saying The Four Horsemen is a slowed down version of Mechanix,
it is not giving all the facts. Okay, here's some facts for ya. First, when
Mustaine played in Metallica, Mechanix was the same speed as The Four
Horsemen. Oh, how do I know, you say? Because I have a bootleg to prove it,
dick! When Dave was kicked out of Metallica he was so butt hurt that he
felt he just HAD to make them look worse than his new band. Well, any
compitant, honest person knows that failed miserably. He speeded up Mechanix
to try and make it better than Metallica's version, but it literally
bellyflopped IMO. Everything about it sucks. The lyrics suck, his vocals
blow, and the musicianship is grotesque.
As far as my opinions on Kill 'Em All go, what do you want me to say? What
can I say about a classic thrash record that hasn't already been said a
million times? It rules, that's a fact.
- pedroandino@msn.com
1983. when madonna debut, it was a synth pop revolution. when return of the jedi was released we root for the good guys and the cute ewoks. the redskins win the game. slick l.a. pop metal was released. motley crue and poison and such will later on be a megahit! but out of the ashes of l.a. glitter rock came these guys. four dirty, long haired hooligans who jerked off the latest hustler magazine. greased the hair into thinking they were sexier than chachi and played the loudest metal the world has ever heard. L.A. SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! when there was a time when synths ruled and videogames sell. when nobody gives a shit about when record sales are dying the metal crowd focused on the new wave of heavy metal. and now these 4 long hairs will dominate the world. METALLICA: KILL 'EM ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1.HIT THE LIGHTS:......................................................ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHGHGGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG YEOW! BLASTING OFF WITH A LOUD PRODUCTION THAT IS DIRTY, JAMES SAYS NO LIFE TILL LEATHER, GONNA KICK SOME ASS TONITE! SPEEDY SONG THAT NEEDS TO BE PLAYED ON THE RADIO MORE THAN THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD SANDMAN! JUST LIKE THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD TRIPLE H WHINING ON HOW HE BEATS UP ALL THE PEOPLE AND STAYING CHAMPION FOR THE 10TH TIME! SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!! TRIPLE IS A PENIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
2.FOUR HORSEMEN: DAVE MUSTINE WROTE SOME OF THE SONG FROM THE ALBUM BUT WHEN HE GOT REALLY INSANE ON COKE, HE BOOTED HIS OUTTA HERE! GALLOPING METAL SONG WITH A DEADLY THEME: 4 EVIL HORSEMEN! KINDA LIKE IRON MAIDEN SONGS LIKE PROWLER OR TRANSYLVANIA! KIRK HAMMET AND HIS LOUD LEAD DRIVE THE SONG!
3MOTORBREATH!: SPEEDY ROCK AT YOR SERVICE! JAMES SOUNDS LIKE AN ANGRY METALHEAD SLACKER! BOB ROCK IS THE ONE WHO KILLED METALLICA JUST LIKE SUPERMAN NEARLY GOT ZAPPED BY DEADLY KRYPTONITE! AT LEAST HE QUIT HIS DAY JOB AND HE WILL BE KNOWN AS A METAL PRODUCER WHO DID THE CULT. YES I LIKED THE SANCTURARY SONG IN THE NISSAN COMMERCIALS. CHER, BON JOVI, AND YES YA SQUEELING TEENYBOPPERS SIMPLE PLAN! FUCK THEM UP IT'S GAY ASS!
4.JUMP IN THE FIRE!: TO YOU THE RIFF MAY SOUND DATED AND REPETITIVE BUT I STILL SAY THAT IT ROCKED!
5.ANASTHESIA, PULLING TEETH: BASS SOLO TAKE ONE. BASS FREAKS HEAR YE! CLIFF BURTON IS THE JIMI HENDRIX OF THE BASS GUITAR! FLAME ME IF YOU MUST BUT I SAY HE DISTORTED LEADS MADE YOU THINK WHOA THIS GUITAR IS HEAVY! BUT IN REALITY IT HAS FOUR STRINGS! I STILL SAY CLIFF IS GOD. MAYBE A CLICHÉ BUT I STOLE THE CLICHÉ. LONG LIVE CLIFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6.WHIPLASH: THE CONCERT STAPLE! THAT MAY BE METALLICA'S ROCK N ROLL ALL NITE!
7.PHANTOM LORD: IRON MAIDEN 2! THE DEADLY PHANTOM LORD! DARK NASTY RIFFS WITH FIRE AND THUNDER!!
BOW TO YOUR KNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND BOW TO THE PHANTOM LOOOOOOOORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8.NO REMORSE: WAR SONG ABOUT THE COMING OF NUCLEAR WAR. THE TOPIC MAY GO ON FOR MORE SONGS LIKE DISPOSABLE HEROES AND EYE OF THE BEHOLDER. HEY I JUST FOUND OUT THAT SADDAM IS IN HIS UNDERPANTS!! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! HERE COMES YOUR NEW PORN STAR!
9.SEEK AND DESTROY: IT WAS USED FOR THE WCW STING THE WRESTLER BEFORE HE BECAME A CHRISTIAN. MY MOTHER TOLD ME THAT. I LIKE STING BETTER THAN JBL! IT WAS THE RADIO HIT BUT I CHOOSE HIT THE LIGHTS.
10.METAL MILITIA: LAST JAM!
10! you cannot get more metal than this.
- the_words@hotmail.com
Okay, the reader comment by Paul Leach claims that Mustaine fucked up when recording "Mechanix" for KIMB.
"He speeded up Mechanix to try and make it better than Metallica's version, but it literally bellyflopped IMO. Everything about it sucks. The lyrics suck, his vocals blow, and the musicianship is grotesque."
I think it's pretty obvious that he wasn't just trying to make it sound more bad-ass by speeding it up, seeing how it's not even a proper thrash metal song. He made it a lot more rockin' and thus it's not as stale as Metallica's version here. The vocals were HIS more than can be said about James', and as for the lyrics, I still don't understand how people keep bashing it. I mean at least it's funny, at least today he can look back and not feel as if he was trying to be oh so epic as James probably does now, or whoever the fuck penned those lines.
That's why Dave was always the winner (not in terms of commercial success), he had more guts than James and Lars, and maybe he just managed to get out his crazyness in a positive way.
All hail Dave Mustaine.
Add your thoughts?
* Ride The Lightning - MegaForce 1984.
*
A masterpiece so well-constructed that Metallica tried
to recreate it for the next six years of their career. The speed tracks are
unstoppable heavy-as-a-barbell anger ("Fight Fire With Fire" is the most
intense track they've ever done, but you have to listen to it right. Even
though James sings against the beat, the rhythm is a backbeat. In other words, it's a fantastic "doop-chick, doop-chick, doop-chick"
song, but if your brain doesn't keep up with the speedy beat, you'll hear it
as a plodding "Thump, Thump, Thump-Thump-Thump" song because of the way James
sings it. So pay attention!!!), the slow ones weave their way through
multiple melodies and styles to avoid predictability, and the whole package
just sparkles with creative bits of broken glass. It's also a lot more
bottom-heavy than Kill 'Em All, and the melodies, though still
somewhat traditional, are taken to wonderful levels of depth and elevation by
this thoughtful instrumental combo. A ridiculously high level of reverb on
the vocals renders Mr. Hetfield's throaty delivery a bit ugly at times, but
not enough to spoil an otherwise phenomenal display of tearin' speed metal,
gripping riffage, depressing lyricism, and a neat album cover. If you try to
find flaws, you'll succeed (the nine-minute instrumental "Call Of Ktulu" is,
well, NINE minutes long, and "Escape" is seemingly some sort of pop
song and, as such, takes a little while to get used to), but this is still the
most fully-realized combination of intensity and dark beauty that drummer Lars
Ulrich, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, bassist Cliff Burton (or his replacement
Jason Newsted, or his replacement Robert Trujillo), and rhythm guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield have unfurled
onto this crazy Web site we call the world as of the turn of '08.
What else
can I say to make you buy this? The band is much more serious this time around,
leaving the "good time rock and roll" lyricism of "Whiplash" and "Hit The Lights"
behind to concentrate on epic tales of misadventure and pain, and replacing
the groovy hard rock guitar lines of "Jump In The Fire" and "Seek And Destroy"
with intelligent fully-developed minor-key anthemic heavy metal music of a calibre far
beyond the reach of the endless numbers of simple-minded combos that are to blame
for the bad reputation attributed to an otherwise perfectly enjoyable genre
of music.
Yeah, that'll make you buy it.
- Reader Comments
- DougS@aol.com
THIS is the album that spawned a million imitators and virutally created the
"Death Metal" scene by itself. The sound is raw as hell and stands the test
of time even though the bass has disappeared. It's not their best in my
opinion but it comes damn close. With tracks like "Fight Fire With Fire", the
title track, and "Creeping Death", how can you go wrong? Well the
instrumental is pretty boring, and I've never been a big fan of "For Whom The
Bell Tolls." But it's still leaps and bounds better than Kill 'Em All....
- iceman@sugar-river.nt
definitely the best metallica album. master of puppets comes close.
two complaints about "call of ktulu" though:
1:) it's too fucking long and rather boring
2:) it's an obvious lovecraft rip off (the call of cthulhu)
- HDVW143@aol.com
A fine piece of work, but not a 10. I really enjoy "For Whom The Bell Tolls"
and "Trapped Under Ice". I cannnot, however, get into the song "Ride The
Lightning". I am not saying that it sucks; it's just not my cup of tea.
Overall, I give this one an 8.
- G.H.A. vanHagen@kub.nl (Gilbert van Hagen)
I agree that this is the best Metallica album and a near-perfect ten.
I wonder why none of you mention the suicide song "Fade to black".
It is the first ballad Metallica have recorded and, arguably, their
best. It fits in perfectly among all those killer metal songs.
- jsj@swcp.com (Nima J)
this album was a breakthrough for all metal, and started Metallica on a
kick-ass career. Songs like "fade to black" and "Creeping Death" really
are good, and i enjoyed the great guitar and drumming on "trapped under
ice." This album defines who Metallica were and still are.
- pmtapia@worldnet.att.net (The Chameleon)
Doesn't this album just kick your ass!! Its fucking awesome! This album,
like Nima J said, is the definition of Metallica...and HOT DAMN you can
feel it. Each song is so unique and has its own brutal attitude. "Fight
Fire With Fire" makes me just want to go out for a random ass kicking. And
"Fade To Black" gets real close to convincing you to kill yourself...ahh...
I LOVE THIS ALBUM.
- Blppt@aol.com
I agree with the statement it is Metallica's best, but you neglected to
mention the best song on the disc, "Creeping Death". Also, does anyone else
wonder how much ass this album would kick now if they had made a decent
recording of it? The drums are kind of weak, the bassline is nonexistant and
the guitars lack the sharpness that their newer albums have.
- mprohner@digiconn.com
To the person who said "This album defines who Metallica were and still
are," thank you. I get so sick and tired of people knocking Metallica
with their sole complaint being that they're 'popular' now. Who friggin
cares! They STILL rock, even if they HAVE changed a bit. EVERYONE
changes.
- tedaldi@acsu.buffalo.edu
Maybe I'm not angry enough, but I just can't agree with you when you say
this album's better than Master of Puppets. For one thing, you said
side two of MoP fails to dazzle. Well, the first THREE songs on the
second side of RtL all seem to sound the start the same way: with
that fast chord progression on the middle of "Fade to Black." Plus, the
songs on side two to this album are FAR less interesting than the ones on
MoP. "Escape" is a boring song, NOT "Leper Messiah." and that nine
minute instrumental only makes you wish what the boys coulda done with
another song (or two) on there instead. Wrap up the facts that James still
can't sing on most of this album and that two of the songs were Mustaine
co-written, and you have several rather obvious weaknesses to this album.
The rest is great, of course, but I'd rather listen to MoP because
it's more mature, melodious, and malcontent. (The letter of the day is: "M.")
- xfoundationx@mail.geocities.com (Dean Reis)
MY ONLY COMPLAINT WITH THIS ALBUM WAS THE WAY LARS FAILED TO EVER OPEN
UP HIS HI-HAT AND REALLY CUT LOOSE. "CREEPING DEATH" AND THE TITLE TRACK
BOTH KICK ASS, AND KUDOS TO BURTON FOR THE AWESOME BASS INTRO ON "FOR
WHOM THE BELL TOLLS".
- forlenza@nassau.cv.net
This is, what I consider, their best album. "Fight Fire With Fire" is
amazing. I don't know how they could play that fast, but then again, they
are Metallica. There is not one even semi-weak song on this album. This
album comes at you and kicks your ass 8 times.
- jim.morrison@montego.com (Michael Rohm)
Great album aside from "Call of Ktulu." "Orion" and "To Live is to Die"
are far far far better.
So let it be written, so let it be done!
- Zackie23@aol.com
i think that although Ride the Lightning is a great, ripping album, it is a
tad overrated by the people who have posted here. I don't think it's their
best by any stretch of my imagination. The two following albums are more
refined than this one. Regardless, comparing certain Metallica albums to each
other is a useless job, as they are all superb. my favorite songs on this
particular album are "creeping death", "fight fire w/fire" and "call of ktulu"
(i don't care what anyone thinks, i love that song, especially the first
guitar solo). "For whom the bell tolls" is pretty great too and "fade to
black", though a tad bit boring, is very decent. Only complaint i have is that
James' voice constantly drifts upward during the choruses of the songs. Has
anyone noticed that?
- mburrus@zdnetmail.com (Michael Burrus)
This album is classic! What a brutal album! "Creeping Death" is so
powerful! "Fight Fire With Fire" is a GREAT song! Way too much reverb on
vocals. hmmm. It has the best Kirk's solos! I give it a 9! I love your
page!
- blppt@yahoo.com (Pat D.)
Ugh, this album is very mediocre. Yeah, I know I wrote above that it was
their best, but god knows what I was smoking when I thought that.
"Creeping Death" and "Fade to Black" both rule, but the rest of the
album is really dull. Sure, "Fight Fire With Fire" is damn fast, and
about 5 billion people love "For Whom the Bell Tolls", but they're just
not GREAT songs. I am positively clueless as to why "Bell Tolls" is such
a popular song. Its too damn slow and boring. Ditto for "Escape". And
the title track has a really irritatingly awkward riff and chorus. The
bridge is pretty cool, though. Far inferior to Master, and just about
every other Metallica album. 6.
- uglytruth@hotmail.com (Hossein Nayeb)
This is one of the most overrated albums ever...it's a bad album,very
boring,not a bit original,cheesy... Fight Fire With Fire is alright,though
too macho if you ask me...Ride The Lightning is one of the cheesy heavy
metal kinds of songs on this album(Maiden fans probably like this).. For
Whom The Bell Tolls.. is the song where they've STOLEN THE SOLO RIFF FROM
BLACK SABBATH'S "Fairies Wear Boots".Fade To Black is Metallica's lame
version of "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"... Trapped Under Ice- filler Escape is
officially a filler song,Metallica didn't want to release an album with just
7 tracks.
Creeping Death- same story as Ride The Lightning... Call Of The Ktulu...is
quite alright actually,then again Dave Mustaine took part in writing
this.This album shows how Metallica are not enough creative to make touching
albums... Sure,after this album they had lots of songs that really rocked,
but that's it...it just rocks,nothing more,
so there's no need buying the albums,you can play kick-ass riffs on your own
if you want.And it's really not surprising, it's why they have so many fans,
they offer A LITTLE to everyone.THIS album takes the price,ripp-off from the
more melodic Sabbath tunes... those of you who want to listen to really
great thrash music,get the early Megadeth albums, 'cause Dave Mustaine is a
brilliant writer, both the lyrics and the songs are three times better than
Metallica... and before i end this, Motorbreath is credited to Ulrich and
Hetfield on the CD booklet, it was actually written by another guy (i don't
remember the name)..the intro is written by Dave Mustaine.
"i just wonder what Metallica will do when they run out of my riffs"
-Dave Mustaine,1984
- errado@ruralsp.com.br
Wonderful album.
Escape, though, sucks dick in hell.
- luttikhuizen.van@gelrevision.nl (J.v. Luttikhuizen)
I totally agree with the man who wrote the first reaction
i'm only 14 years old and i'm so fuckin sorry for my self because i
didn't discover METALLICA earlier
i've got all there albums , but i find RIDE THE LIGHTNING the very
fuckin best
LOAD is the weakest album so far
- holmessweet@voyager.net
I've seen metallica 3 times. The first in 1986 on the R.T.L. tour. It
was in a 800 seat club and you had to see and hear their musical brutality
to believe it. As far as I'm concerned those songs off R.T.L.
sound as aggresive and lethal as ever and I'm well into my 30's now.
Personally I've always thought that Jame's vocals on that album were his
best ;ominious and devastating. Hard to believe now that at one time
shortly after Kill 'Em All was released that the band was actually
thinking seriously of trying to recruit John Bush of Armored Saint to take
over vocals leaving James to "only" rythym guitar. Thank God that never
happened!
- Mooretallica@msn.com (Bryan Moore)
Great reviews of the Metallica Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets albums... I'm in agreement on
most, though I think Master of Puppets is the greatest album of all time, and no I'm not one of those fans
that ONLY supports one band. I've heard a lot of music, and have heard many great albums, but even
albums like Exile on Main Street, KISS Alive, and Layla and other Assorted love songs, pale in
comparison to metal perfection shown in Master of Puppets and Ride the Lightning. But one thing, you
left out CREEPING DEATH, one of their most intense tracks based on the bible of all things! Listen to
that song live, and you'll see even more than on Ride the Lightning the intensity that Metallica wants to
provide on that song.
- Jcjh20@aol.com
Great fuckin' record, definatly, and i like it as much as Kill 'Em All, i think. At the
time of release, none of these songs were popular on radio or MTV or anything, but
now-a-days, some of these songs have became bonafide classics. Im actually sick of hearing some
of these! "Fade To Black" and "For Whom The Bell Tolls" especially (both fantastic songs
though). "Fight Fire With Fire" has to be my favorite song on here. Man, is that song
intense, i love it! The title track, and the lesser known and also the shortest track on
here "Escape" (its catchy as hell! The Band wouldnt do this till....like...Black Album
probably!) has also become personal favorites of mine. "Call Of Ktulu" is also a beautiful
instrumental. I give it a 9.
- slayerrob@yahoo.com (Rob DelMedico)
for a Sab fan to say that Fade to Black sounds
anything like "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" is sheer
ignorance. The two songs only share the fact that
...uh...they use power chords at some point?
Numbnuts.
Not a bit original? Sorry...your little blinders are
causing you ex post facto bias. Wasn't much that
sounded like *this* at the time. Sure, thrash
existed, but look at Slayer's debut--more Venom
influenced than anything.
and whoever said RTL spawned the death metal scene,
thanks for a million laughs. how the hell did
Metallica influence anything remotely death metal?
- stroudley_loco@hotmail.com (Sam Davenport)
10/10 Best Metallica album out of the ones I've heard [KEA, RTL, MOP, AJFA, Black album].
Maybe the songwriting on MOP is a little more developed [and Orion beats Ktulu hands down] but all the songs on RTL are great [and yes that includes Trapped Under Ice and Escape]. I used not to like some tracks that much, but then I dug this album out again and the whole thing 'clicked' [same happened with Master of Puppets].
But what makes this album special is the vibe it has. The whole album sounds like the cover looks-remorseless, icy cold power. A 'wintery' vibe, one of ice, and cold blue lightning bolts, and glowing metallic power surges.
Awesome, awesome, awesome.
- johnnyalpha01@yahoo.co.uk
DAAAAANG! DANG-DANG-DANG-DANG DANG-DU-DU-DANG DANG
DANG
*furious shredding*
*unintelligible barking*
*break heavier than God on a steamroller*
WIDDLY-DIDDLY-WACKAWACKA-WOOOOWOOWOOWWWW
BABABABABBABADADADASBABABABABABBABABA!
In conclusion, Lightning Bolt = Metallica.
Add your thoughts?
Day On The Green 1985 - Bootleg.
A exelllent LIVE rcordink of Mettalica bak whin thay torllty
kiccked axe. FUCKING CLILFFF BURETRON TRULRES! THAEY SHOUL DCHANGE THEIR
NAME TO "ALTERENIVTACA!" FUCKING SHOURT HRAIED SEELLOUTS!
- Reader Comments
- titolandrum@yahoo.com (Kyle Atwood)
This was the single funniest record review I have ever
read. That is all.
Add your thoughts?
Master Of Puppets - Elektra
1986.
This is the most highly-regarded of Metallica's output,
and for damn good reason quite frankly, as side one is without a doubt one of
the most incredible collections of original metal riffitude this side of
paradise. However (darn it), side two (aside from the instrumental "Orion," which
kicks the daylights out of "The Call Of Ktulu") is kind of a letdown.
"Damage, Inc." is a decent enough speed rocker, but "Leper Messiah" is kinda
boring, and a good portion of "Disposable Heroes" is uglier than Sheryl Crow.
Plus, the
whole darn album is like a remake of Ride The Lightning. It starts off
with a pretty acoustic bit that turns into a kickass speed thrasher, which is
followed up by the epic midtempo title track which gives way to the downtempo
weirdass catchy-in-spite-of-itself lengthy-titled third song until side one
ends with the slow eerie beautiful note-filled youth angst ballad. Then side
two begins with a nearly impenetrably speedy semi-ugly number followed by a
not-quite-as-interesting midtempo track, followed by - oops! A discrepancy!
Ride The Lightning has a radically violent hardcore splorcher followed
by a long instrumental; Master Of Puppets switches the order. So, in
conclusion, if you liked the last one, you'll like this one and vice-versa.
Less reverb on James's voice is good, and, again, side one will take you
places you once thought only Whitney Houston could take you. But haven't they
already made this album?
Simple complaints aside, I'd like to finish this
review by pointing out that if air sounded like "The Thing That Should Not Be,"
I'd breathe a lot more often.
- Reader Comments
- DougS@aol.com
This is THE album. Their best. Whereas Ride The Lightning used noise and
distortion, this album used melodies. This album shows much more maturity
than Ride. I could give you five reasons why this isn't a duplication of
Ride. It's a much more complex record, for one. Another reason would be
that James's voice has finally matured (they were only in their early 20's
when they put this record out) and now complements the music rather than
serveing as a distraction as it did the previous two albums. Side one is the
classic side, but there is nothing at all wrong with side two. I completely
and vehemently disagree with you about "Disposable Heroes". I think it, and
not the title track, is the best song on the album and I wish they'd play it
live more often. When they unleashed it upon a surprised audience in 1994,
that song got more applause than any other song that night. Clearly a fan
favorite.
- daurand@worldnet.att.net (David Aurand)
I have to say this is an excellent album/disc.
My Andy Warholfifteenminutesoffame came when I interned at a rock station
(I was the "heavy-metal intern") and got "The Thing That Should Not Be"
played on the air at 10am. Never been done before here...so, I will take
credit for it....
Nonetheless, this is the pounding that speakers were made for....the
crunching...locomotive roaring down the track licks that just make my ears
burn....hadn't heard anything like it in my life.....and of course...the
title....."Master...Master".....unreal.....kinda wish it had stayed that
way.......
- strider@redrose.net (David Straub)
I probably would have written a response much like Doug's had I beat him
here. Lightning is really great, but this record is my 10, the ne
plus ultra of heavy metal. I admire this band because they make you
think while you bang your head.
Saw Metallica twice, once for Justice and once for the Black Album,
and was not greeted with "Disposable Heroes" or "Battery" either time.
To add insult to injury, we could hear them soundchecking with "Battery"
the first time we saw them.
This is probably the single most important soundtrack record of my
not-too-long-ago high school career. The title track alluded to all the
kids in my class getting whacked out of their skulls on coke (and
worse), and "Disposable Heroes" seemed very appropriate to me the
pacifist when the "Gulf War" broke. And "Orion", "Damage", wooooeeeee!
Plus "Sanitarium" is the story of my life.
- G.H.A. vanHagen@kub.nl (Gilbert van Hagen)
I completely agree with Mark's review on this one. Master of
puppets (as well as ... And justice for all), despite being a
strong album, lacks in originality as it largely copies the format of
Ride the lightning. In addition, Metallica by now have developed a
trend to make their songs too long which, for example in the case of
the title track, makes the music lose some of its momentum. "The
thing that should not be" and "Welcome home (sanitarium)" are pretty
cool songs, though.
- jsj@swcp.com (Nima J)
where are gilbert and mark getting this crap?? Master of puppets is
totally different than ride the lightning!! It combines hardcore metal
with more melodic and dark tunes. i think this is a great fuckin album,
and gets me in the mood for kickin peoples' asses.
- qlb@hotmail.com (Louis Sweet)
This has to be the best album of all time. Metallica takes every aspect
that makes music great and smashes it all together into one album. The
fast yet super-controlled riffing of James Hetfield kicks so much ass,
while Kirk Hammet provides the intricacies. And "Disposable Heroes" and
"Damage, Inc." are full of mind-blowing power and intensity. If you
don't have it, you've already missed out on 11 years...
- Blppt@aol.com
If there was better songs on side B, this would definitely be my number one,
if for no other reason than "Master of Puppets", but it definitely is a letdown
to go from "Sanitarium" into "Disposible Heroes". Again, I wish for a crisper
recording. I'll be waiting for the ultradisc.
- pmtapia@worldnet.att.net (The Chameleon)
A truly excellent album, although I still think Ride the Lightning is
superior to this one. And to agree with most people here, this album is
like a different kind of Ride the Lightning take. I'm not saying it is
Ride
The Lightning, it just has the same kind of format. It starts off with a
softer acoustical guitar part on "Battery" then kicks into a high metal
gear. The album's structure is virtually the same as Ride the Lightning
even with the great "Orion" instrumental like "The Call of Ktulu"
instrumental. So if this album is like Ride the Lightning in more ways than
one, then it must be good!! Most of the songs here are really damn good.
And in opposition to some reviews for this album, I think "Disposable
Heroes" is one of the best fucking tracks on the album!! All the songs are
just really good with the exception of "Damage Inc." I mean, if this album
was a chick I'd do her, and have a great time. It's that good, and it's
well worth your money.
- tedaldi@acsu.buffalo.edu
Sadly, it took me a good ten years to finally get off my duff and give this
album a spin. I remember in my whole K-12 school career how lots of people
sported Master of Puppets T-shirts, and I always thought, "boy, this
album must be really bad-ass!" Unfortunately, I had too much of a negative
image of heavy metal at the time, because I thought it was all supposed to
sound like Guns 'N Roses and Poison. But I have to say I was BLOWN AWAY by
what's on this wreck-kord! I think the whole thing kicks tons of ass, and
side two is every bit as good as side one in my influential opinion.
"Disposable Heroes" is a more graphic war song than "For Whom the Bell
Tolls," and "Leper Messiah" is heavy as hell...Methinks he should be
introduced to "The Thing That Should Not Be," for crimminy's sake! The sound
is certainly timeless in many respects, and James's improved singing lifts
this one a few notches over Ride the Lightning, But hey, why argue? Just
get 'em both!
- xfoundationx@mail.geocities.com (Dean Reis)
ALL I CAN SAY IS KUDOS ONCE AGAIN TO BURTON FOR HIS AMAZING BASS PLAYING
ON "ORION" AND "DAMAGE INC." METALLICA WAS NEVER QUITE THE SAME W/O HIM.
- jim.morrison@montego.com (Michael Rohm)
A perfect 10. NO bad songs (although "Sanitarium" is MUCH too overplayed,
sort of like "Sandman"), production is better than Lightning, and a song
based on a Lovecraft story! Who could ask for more? BTW, "Disposable
Heroes" is great. I can't see how anyone could think otherwise.
- martin@hydra.com.au
I know you're all talking about the format of Ride The Lightning
and Master Of Puppets. Personally I think it doesn't matter all that
much, because the actual melodies involved are quite different.
And did you know that if you think about it, Black Sabbath's Volume
Four and Paranoid follow basically the same structure: they both
open with the lengthy eight minute epic ("War Pigs"; "Wheels Of Confusion"),
then they have the two and a half minute poppy single ("Paranoid";
"Tomorrow's Dream"), then the slow ballad ("Planet Caravan"; "Changes"),
then the catchy heavy one ("Iron Man"; "Supernaut"), etc... until they both
end with the long heavy one ("Fairies Wear Boots"; "Under The Sun").
- Zackie23@aol.com
i can see how, upon first impression, Master of Puppets might seem like a
ripoff of their previous album, Ride the Lightning. but when you listen to
the tracks, the melodies are VERY different. I don't see how anyone can think
that "Sanitarium" sounds anything like the fourth song off of Ride, "Fade to
black". And "orion" changes its melodies so much that it seems like alot of
different songs put together as "Call of Ktulu" (which is perfectly good, by
the way, i like it alot) follows the same pattern throughout the entire song.
And I find Master of Puppets to be a little more mature and refined
than Ride.
Its a metal masterpiece.
- jbest@ns.nque.com (TNT)
You want to know my thoughts? My thoughts are that Metallica looked at
the order of their last album Ride the Lightning and said, "Hey, we
did pretty good with that order of songs." So they did the same order.
There is no way the songs are the same. I didn't even relize they were
in the same order until I read this. Metallica's awesome!
- FOUR5GIG@aol.com
Even though this album concentrates more on dynamics, harmonies, and
musicianship, I am not so much crazy about it that much. I mean that was a
good approach as far as I'm concerned, but I'm just not as crazy about it as I
am with Ride The Lightning, and the Black album.
- rangas@hotmail.com
The music on this album is unbeleiveable, and Mark, nothing, repeat
nothing is uglier than Sheryl Crow! I first heard this in my mates car
and it blew me away, the anger, the power of the whole thing made me buy
it as soon as I got home. I can't beleive you made the Sheryl Crow
remark about "Diposable Heroes" this song should have replace "The Thing
That Should Not Be" on the first side. I especially like the part of
"Disposable.." just before James barks out 'Back to the Front', the
guitars and drums combine to paint a mental picture for me. Listen to it
and don't tell me that you don't see a soldier running through the
battlefields. Call me crazy but it rules.
- mburrus@zdnetmail.com (Michael Burrus)
The best. All of the songs just kick ass. The production is better on this
album than Ride The Lightning. This is NOT a remake of Ride, I
don't know how the hell you can possibly think that! These songs are just as
massive as the ones on Ride. Both albums are very impressive.
- blppt@yahoo.com (Pat D.)
Changed my mind about this one, too. Without doubt the single greatest
metal album of our time. Every song is great. Well, except for that
severely overrated "Orion". If they had put "To Live is to Die" on this
album instead of AJFA, Master would have a good run at the top ten ROCK
albums ever. I have also grown to love "Disposable Heroes". Kirk Hammett
finally ditched those irritatingly repetitive hammer-ons of the earlier
solos for that song, and damn is it impressive. And "Leper Messiah"
rules! I love that riff, and the song really kicks ass when it kicks
into high speed at the bridge. 10!!!!
- Sean@darkagepictures.com (Sean Harris)
Well, I like it. My favorite and first Metallica album I ever heard. I'm
glad to see most of you agree.
- Amgreenberg@aol.com
Master indeed! This album totally kicks ass and is certainly their best work
(although Ride the Lightning kicks serious ass as well). Battery, the title
track, Sanitarium, Disposable Heroes, and Orion are as good as metal gets.
- ayoungno1@hotmail.com (Alex R)
I'm not a big fan of these guys by any means. But I must say that this album
kicks fuckin ass!!!. " Orion " blew me away the first time I heard it and so
did mostly every other song on the album. IMO, this album belongs in
everybody's collection.
Oh yeah, don't make fun of Sheryl Crow. I would bang her anyday!.
- Belac111@aol.com
Well, plenty has been said about this album, so I'll just say that it's
awesome. Orgasmic even.
- pantallica87@yahoo.com (John Doe John Doe)
i feel Master of Puppets is probly the best fuckin
metal album to bless fuckin heavy music. It has
everything man its a fuckin full thrash package. none
of the songs get u bored and tired and none of the
songs make u wonder when the hell this album is gonna
finish. this masterpiece will go down in thrash
history. Metallica outdid themselves when they
released this one. The best track on this alubm is
definitely disposable heroes. WHAT IN THE FUCK ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT DUDE?!?!? this song lyrically is so well
written it amazed the hell outta me! and the Back to
the front part almost makes me wanna fuckin get out on
the battlefield and serve my country man! lol. the
more melodicand musically mature side of this album is
mostly present on master of puppets and sanitarium.
Master of puppets is my second favorite on this album.
that little interlude section in the middle always
makes the hairs on my back stand up when i hear. Orion
is probly their best instrumental track and it in my
opinion shows cliff burton at his absolute finest.
this album is the greatest thrash album. its sits in
with the greats, reign in blood by slayer and welcome
to hell by Venom. dude fuck that metallihating
bullshit. new mets suck but if u wanna judge metallica
listen to puppets and then say soemthing.
later
- jtcable@home.com (Josh Cable)
Did I point out that this is their best album ever?
This is their best album ever.
Fuck these sellouts.
- Nick.Walford@nettec.net
master! master!
for me, this album is metallica's high point until the black album. the
tunes are more mature, the melody/riff combinations are well-developed, and
the lyrics are certainly more sensible than all the other 'devil! blood!
death! argh!' shite of bands like slayer. AJFA is also excellent, but seems
to be a bit too self-congratulatory and indulgent, and doesn't have the same
instantly gripping factor as MoP. come on guys, 'the thing that should not
be' rules! heavy, heavy, heavy...
- robchaundy@yahoo.com (Robert Chaundy)
Surprised no one has picked up on the title track-War
Pigs thing (opening riff and 'destruction/death's
construction' couplet), and equally surprised that
some people still think Orion is better than To Live
is to Die. It's just not!
Of course there's no denying this one's greatness, and
as musicians they are definitely at their peak here,
but the sound of the album - which I used to love -
now sounds sort of flat and restrained, as if it's
straining to burst into new realms of heaviness but
just can't make it. It just doesn't spit and crackle
like Ride the Lightning does.
And yes, the format is the same as that album's (and
indeed ...And Justice for All's) - but hold on
people!! That's a strength, not a weakness! It allows
you to see their musical development within clearly
defined boundaries, almost as if they were challenging
themselves to improve on the last effort; and it is
also a sort of Metallica calling card, like a big
spiky 'M' stamped all over it. What did you want after
Ride the Lightning? Twenty 2-minute rock'n'roll
standards?
So maybe not ten. Either these three classics all
deserve tens or none of them do - they just can't be
compared to one another. Go round to Fred Durst's
house and play this at top volume - he'll thank you
for it one day.
- DinoSergakis@aol.com
Hey
The greatest album is MASTER OF PUPPETS greatest now load and reload were
okay but no KILL EM' ALL, RIDE THE LIGHTNING, MASTER OF PUPPETS(of course)
AND MAYBE and...JUSTICE FOR ALL. All and all the best of METALLICA'S works
ever and I take my hat off to thses former "METAL" bands.
- robchaundy@yahoo.com (Robert Chaundy)
What was I saying? Of course Master of Puppets is a
ten. How could I ever have thought otherwise? How can Mark?
- katsman7@hotmail.com (Madd Hunter)
I think "Disposable Heroes" is amongst the greatest metal songs ever written. Don't care what others say.
- Jcjh20@aol.com
This one is supposed to be the classic, but i think its just as good as Ride The
Lightning, although it has a more dark production. "Battery" leaves off where "Fight Fire With
Fire" ended in the kick-ass dept. and the title track is a classic of course. I also agree
that "Orion" is a better instrumental then "Ktulu", and that song which then segues into
"Damage Inc." both could scare the crap out of you. Couple of tracks inferior to Ride The
Lightning maybe, but i love this album. A 9.
- g_stardom@yahoo.com (Gee Star)
The people who say Kill Em All is metallica's best album or that metallica has never made a revolutionary impact on metal music obviously haven't
heard Master of Puppets. The riffs are belting, hand delivered with extraordinary precision and symmetry; songs are sang vocally, remarkably skillful;
and the lyrics explode on contract with the ear. From a musical standpoint, as I absorb music, I adjust myself and then enter a mental plane in which I tap
into the artist’s state of mind. I realized that on Master of Puppets metallica combined a few songs into one almost on every song on the album. Except
for “the thing that should not be” each song seems to possess an evolving sensation that captures the imagination and suspends it, as the mind waits in
aw for the unexpected. A prime example is Disposable Heroes, a well underrated and overlooked song as one of metal’s top 10 ever! I doubt that anyone
could cover exactly that song. However, Kill Em All was a successful foundation laid.
- uglytruth@hotmail.com (Hossein Nayebagha)
Sure, a remake of Ride The Lightning - they've improved a lot.
I just read the review for that one, and I seriously don't understand where you're getting all this from. RTL is a poor record because it's a metal album that doesn't kick ass and isn't really all that heavy. It's somewhat sharp, but it's got the speed on merely two - TWO! - tracks, one of which is pretty darn lame.
This one however has some fierce energy, speed and heaviness...And there's actually some substance in the songs except of predictable higher end arena rock riffs. "Welcome Home" is the "Fade To Black" of this one, and that's just one way of seeing the difference. The former is good, the latter is EMBARRASSING. And that goes for the balads, the heavier, faster tracks really put their earlier counterparts to shame. Rhythm, leads, vocals...ALL the arangement is superior.
At its worse, there are a few tracks that do get boring at times, but atleast they're not CRAP like half of the RTL songs.
And how can you refer to "Creeping Death" as a "violent hardcore splorcher"? It basically sounded like a more straightforward Maiden! Do they get that aggressive?
I don't really own Master Of Puppets, but I've heard it and you don't really need that many listens to tell that it's superior to the previous effort. Whether or not RTL is the base of Metallica's trademark sound, it sure as hell needed some improvement, and they managed to fix the problems on here and the next one, even the selftitled album. I just wish I'd known this, so that when there was a time that I thought it was a good idea to spend some money on Metallica, I'd bought the best ones.
Seriously, I think your view on Metallica's career, with RTL as the peak that they only managed to make lesser versions of, is the most insane thing there is to read on the whole site. I just don't get it and I can't really accept it...There must be some other reason behind it.
- jlivathinopoulos@nyc.rr.com (Jerry Livathinopoulos)
"...a good portion of "Disposable Heroes" is uglier than Sheryl Crow"? Dude! I think she's one of the most beautiful broads to come around in a while.
- stroudley_loco@hotmail.com (Sam Davenport)
To reply to Hossein's comment above-what are you on about?
Ride the Lightning is the pinnacle of Metallica's career by some distance.
For you to say Fade to Black is embarassing when it's actually one of the
most moving songs they ever wrote is just puzzling.
Anyway-Master of Puppets............ good album but not worthy of the legend
status bestowed on it. It has its good points-the songwriting is more
developed, the title track is-well, amazing-and Orion is one of the best
instrumentals that I've heard.
But......... there's a couple of problems. For a start I can't remember how
Damage Inc. goes. Leper Messiah is a bit substandard, and Sanitarium is a
letdown after Fade to Black. The main problem however is The Thing That
Should Not Be. This stop-start track is just boring. I'm sorry, it may be
heavy but there's no reason for it to stop-start like that all the time.
Keep the momentum up a bit!
But apart from the substandard songs the main gripe I have with this album
is the production. It's too flat, dry, two dimensional. On RTL the
production was three dimensional, it made everything crackle and glow and
hiss, gave everything a special vibe, made the whole album sound incredibly
epic and heavy. On MOP the dry, flat production just saps some life out of
the record. If it had had Black Album production it would be Metallica's
second best album, but as such I'm going to rate it joint third [1=RTL,
2=Live Shit Binge and Purge, 3=Justice=MOP=Black Album] and give it 8/10.
Still good mind.
- the_words@hotmail.com
Okay, I'm having a Metallica period now so I reread some of this shit plus reader comments, so here's my response to Sam D.
Embrrassment may be harsh, but it still makes sense to me to call "Fade To Black" such. It's just too damn clichéd even for a metal record. The melody is cliched, the lyrics even more, the cheeseball leads in the early parts, the theatrical power chord sequence of the "chorus", the too obvious cheap Sabbath-ness of the second half of the song.
Now you could say a few of these things about "Sanitarium" as well, and it'd be true to a certain extent, the chorus particularly get on my nerves a little bit, but all in all, the verses are a lot more moving, the melody is more complex, the lyrics are okay, and James vocals are finally rid of the pube-ness from the first two records. The vocal arrangement in general here is a lot better.
Add your thoughts?
The $5.98 EP: Garage Days Re-Revisited -
Elektra 1987.
A delightful romp through thrash of yesteryear, this EP
presents the Metallicers as a bunch of nostalgic aging headbangers reliving
the glory days that have passed them by. Six covers of tracks by the Misfits
(who kicked ass!), Killing Joke (who STILL kick ass!),
Budgie (who had a few good albums then turned to shit for 20 years!), Diamondhead (eh) and Holocaust (curse you, Nazis!) make it
pretty clear that Metallica weren't the first folks playin' this heavy fast
thing, so the least they can do is pay tribute to their fine influences with a nifty $5.98
howdy-do that you're lucky to find these days for less than 25.
The reason it's called Re-Revisited is that one of the pressings of
their debut album added two bonus cover tracks (or is it three? I
think it's only two!) that were considered to be Garage Days
Revisited. And thus explaineth I the complexity of said album title.
- Reader Comments
- DougS@aol.com
A hard to find record. Don't know why the record company took it and the two
bonus tracks from Kill 'Em All off the market. I had to pay $45 for my copy.
YOW! This record has one real plus going for it. You can hear the bass! I
used to love "The Wait" until I heard the original. Now when I hear
Metallica's version, I wince....
- G.H.A. vanHagen@kub.nl (Gilbert van Hagen)
I would not pay $25 dollars for this EP. In fact, I would have to
think hard whether I would want to pay $5.98 for it. I suspect it
would be much more advisable to try to get a hold of the originals.
For example, another hard-to-get EP of Metallica features a cover of
Diamond Head's "Am I evil?", which is heralded by many as one of
Metallica's finest songs. When I got hold of the original track,
however, I found out that Metallica copies Diamond Head's version
almost note for note and adds much weaker vocals. A few years ago
Lars Ulrich put together a very attractive collection of original
tracks from the NWOBHM period from bands such as Diamond Head and
Holocaust. The songs on that double CD sound much better than
Metallica's Garage days EP. Unfortunately, Lars decided not to
include the songs which Metallica have actually covered themselves,
so that these are still extremely hard to find.
- tedaldi@acsu.buffalo.edu
I'd like to pick this one up...aren't the boys supposed to be re-RE-leasing
this EP sometime soon? It sure would make some nice dramamine after sitting
through Re-Load.
- mhking@worldnet.att.net (Michael King)
Go get a copy of the _EXCELLENT_ complilation The Metallica-Era, on Neat
Metal Records. It might be in your local Media Play's Metallica section
(or imports, if you have one), or look on Music Boulevard or CDnow. Tracklist below, it includes nearly all
of the songs that Metallica has covered (notable omissions include Queen,
Motorhead, and Misfits songs).
"Let It Loose" - Savage ("Dirty Money", also by Savage, which was on the demo
EP with "Let It Loose", was omitted. I am at a loss as to why.)
"Sucking My Love", "Am I Evil", "The Prince", "Helpless" - Diamond Head
"Killing Time" - Sweet Savage (not the same as Savage, mind you)
"Blitzkrieg" - Blitzkrieg
"Crash Course In Brain Surgery", "Breadfan" - Budgie
"The Small Hours" - Holocaust
"The Wait" - Killing Joke
"So What?" - Anti-Nowhere League
- Trashsurfr@aol.com
FYI, this album has been extensivly bootlegged. The version I have includes
Black Album demos along with studio versions of "So What", "Stone Cold Crazy",
and "Killing Time". Another version I saw has the original versions of the
songs along with the Metallica versions. Don't just sit there, GO!
- kavrbck@megsinet.net (Paul)
Yeah, I find out after I paid $25 for my copy that they're rereleasing it
with yet more covers (I guess one of those double lp's)! Well, hopefully
they're covers we haven't already heard, or I'm not shelling out more of my
dough. I'll remain happy with my copy, thank you very much (I don't know if
that made sense, but that's alright!).
- errado@ruralsp.com.br
Fun!
- jssmall03@hotmail.com
I had borrowed this tape from my friend back in high school when it came
out, i transfered it to a tape for myself, and played the hell out of it! I
think my old grand prix ate the tape, and i have been looking to find this
album again! man, what a bummer! This cd (now) kicked ass!!
Add your thoughts?
...And Justice For All - Elektra
1988.
The word for this record is RIGID. Though constructed as yet
another remake of Ride The Lightning (aside from the amazing "Frayed Ends
Of Sanity," which just doesn't fit into the pattern at all!), this one
distinguishes itself from by the others by replacing "sweaty thrash energy"
with "clockwork precision" and making the songs longer than my
third leg; two tracks beat the 9:40 mark, and the shortest clocks in at a
blink-and-you-missed-it 5:12!!! This clockwork precision thing - yes, it was
there before, but never to this extent. These stuttering guitars are so
perfectly and sterilely in sync with each other, it's difficult to imagine
that they weren't played by some sort of pre-programmed heavy metal machine
doohicky. Even the solos sound pre-written (as opposed to the show-off speed
wankism of the previous releases), and Lars keeps hitting some really neat
cymbal that sounds like Satan's Trash Can Lid! Luckily, the razorsharp
chunka-chunka
doesn't get dull 'cuz the riffage kicks assage.
"Blackened" and "Dyers Eve" are faster than a Jewish guy on some holiday or
some crap, "To Live Is To Die" and the title track lope along like
road-trekkin' hippy vans, building and building mountains of chords until your
head explodes all over the ottoman, and the frightening Johnny Got His
Gun tribute "One" is one of their finest moments yet. Beautiful,
sad, disturbing, scary, and the end kicks tomorrow's poop clear out my ass
before I even sit down to eat yesterday's Twinkie! Not every single
song is phenomenal ("Harvester Of Sorrow" doesn't do much of
anything, for example), but they're all good, and most of them are totally captivating
for a ridiculously lengthy amount of time. Jason Newsted's the bass player
now; Cliff was tragically killed in a bus accident that the rest of the band somehow survived.
- Reader Comments
- DougS@aol.com
This is Master Of Puppets 2. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. There
are more catchy riffs on this album than you can shake a stick at. Most
people now consider this their weakest effort, because it is so antiseptic
and disciplined. I still think it rocks and is loads (hmmmmmmmmmm....) better
than their next two records. It was their last foray into a genre now
overloaded with imitators.
"One" sucks. There. I said it. I can't stand that song. Blech....
- strider@redrose.net (David Straub)
Nobody could top them at this point in terms of sheer musical might. It
kind of makes sense that the Next Big Thing would be all about quick,
endearing, sloppy poppy tunes with cryptic lyrics (Nirvana).
- HDVW143@aol.com
O.K., let's get something straight; "One" is the most melodic song
Metallica has ever done. It kicks so much ass it is unfair. I think that
this album is without a doubt their best work. They combined the speed metal
of earlier albums with the driving slower beat off of the latest two albums.
It is simply their best. Case closed.
- G.H.A. vanHagen@kub.nl (Gilbert van Hagen)
Supposedly, Jason Newsted plays bass on this album. Can you hear him?
I can't. It is rumoured that Lars Ulrich came into the studio at the
last minute and deleted all of the bass parts from the album. Newsted
indeed made a strong career move: from being one of the main songwriters
in the promising speed-metal outfit Flotsam and Jetsam (whose first two
albums are highly recommended) to an unimportant part of Metallica. They
have yet to record one of Newsted's compositions. Oh well, on later albums
you can actually hear him play the bass, and he is pretty well-paid. And
during live concerts, James even lets him sing from time to time ...
Anyway, the overall sound of ... And justice for all is better than
on their previous albums, and the compositions are -- with the
exception of "Harvester of boredom" and "The shortest draw" -- damn
good. I rank "Blackened", "Eye of the beholder", "Frayed ends of
sanity", "One" and the title track among Metallica's best recordings.
The bad news? Lars Ulrich announced that future albums would feature
shorter, more to-the-point songs such as ... "Harvester of boredom"
and "The shortest draw". Oh my God.
- jsj@swcp.com (Nima J)
this is by far my favorite album from Metallica, if you are fans of
kick-ass heavy metal, this is the album for you. songs like "dyers eve"
and "blackened" are really hard and i enjoy a lot. Another thing i liked
about this album is the double-bass drums that Lars does so perfectly.
They really add so much to the songs and makes them all that better.
- Blppt@aol.com
"One" is by far the best Metallica song ever if but for one reason: this is
by far the worst recording job I have ever heard. Thank god they fired
Flemming Rassmussen after this record. Despite hollow guitars and nonexistant
bass, "One" still shines through as one of the most incredible audio
experiences for me. It is poetic for the first four minutes or so with that
excellent acoustic riff, and kicks into overdrive. The other kick ass song on
the album is "The Shortest Straw" in which Lars plays some incredible drum
parts.
- danzig5@hotmail.com (Nima J)
Alright, lets get one thing straight; ...and justice for all is the
greatest album that ever existed. Man, i don't care if it's not the
hardest metal out there, it sure is the best!!!! Every single song is
phenomonal! (How can you not like "Harvester of Sorrow," Mark?) There is
not one bad song on the album. For all those dudes who love long
songs, this album's got something for you, but this album compliments
first and foremost the lover of metal. I don't see how any metal fan
could not like this album. I think that James Hetfield's talent and
voice reached a peak in this album, along with their extremely
anti-government songs, makes me want to kick some major ska-listening
ass. I'm not even going to tell you about any of the songs, because as
i've already said, they're all good. This album is my all-time favorite,
and it epitomizes my collection. GET IT GET IT GET IT!!!! If any new
Metallica fan is going to buy an album, this is the one. (heh heh) I
give it a very enthusiastic 10 10 10 10 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- pmtapia@worldnet.att.net (The Chameleon)
If anything, just buy this album to listen to Ulrich and that double bass
drum! It sounds so awesome in some of these songs. It's just a damn good
album so go out and get it. I don't know about this being their best effort
or anything...but it's just simply a great album..what more can I say?
- tedaldi@acsu.buffalo.edu
This one is just too damn long and boring, at least on the CD/tape version.
I always find myself asking for longer songs from my favorite artists, but
in this case I'll make a glaring exception. NINE tracks at around 65
minutes??? Good golly, miss Molly! The whole thing is even lengthier than
the Black Album, and at 12 songs even IT seems overlong. Plus the bass sucks
and Metallica singin' about justice and greed seems about as natural as an
oral bowel movement, if you know what I'm making a reference to.
- xfoundationx@mail.geocities.com (Dean Reis)
IF IT WASN'T FOR THE THIN PRODUCTION AND DRUM SOUND ON THIS ALBUM, IT
COULD OF BEEN REAL GREAT. OTHERWISE IT JUST SEEMS TO MAKE THE LOSS OF
BURTON BASS MORE DEPRESSING.
- pmtapia@worldnet.att.net (The Chameleon)
Well at first this album really sounded cool, and everyone said it was the
best, but after a lot more listens I pretty much hate most of this album.
The only songs I like are "Dyers Eve", "Blackened" and "One". "Dyers Eve" I
absolutely love and you can figure out why I believe that. Now, on to why I
hate most of this. The songs are really long with nothing really
interesting happening half the time. The worst song is "..and justice for
all"..bleh..I can't stand that song. Maybe I'd like this album a lot more
if 1) there was a lot more bass like there should be..well there should be
bass sorry that for mistake being this album has no fucking bass
grrrrr...2) I hate the theme. I hate this "hammer of justice crushes you
overpower"...I hate them screaming about how nothing is fair and blah blah
blah about how there's no justice in america..how democracy is corrupt and
politicians..blah blah blah..it's been done too many times. Get a new theme
besides the old death and corruption thing. I'm getting sick of it. That's
the only thing that really bugs me about a lot of metal is that it's all
the same, doom, gloom, death songs. Can't for once like Slayer or Metallica
put an album out with a theme of..........cuddly animals? Can't they at
least try it?..well maybe not that..but..the whole themes and death and all
that start to really bug after a while, maybe that's why I like danzig or
alice in chains so much because it's always different. Songs too long but
in a bad way because it's repetative and annoying, bad theme that's been
done a lot in all walks of life, and no bass...grrr..fuck this album get
Ride the Lightning.
- Blppt@aol.com
What? BORING? Holy shit, I don't know how anybody can think this album boring.
This album is so great! I personally consider it THE greatest thrash album
ever. Not one bad track on the album. "Blackened" has a impossible riff/double
kick drum combination. The title track has an excellent guitar riff behing the
chorus, and the solo is catchy also. "Eye of the Beholder" also has a very
catchy chorus and excellent riffage. And "One"? What can I say? The single
greatest metal epic ever, IMHO. "The Shortest Straw" is fantastic....like most
of the songs on this album, the riffs cascade over you till you can take no
more, and the riffs have delightful hooks here and there, matched only by
Anthrax's Among the Living..."Harvester of Sorrow" well, if your a metal fan,
you've probably heard this one already. "Dyers Eve" is so impossible to play,
that Metallica can't play it live. And "To Live is to Die" is their best
instrumental, much better than that overrated "Orion", though there's no bass
to be heard. Yeah, the production blows, and Flemming should die, but this
album is a MUST have for any thrash fan. 10.
- sstanner@mindspring.com (Scott)
I was a serious Metallica freak when this came out and MAN WAS I
DISAPPOINTED. One of the worst produced records of all time. There is
simply no bass. No bass guitar. No bass on the bass drum. NO BASS.
And everything sounds very dry. I think the band suffers tremendously
without the subtle influence of Cliff. He was the soul of the band in
the early days (he convinced them to leave the LA scene and move to the
"realer" Bay Area) and a good balance to the Hetfield/Ulrich egomania.
A lot of the melody just disappeared. And JEEZUS ARE SOME OF THESE
SONGS BORING. With this record Metallica went from forging an entire
new style of American Metal to retreading old ideas. And no matter what
anyone says, they simply SOLD OUT after this record. They started using
the same producer as Bon Jovi!!!! Don't any of you realize what a SIN
that is to the GODS OF METAL? I kind of wish the whole band had been
killed in the bus accident, then I wouldn't have to watch their sell-out
asses constantly suck MTV's dick.
- Zackie23@aol.com
And Justice for All is one awesome album. I think it's their best. "Dyers
Eve" and "blackened" are awesome and "To live is to die" is probably the best
Metallica song ever. It's especially bittersweet as it was written by Cliff
Burton. "One" is amazing, as is the title track and "Shortest Straw". Only
crappy song is "Harvester of sorrow" and "Frayed ends of insanity" doesn't do
much for me either. but other than that it is a downright masterpiece.
- danzig5@hotmail.com (Nima J)
man, what's the deal with everyone going: "oh, there's no bass on
this album, oh that pisses me off enough to not even listen to it." WHAT
THE FUCK. You listen to other Metallica albums and the bass is hardly
recognizable, and they're still just as incredibly awesome. Hell, the
first time we REALLY get a taste of the bass is on the black album, and
hell, that wasn't much at all. In response to another review here, the
person says there's no bass on the bass drum. This sorta struck a nerve.
Other than Pantera's Vinnie Paul, Lars dishes out some of the best bass
drumming i've ever heard. He is so fucking good and cool. The bass
drums still sound cool even when he's not doing double-time like on
"Dyers Eve."
Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying bass is bad, i love it, it provides a
lot of depth, and no band should be without it, but i mean, that
shouldn't be a reason not to like any album. Metallica makes up for the
lack of bass by muting the strings, in which they place their palms on
the strings themselves, and this gives a more bassy sound (believe me, I
know). To sum up this bass argument; ...AJFA may not have the bass, but
it is still the heaviest out of all of 'em, maybe they should take the
bass out of all of em!(nah, that would suck)
The last issue is this whole screw the government theme. Although i
gotta admit its been done, it hasn't really been done by metal bands
that i've heard. Punk bands, that's for sure, there's plenty of
anti-government punk bands, but this album was a first for Metallica.
Its' not like every Metallica album is about the government, and even if
you don't want to admit it, the government in 1989 when this album was
released was a fuckhole under president (bush or reagen? i think it was
bush. hell.). The bottom line in this topic is that it made for an
awesome album, so i approve.
So, i apologize for all this text, but i had to blow off some
steam, see ya later.
- TVIIIpiggy@aol.com
WELL, THE BASS DOES SUCK. I THINK THAT THE BASS SHOULD HAVE BEEN HEARD MORE.
THE BASS ISN'T REALLY NOTICEABLE ON THE EARLIER ONES, BUT IT IS ALMOST NON-
EXISTENT ON THIS ONE. STILL, I REALLY LIKE THIS ALBUM. ITS ONE OF MY
FAVORITES. "BLACKENED," "ONE," "HARVERSTER OF SORROW," "TO LIVE IS TO DIE,"
AND "DYERS EVE" ARE AMONY MY FAVORITE METALLICA SONGS.
- InMyEyes82@aol.com
Sorry, this is in response to the above poster. I play bass, madame, and I can
honestly tell you that there is absolutely no audible bass on this album. I
still love the record, but bass would have been nice. And you also said that
no other Metallica albums have audible bass. I don't know what the hell you
have been listening to but the best part of songs like "Orion" and "For Whom
the Bell Tolls" is the bass guitar. Later.
- Gleeman555@aol.com
The worst. No bass, no nothing. Next.
- mburrus@zdnetmail.com (Michael Burrus)
This album is really impressive. The song "One" is one of their best.
"Harvester Of Sorrow" is tolerable, but pales compared with the rest of the
album. I still think the mix is horribly thin sounding.
- Sean@darkagepictures.com (Sean Harris)
Hmmm..Master of Puppets2? Hmmm....
Well, the production is certainly weird. NO BASS, anywhere (at least I
can't hear it). Cliff's gone (sob) and that hurts the melodic structure
in the songs. I was told by a friend who was close to James Hetfield
that Lars didn't play for more than 4 seconds anywhere on this
record--and that seems to make sense seeing as you won't ever hear
Dyer's Eve or a few others from here played live. A
But, I still like it. Not as much as I used to, but it's pretty good
for a band that went through a pretty bad time beforehand.
- apazoo@hotmail.com (Andrew Pazulla)
I agree with everyone's complaint about the lack of bass, just a muddy
wirring sound. But I actually like the mix of this album; it has a very
cold, detached feel that works very well on songs like "Blackened" and "Eye
of the Beholder." An anti-metal mix, hollow and thin. One of the weirdest
mixes I've heard that somehow manages to work, a la Raw Power by the
Stooges. Some songs are too long and pretentious, but the lyrics are their
best ever.
I'd agree with most people that Puppets is the best album. 2nd best is a
matter of taste, but it could be argued that this is second best. I would
give it a 9/10.
- errado@ruralsp.com.br
The sound on this album hates you, it's great. I guess the were
trying to compensate for what they were about to do (geez, how did they
know?).
When they recorded again (Black Album), the crown was already on
Entombed's head. Don't be a sissy, go listen to Entombed's Clandestine.
Or Corrosion of Conformity's Blind, proving the Metallica legacy wasn't
wasted.Corrosion of Conformity, another casualty of the Great Metal Band
Turns into Mediocre Sub-Bluesy-Rock plague. Entombed, too (last album).
Megadeth (after RIP). Sad times. Cowboy hats will fit neatly between
your buttcheeks.
- ThenamesPaul@aol.com
Well, I love the album... What the hell. Lars is probably the best
hard rock drummer around ... at least in the top 5. I think the reason the mix
on the ... And Justice For All album is thin (e.g., no echo) is so you can
hear how intricate and precise the playing is. If there were echo on these
tracks, it would muddy the precision... This is heavy metal Emerson, Lake & Palmer... And a DAMN shame it
doesn't look like there'll be another one... :o(
- StraubD@co.lancaster.pa.us (David Straub)
Having just bought this on double vinyl not too long ago, after having
lived on borrowing the CD from various friends for years, I can say
that the bottom end is a bit stronger on the records. Still a
disappointing mix in comparison to Puppets and even Lightning, which is no great
shakes itself. The antiseptic songwriting on Justice doesn't do much
for me either. Still a good record, though, and when you CAN hear him,
Newsted acquits himself well enough.
- Belac111@aol.com (Caleb Smith)
Well, compared to Master of Puppets it seems dissapointing, but there's
still some great music here. "Blackened", "One", "Dyer's Eve" and the title
track are all quite good, and most of the other songs are atleast average
even if a few do plod along uninterestingly."To Live Is To Die" is no "Orion"
but it's cool. Overall, it's a mixed album with brilliant moments and some dull ones
too. It's worth buying though.
- Nick.Walford@nettec.net
I remember when this album came out, in interviews hetfield and ulrich said
they wanted a really tight, dry sound, but also that they might have gone
too far. I've got it on vinyl and it's okay. I agree with the guy who said
it adds to the precise feel, this album is sharp sharp sharp. it kinda feels
to me like the album where they said "well, we've done three thrash albums
now, what are we gonna do next?" it pushes the envelope a bit further, and
makes space for other intelligent/progressive thrash bands. I seem to recall
at the time it was this and voivod's 'nothingface' that defined the sound of
heaviness for a while, everyone was blown away (here in the uk at least),
no-one had was prepared for such an intense record. there was kind of a
feeling that thrash was a bit dumb, a bit mindless, all speed and fret-wanky
widdle-solos, and this record did a whole lot to change that. and I just
wanna say that 'to live is to die' kicks my ass every time I hear it, it's
frightening, a masterpiece. and if there's not enough bass on it for ya,
TURN THE FUCKIN BASS UP! that's why your stereo has tone controls,
dumbass.
- BabyImUrPuppet@aol.com
this i metallicas worst album it is sooooo boring.but that is only cuz they
keep repeating the same verse and chorus over and over again. if you want
long grinding metal listen to the melvins. this album sounds too thin.but it
does contain blackened and one two of the greatest gifts to bless music.
- blppt@hotmail.com (Pat D.)
I'd just like to point out to Mr. Walford that cranking the bass knob
looking for the nearly nonexistant bass guitar will likely cause you to blow
out your speakers before you hear Mr. Newsted. This album is just poorly
mixed, whether thats Flemming's fault or that rumor about James and Lars
messing with the controls to bury his bass in the mix. Unless you have a
very specific graphic EQ, you arent likely to be able to enhance the bass
guitar any, since most bass controls are too low in the spectrum to do
anything about that, they usually attenuate around 100hz or so. And since
the drums are already loud, you'll be experiencing woofer pop if you pump up
bass control long before you hear Jason's bass.
- robchaundy@yahoo.com (Robert Chaundy)
Did I say Master of Puppets deserves ten? It does, but
so does ...And Justice for All. On Master of Puppets
the flame of early Metallica was still burning pretty
bright, and the songs were confident, sneering and
aggressive. Read the lyrics to Justice - these songs
are frightened, vulnerable and exposed. Cliff's death
was clearly a big, sober slap to Metallica's
collective face. And these are surely their best songs
- Blackened would, with a meatier productionn, have
been the greatest metal song ever written, and almost
everything else is blindingly great.
These riffs are stunningly complex - the only other
album that takes The Riff to this crazy level is
Relayer - but this new art form is for a reason; the
songs are complex too. Uneasy listening in the
extreme. I can see how some people would find it
boring, but I can also see how those people would
think Metal Militia is the greatest song of all time.
You hear One? Why those changes? From mournful melodic
mediaeval melody-making to hell's-teeth breakneck
machine-gun assault? Nobody can say. There is no
explanation. You have to experience it; it's just
awesome. The Frayed Ends of Sanity is so insanely
complex it's almost unbearable, and Dyer's Ever
features Kirk Hammett's greatest guitar solo. There is
genius at work on this album.
To Live Is To Die. This piece of music is the most
enormous, terrifying, beautiful thing the world of
metal has ever produced. Its scale is breathtaking,
the genius of its playing unbelievable. Orion is left
in the dust. It's Metallica's masterpiece and if you
don't agree you've just got to keep listening until
you do. All hail.
P.S...
The Basslessness of Metallica
People will moan about ...And Justice for All's lack
of bass until the end of time, but there's more to it
than that. To be honest, none of Metallica's 1980s
albums had much bass on them at all. Disbelievers of
this theory always mention The Call of Ktulu, Orion,
Damage Inc. and Anesthesia, which of course have
plenty of bass on them, but that's Cliff playing LEAD
bass. He wrote the stuff and he was hardly likely to
be inaudible on his big set-piece compositions. But
listen to any other song from those first three albums
and you won't hear much bass at all. What makes
Justice stand out is that it's not happy with being
bassless: it has to go too far and have a gaping great
HOLE in the mix where the bass should be - the thing
sounds pretty similar to the noise Montgomery Burns's
power plant makes and if you play the album too loud
it will destroy your speakers. The other problem is
that, on the first three records, heavy guitars and
drums made up for the bass's deficiencies, but here
the guitars have no middle at all and the drums sound
like someone battering a cardboard box. I can see how
sneaking in at the last minute and deleting the bass
might have been necessary to make this album
listenable at all - but I still wish they'd taken the
time to get it right in the first place.
Conclusion: big problems with the sound.
But a ten nonetheless.
- pd6941@albany.edu (Pat D.)
Rob, you sure are right about the guitars not having any breathing room, along with the drums, but actually, the situation is VERY similar on some
Pantera albums. They dont sound bad, because although Rex is playing a lot of root notes (i.e. doubling the rhythm guitar of Dime with his bass),
you can really actually hear him. Thats the same with KEA, RTL, and MOP with Cliff---you could actually hear him even when he was playing
mostly root notes.
But yeah, there are other problems like you mentioned that certainly dont help matters. However, i think if James and Lars didnt fuck with the
controls like Jason accused them of in the Playboy article, and bury his bass, it would have been a lot more tolerable of a mix.
- Jcjh20@aol.com
Definatly more complex then their previous albums. A good direction to take after poor
Cliff died. Im glad they've pulled it together for this album at least. "One" is one of the
best songs they've ever did, and one of the best damn solos ive ever heard from Kirk. I
also love "To Live Is To Die". That song will put you in tears and kick your ass at the
same time! I also cant forget "Harvester Of Sorrow", "Frayed Ends Of Sanity", or
"Blackened" either. A 9.
- scottcamp30@hotmail.com (Scott Campbell)
I think this is Metallica's finest hour. Then again I'm a drummer and a big Rush fan so what the hell do I know?
- Grungeking45@aol.com
...And Justice for All is the biggest piece of shit metallica have released. how can you possibly give it 9 out of ten
- rmckay@maccs.mq.edu.au (Dr. Ryan McKay -- He's a Neuropsychologist!!!)
Well hello there. I was just about to weigh in with my boring two cents worth
on the immortal, gargantuan behemoth that is Master of Puppets. but then I had
myself a better idea (although still far from a great idea, admittedly). Why
not establish, definitively, once and for all, which of the grand Metallica
trilogy (naturally I refer to Lightning/Puppets/Justice) is the greatest?? At
the same time I hope to settle at a stroke these lingering issues about
Metallica putting the same album out not once but thrice!!!
Okay, so everyone's noticed that the song order on these albums is eerily
similar. You've got your all-out frenzied aural assault to begin the album
(with intro), your long, rangey multifaceted title track opus in second
position, your Metallic ballad in fourth, and ultimately (or more often
penultimately) a fabulous (and long) instrumental. Now what exactly is the
problem here? The suggestion seems to be that in setting themselves this album
structure, Metallica somehow imposed limits on their creativity. But what about
Sonata form in Classical symphonies? Surely many of the greatest musical works
follow a more-or-less prescribed musical structure? I'm sure I recall some
composer or other (Dvorak? Sibelius?) blathering on about the burden of too
much freedom. Not many people accuse Beethoven of composing the same symphony
again and again just because he tended to whack an all-out frenzied aural
assault at the beginning, with a Sanitarium-esque adagio second movement, a
jokey Trapped Under Ice kind of number in third place etc?
The point I am belabouring is that structure in and of itself can be a good
thing. This trilogy of fabulous albums follows a fairly obvious structure, but
in my view that just makes it easier to compare them, cause in a way you're
comparing like with like. After many wasted hours pondering which of the three
albums contains the best opening scorcher, the best title track, the best
mellow-melancholy-ballad-cum-powerful-thunderous-ballbreaker etc, I would like
to proffer up to the masses my own suggested track-listing for the greatest
Metallica album ever, laconically titled "Master of Lightning for All":
1. Blackened. The opening bars of this song were the first Metallica
sounds I ever heard, at the tender age of 14. I was instantly smitten. Those
soaring backwards guitars, goodness me. Who would have thought music could be
simultaneously so beautiful yet so menacing? Incidentally, a similar effect
(beautiful yet menacing) can in my opinion be found in Radiohead's "Exit Music
for a Film" ("we hope that you choke") and in Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" ("you're
going to reap just what you sow", with that exquisite icy piano). One last
comment - try playing the intro to Blackened backwards, if you have the
software. A completely different mood altogether. Cool. Oh yeah, the rest of
the song kicks ass too.
2. Master of Puppets. Greatest metal song of all time. The wickedest all-
time riff (esp. Figure 2 at the start), gorgeous middle section adds loads of
colour, and my favourite single section of the song, that thundering rising
figure just before the reprise of the main Master theme. My only regret in
giving Master the second slot here is that Ride the Lightning was a strong
contender, having what is hands-down the best guitar solo in any Metallica song
ever. Pretty awesome composition for a bunch of 21-year-olds.
3. For Whom the Bell Tolls. Okay, so the bell sound effects sound better
on "Hells Bells", and the main riff (before the vocals begin) IS pretty
generic, but the harmonies in the guitar interlude made me cry back in 1989.
4. One. I think it's the best of the three "ballads". Okay, so the
lyrical idea is so morbid its funny, but Fade to Black is a bit adolescently
self-indulgent and the second half of Sanitarium is kind of boring. But don't
get me wrong! I'd disembowel myself with a butter knife if only I could have
penned one of these tracks!
5. Disposable Heroes. This one gets my vote solely because of that
incendiary section where all hell breaks loose, where the boys play that
awesome palm-muted staccato figure with the skidding single note in between
before locking down at the end like a high-precision machine shifting down
through the gears. It's great stuff. Then again it probably doesn't have that
much competition - Trapped Under Ice is probably the crappest song from the
whole trilogy, and Shortest Straw takes itself a bit too seriously (I know,
it's a cool solo though).
6. Leper Messiah. Now what do people have against this song? It's a
sullen, beautiful beast of a thing if you ask me. Cool main riff (thanks Dave
Mustaine), but everything pales in comparison with that section before the
solo, c'mon you know the bit I mean, de-dah-dah-de-dahhh.. de-dah-dah-de-
dahhh.. Etc. Now that's the kind of musical interlude that makes you want to
kill yourself with twisted joy when you're a 14-year-old - and that can only be
a beautiful thing right?
7. Orion. Because it's the greatest single composition that Metallica have
produced. Yes it's better than "To Live is to Die" - I know, the Am-G-Em-F
chord sequence at the heart of the latter breaks my heart too, but the
composition as a whole is too much, too dark, too repetitive (that consciously
wrought arch structure doesn't do it any favours, because you just get bored at
the end). Orion on the other hand has Burton's bass (which is a damned sight
better than his poetry - give me Sylvia Plath any day), and just where the hell
did they get the ideas for those sounds in the second section, way back in
1986?? The kind of jazzy, oriental stuff. Plus no-one ever mentions that the
second guitar solo in Orion (by Hetfield) is a sublime piece of guitar
doodling. Perhaps that's because it recalls the Quoniam of Beethoven's Missa
Solemnis, that winding rising figure. Could Hetfield have been listening to
this?? Of course that solo makes way for Burton's own solo on bass, which is
where the piece really starts to plumb the interstellar depths.
8. Damage Inc. The truth is that I've never liked this song. I've always
found the crushing power-chord blows that begin the song-proper to be a bit low-
brow. It's not the fact that it's all one note, after all it can be quite
exciting when a band like Sepultura lock into a frenzied single-note rhythmic
thing, perhaps because of the sense that they're playing just so fast and
intense that it would be DANGEROUS to come off that note. Anyways, both Dyers
Ever and Creeping Death are fine songs and would deservedly close this album
except for one thing - the Damage Intro. Burton on bass again, and man this
intro makes me really genuinely and sincerely SAD that this man died. It's so
beautiful, the yearning in these chords, so very very beautiful. If I had to
pick one single minute of Metallica's music to put on a gold record with the
Goldberg Variations and assorted whale noises to blast off into space, this
would be it. This single minute, created by one man who has not been in
Metallica now for 18 years, represents the very greates of Metallica. 'Nuff
said.
So that's it folks. The ultimate Metallica album. In the spirit of acrimonious
dissent, allow me to pour scorn all over Mr. Prindle's claim that side two of
Master of Puppets is a let-down. For it won't have escaped your notice that
side two of this ultimate album is none-other-than side two of Master of
Puppets. Adios.
- elhefe@optusnet.com.au
The last metallica Album I ever bought, I lost all interest in them after this record, the one after this Metallica or The Black Album or whatever the fuck it is sucks big hairy dog nuts, people who had never heard of Metallica magically turned into fans after hearing Enter Sandman and I tuned out.
I actually was disapointed with this record when I first bought it back in the 88 but it's grown on me since, although the bass could have been turned up a few notched and Ulrichs drums sound week, thankfully I have a good sound system now and it sounds better than I remembered.
One is boring now, I've just heard it so many times and seen the vid so many times that I can't be bothered with it but every other track on this record gets my blood pumping, I cant say I agree with you about Shortest Straw, personally I think it's a strong track.
The last real Metallica speed metal album, after this they became stadium rock and a household name.
- vojin@yubc.net (Vojin Sarcevic)
Hey man,
First thanks for the great site full of even greater info and a good forum. This is the first single time I ever got interested in some forum writing.
Second, I don't know is the forum about Metallica albums still active, I see some posts very old (as far as 2001) but anyway I felt the need to contribute... So here it is:
I am a kind of so-called 'die-hard' hardcore fan who collects everything possible about Metallica (various versions of the same song, either they played it live once or 100 times, to me it doesn't make any difference...). The work of these guys meant a lot to me through the hard times, and it still does... Have been lucky enough to see them twice, once on a "Nowhere Else To Roam" tour 1993 in Budapest and second time here in Serbia, last year ("Madly In Anger With The World") and both times they kicked everyone's ass... anyway this is the post about "And Justice" album...
In my modest opinion, it's the far as they could possibly ever go. Not only for the so-called 'progressive trash metal' masterpiece writing, but in a sense of feel and atmosphere they gave on this record. I actually started listening to them about the Black Album era, but wasn't overwhelmed by it... and I still think it was overrated, and Justice was underrated. People have different reasons for disliking each one of them (not to mention the Load/Reload era when I almost stopped listening to M.!) and they both are sure right - each one has it's qualities and vice versa. Since I'm into production stuff a bit, I have to say that TBA is simply TOO POLISHED, on the opposite of Justice which isn't polished at all. So that gap is drastic. I guess the period of Justice mixing was a bit strange for everyone in the band, and I don't think we'll ever find out the whole truth: why they put down Flemming Rassmussen from producer to simple sound engineer, ('cause he, whatever you think about him, pulled out something best out of these guys on Lightning/Puppets/Justice trilogy). Some say Jason was left out of mixing process, but it's pretty unbelievable since you can hear him more than clearly on Garage Days EP. Nobody of the guys today is very happy to talk about this period in their history, they just keep repeating that TBA is their Dark Side Of The Moon and stuff... (nah...)
Nevertheless, although a bit complicated for listening, Justice is for me a world for itself (literally). There is no bad song here, not a single one (I disliked some of the songs on RTL and MOP - i.e. Escape and The Thing That Should Not Be). They created a very dark atmosphere (noone in the forum mentioned this, so far I haven't read it) by using an unusual guitar-tuning (try playing the beginning of "One" on any standard-tuned guitar and you'll hear the difference) and by already billion times mentioned mix without the bass (which is obviously the greatest mistake!) and dry guitars. It's like someone told Hetfield or Ulrich they had too much reverb and echo on MOP, so this time they went into another far end. It is not necessary they record it again: just to take the master tapes, turn up the bass and add a bit of effects on the guitar section - there it is, the best metal albums of all the times (could be ideal for today's fashion of publishing so-called "digitally re-mastered albums"). Lyrically, it sure is the most mature album about the outside world (later albums speak better about the personal man's world). But what differs him from TBA is surely the construction of songs, not only the length, but their structure. This is the peak of "old" Metallica (along with the "Damaged Justice" tour which I'll regret my whole life for not seeing it). Later on, they moved from tour buses to tour airplanes, which was one of the reasons we saw them literally disintegrating before St.Anger went out. I am not using the word "sell-out" on intention because it can be read in many ways; I just don't like the sound and the structure of their songs after Justice. That's just not it... On TBA I can swallow "Sad", "Wherever", and the excellent painstaking "The God That Failed", but nothing else... Ah, even "Nothing Else Matters" to me sounds more acceptable than the poor copies of what they did before: "Tread", "Never" or "Within". Compared to, i.e., "Dyers' Eve", it's another band we're talking about (interesting, someone here said that it wasn't played by Lars at all; how comes he played it live exactly 17 times on last tour, 2004?)
All in all, their best album (without Cliff, of course). I managed to get a demo of the whole (whole!) album on the Internet, most of the songs don't have the words but it blows away in every single note. It's SO powerful! So much authentic dark personal anger and pain I have never heard afterwards. Load and ReLoad have a bit shiny moments, but it's hard to make a decent one out of them together. As with St.Anger - the only Metallica-sounding and structured song here is "The Unnamed Feeling". It would be like a dream comes true if I ever hear they fire Bob Rock and get back Flemming (which is not likely to happen... ever :-(
As you can see, I'm not one of the "how can you say this-is-better-than-that" guys, and I think there is something for every Metallica fan; on the opposite of many people, I am not going to spit or bless anything Metallica did. After all, it's just their music and their personalities that we listen to.
But Justice is Justice... :-)
Add your thoughts?
Metallica - Elektra 1991.
Uh oh! This doesn't sound anything like Ride The
Lightning! This was the big breakthrough MTV pop metal album that raised
the ire of millions of formerly loyal Metallilisteners the world 'round while
attracting the attention of gobs more folk who had simply never heard of this
strange Metal Liquor band before. Since I didn't become a Metallica fan until 1994, I'm in no position to say
jack poop about "selling out"; all I can say is that these songs, though not
anywhere near as complex as the ones on Justice, nor wild, free, and
kickbarnacle as the Kill 'Em Bill numbers, nevertheless are at least
thirty-one times heavier and catchier than almost anything else you may have
seen on MTV in the nineteen-hundred and ninety-first year of our lord Jesus
Christ. A-fucking-men!The popular rockers "Enter Sandman," "Sad But True,"
and "Wherever I May
Roam," along with the dark ballads "The Unforgiven" and "Nothing Else
Matters," were all over the airwaves in '91, but why the hell not? They're
good songs! Sure, they're just basic simple midtempo verse-chorus-verse
ditties, but, darn it to heck, they make you bang your head slowly, they've
got great hooks and fine metal vocals, and they at least required more thought
than, say, No Doubt's entire career. And heavy? How! Heavy heavy. No
sissyish air-filled distortion like Nirvana's classic Nevermind LP.
This stuff is Helmet-heavy but Hollies-hooky. So why, you may be wondering, did I only give
the record an 8 out of 10? Because it's got too darn many songs on it, that's
why! The last four songs are just like the first eight but less catchy.
Screw 'em! All five of the hit singles are among the first eight, so maybe
just turn the darn thing off after "Nothing Else Matters." No surprises await
you following that stunningly melancholy love song. Except the loud fart
noise right at the end!!!!
Okay, there's not really a loud fart noise at the
end.
- Reader Comments
- DougS@aol.com
I think this is their weakest album. Maybe I don't care for it too much
because it has been overhyped and overplayed. I was at a stadium show and
these 14 year old pissants were standing together and when Metallica started
"Unforgiven" they got all hyper and started giving each other high fives and
flicking their Bics. It repulsed me. I was never like that, not even at an
AC/DC show. So now my favorite speed band is attracting all these hangers on.
Where were you shitheads when Metallica was still considered an innovative
band? Did your mommy not let you stay up at night?
- jnw@iglobal.net (Jim Hull)
"Of Wolf And Man" is my favorite song on this pablum. Am I normal? Jack
London!! Lon Chaney!! I'm AFRAID!!!
Anyway...I kind of liked this record. It still rocks...the production
is great, too...so there.
- HDVW143@aol.com
"Of Wolf And Man" is awesome. Screw you for saying turn it off after the first
8!
- G.H.A. vanHagen@kub.nl (Gilbert van Hagen)
In the mid-1980's, Metallica announced that they disliked MTV and
would never produce their own videos. Oh well. Have you seen the
videos to, say, "Nothing else matters" or "Mama said"? Pathetic.
Anyway, having been a Metallica-listener (though not necessarily a
Metallica-fan ... I rather choose to worship AC/DC, Scorpions,
Slayer, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, of whom those idiots Lars
Ulrich and Kirk Hammett have said some pretty nasty things) since
about 1988, I do feel justified to claim that Metallica, by now, have
sold out. Still, I found myself listening to their untitled (black)
album over and over again, and I am willing to admit that this
recording features some pretty good songs. In fact, I prefer this one
over Kill 'em all. One point deduction for the fact that it's
too long. One point deduction for playing "Nothing else matters"
during their live concerts (during which this great ballad reduces
to a lengthy, boring tune with incredibly weak vocals). One point
deduction for being responsible for the ugliest song on the album,
"Enter sandman", being played over and over and over again on TV and
radio. Hence, I'd allocate seven points to this album.
- jsj@swcp.com (Nima J)
first of all a message to Gilbert: how can you call Lars and Kirk wusses
when you listen to ac/dc and the scorpions?!?!? i'm afraid that you are
gravely mistaken. About the black album, almost every song is good, but
some songs just seem dumb, and trying to sound like the others but
failing. in this album they started to sell out more and more, which
really disappointed me. P.S. i'll bet you have a cunt gilbert!!
- G.H.A. vanHagen@kub.nl (Gilbert van Hagen)
Dear Nima J,
I just read your reactions to my comments on the Metallica album
reviews on Mark Prindle's site. Since English is not my native
language, I'm not sure what a "cunt" is. But if it is what I think it
is, then you have lost your bet (I am a male).
Anyway, I believe you could do with a new pair of glasses. In
contrast to your remarks, I have never claimed mr. Ulrich and mr.
Hammett to be wusses. I have only called them idiots! The remark
that Ulrich and Hammett are idiots was not meant to be offensive. I
only meant to say that I disagree with some of their public views on
bands such as Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Slayer.
I don't mind if you think I'm a wussy for listening to Scorpions or
AC/DC. I would agree that the lyrics and image of these bands suck
big time, but they have really made some wonderful music. In
particular, if you like the simpler rock songs on Metallica's most
recent albums, you may well like such great hard rock albums as
Love at first sting (Scorpions) and Let there be rock and
Back in Black (AC/DC) too!
However, you may be correct in thinking that my comments to the
Metallica albums are too negative. In fact, I think they are (or,
rather, have been) one of the best metal bands of all time. And they
have surely been very influential (though not necessarily innovative).
Still, I do think that they are a little overrated relative to MY
favorite bands (Maiden, Priest etc.) Hence my negative reactions. And
I still think Load is a disappointing album, relative to classic
albums such as Ride the lightning and ... And justice for all.
And from what I gather, you yourself would have preferred them to
stick to REALLY heavy and creative speed metal too.
The thing I like about Mark Prindle's home page is that everybody is
allowed to give his or her opinion. After all, musical tastes differ.
An album that you like, I may hate (and vice versa). Still, I don't
like people calling me names (i.e. "having a cunt") or misrepresenting
my statements ("wusses" rather than "idiots"). Hence this letter.
- Blppt@aol.com
I hate anyone for saying this album is a sellout. Sure it doesn't have the
pure speed thrash of the early days, but it is by far the best recording and
production yet. Plus, "Through the Never" blows away any other song on the
album, and possibly some of their older classics. "Don't tread on me" also is
a kick ass effort. Sellout, no. New direction? Yes.
- pmtapia@worldnet.att.net (The Chameleon)
Sure as hell steps down from the days of Ride the Lightning and Master of
Puppets, but this album is not really a "sell out" album. It's not a very
strong album and it does mark the slow decline of Metallica, but that isn't
saying much because Metallica kick so much ass! Most of the songs on this
album are clever and catchy tunes. Except for "The Stuggle Within"...what
the hell were Hetf
special introductory
paragraph!