Has Metallica Returned to Form? Doubt vs. Faith
To be honest, I still have doubts about Metallica’s upcoming Death Magnetic. Yes, I’m waiting patiently to pull the wrapper off and reveal my middle school years within the grooves of a beautiful piece of wax. I want so badly, as I’m sure the remains of the fans that stuck with Metallica do as well (those that are still wrapped up in Napster need not comment), to make this record the soundtrack to everything mundane in my existence. Didn’t we all pull out Kill Em’ All and Ride the Lightning and pretended we ruled the world for an hour of mayhem?
If not, you never understood Metallica and the nostalgia and power their significant recordings (which is debatable, I’ll let you pick) meant to people. But, as we can see, from the likes of “The Day That Never Comes”, we are prepared for a revival. But in order for this revival to take place, one must have faith in Metallica. Frankly, I’ve heard countless examples across the Net of people doing nothing but “expecting the worst”. Well, chances are you’ve moved on and this record isn’t for you. When I had the honor of seeing the band for the first time this summer—I realized this was no joke. Not to any of those fans, or not to me. There were songs I hadn’t heard in years but still remembered every word and every feeling that went along with them. That’s a band with staying power.
After first listen of the new single, “The Day That Never Comes”—the doubt crept in… until the clock struck 2:50 when Lars and Kirk provided a transition into which the next six minutes built into classic Metallica mayhem. But this isn’t exactly old Metallica. This is a new Metallica playing with a youthful revivalism that struck their aging bones. The epic solos, the guitar trade-offs, the driving beat, it’s all there. It’s all fresh. It’s all Metallica.
Comments
I heard “The Day That Never Comes” and, although it’s good, I liked “One” better. In other words, that’s what this song sounded too much like.
Comment by I heard “The Day That Never Comes” from IL — September 6, 2008 @ 6:21 pm
i hav downloaded the leaked album.The day that never comes and unforgiven 3 are the only slow song…all others are dam heavy…specially love the song"all nightmare long” and the instrumental song..metallica rockS \m/
Comment by seame — September 6, 2008 @ 11:26 pm
I too have the whole album and it is damn heavy, it’s new but old it’s f*ckn brilliant. After about 10 complete listens I say it’s their best album ever. Better than my previous fav MOP
Comment by Dorian — September 7, 2008 @ 2:36 am
I agree with Dorian. I have the album and its fucking heavy, the riffage and solos are face melting. Its all ive listened to all week and ive come to the conclusion that this is their best album. To me, it feels like their first 4 albums mixed into one. Metal up your ass \m/
Comment by ryan from Mars — September 7, 2008 @ 3:42 am
“It’s the way business is done these days,” Mr Ulrich said. “And there’s the novelty of anyone wanting to listen to a new Metallica album.” http://tinyurl.com/5vn4r4
Comment by David Gerard from London — September 7, 2008 @ 10:21 am
This is absolutely the best Metallica album in almost 2 decades, and finally one worthy to be put up alongside their masterwork first 4 albums. The whole album is fabulous and not a single poor track amongst the bunch. Brilliant progressions within songs will make them listenable for a long time to come and it looks like they have finally gone past the one-riff-through-the-whole-song phase they had been stuck in (notice this is the case throughout the Bob Rock era?!?). Is this a better album than Master of Puppets? Ride the Lightning? Justice? Maybe, maybe not however it is awesome to be able to debate a new Metallica album being that great once again!
Comment by Mike in L.A. from Los Angeles — September 7, 2008 @ 11:36 am
I love seeing you guys so enthusiastic about this. I’m glad we could have a forum here with nothing but positive comments—leave the negativity at the door, Metallica’s back!
Comment by John Bohannon from Nashville — September 7, 2008 @ 11:56 am
I agree with Mike that getting rid of Bob Rock is a huge contributing factor to the greatness of Death Magnetic. RIck Rubin told them he thought MOP was their best album, and that they should try to recapture that essence. I think there are 3 other factors too:
1. James exorcising his inner demons (a la Some Kind of Monster) - he seems much happier now, but still loves to go nuts!
2. Robert Trujillo - I’ve seen interviews with the rest of the guys commenting on what a great musician he is, and he also seems like a real mellow, cool guy.
3. Songwriting process that they tapped into for St. Anger, where they all contribute. Note that every track on DM is credited to all 4 of them.
Bring on global Metallica domination in 2008/2009! I already have my floor tickets for the Oakland, CA show December 20 cannot wait!
Comment by Dorian from San Francisco, CA — September 7, 2008 @ 12:48 pm
Great post by the way John, you hit the nail on the head with what it means to be a true Metallica fan.
I had exactly the same reaction to Day That Never Come’s first 2.50, but then it really takes off. Then when My Apocalypse came out it knocked me off my seat and with a wicked grin on my face, I said ‘Holy Sh*t Metallica is back!’. And the rest of the album is even better.
Comment by Dorian from San Francisco, CA — September 7, 2008 @ 12:56 pm
DId you guys read the Rolling Stone review? I love the comment in the opening para:
“Death Magnetic is the musical equivalent of Russia’s invasion of Georgia — a sudden act of aggression from a sleeping giant.”
Classic!
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/22723926/review/22787142/death_magnetic
Comment by Dorian from San Francisco, CA — September 7, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
And I think All Nightmare Long, which may have one of the worst song titles ever, could literally be the single greatest Metallica song ever written.
E-V-E-R!
Comment by Dorian from San Francisco, CA — September 7, 2008 @ 2:30 pm
I gotta say even Unforgiven III is a great song, although it is slower its very dark, very evocative. The best of the three Unforgivens.
Can you tell I like this album? :0
Comment by Dorian from San Francisco, CA — September 7, 2008 @ 2:37 pm
I think the album is great!
Comment by Fairings — September 7, 2008 @ 6:39 pm
I, along with countless others, are waiting to see just how powerful this is, especially after the nuclear letdown of St. Anger.
Comment by Motorokr from Los Angeles — September 10, 2008 @ 2:16 pm
After St. Anger, I expected the worst. I have listened to the entire album over and over all week long now, and….... WOW!!!!!!!
By far, this will be looked at in the following years as one of the best Metallica albums ever, hands-down. The guitar work in this album is amazing and just balls-out superior to anything else out there. Wow. It literally blends all their albums together, then throws it into an 80’s speed-blender, then got produced and modified until their maturity got riffed into the speed and heaviness. The result? Awesome metal work…
This album is obviously all James-driven. You can tell, he had the final word on all the guitar licks, and the lyrics… just like the old days. I bet he told Kirk and Rob to sit back and be quiet, and let him do his own thing over and over until he created a guitar-assaulting masterpiece.
Good job Metallica… for the first time in 17 years of waiting for this album, you have made me giddy as a schoolboy again!!!
Metallica Rules the World (and in their mid-40’s!!!)
Comment by ptschafer from Iowa — September 11, 2008 @ 11:34 pm
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Good album and a huge improvement over St. Anger. However, it does have a long way to go before it can give me the creeps that Ride the Lightning does.!
Comment by Essay — October 9, 2008 @ 1:31 am
Good album though not a scratch on RTL and Master of Puppets. Still much better than their 90’s stuff which were rather lame.
Comment by Trucking Jobs — October 15, 2008 @ 2:20 am
I like some of the new sounds from Metallica, the fans that are still with them will likely stay.
Comment by online stock trading from MA — November 2, 2008 @ 12:58 pm