Customer Reviews

Metallic Assault: A Tribute to Metallica

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I saw the line up on this and just about shat myself, I mean seriously, Chuck Billy jamming on Seek and Destroy with Jake E Lee, this has to be good.

Or so one would think.

This album takes top musicians and great songs and makes them sound average. It is impressive in its ability to do so. One reason is the anemic production. Instead of drum kit destruction courtesy of Lombardo we get a kit that sounds like an average death metal band given too much money to spend on misguided studio production. Clear, but clicky and lacking any punch whatsoever. All style of the original drummers is drowned by the flattening production.

And so it is with the guitars as well. A collection of guitarists ranging from solid to solid gold (John Christ's shredding is baddass) they all have the same overly produced, undeniably cheap sounding tone. Riffs that should swagger, crush, inspire bedroom moshing and so forth are reduced to technical exercises.

Finally, there really is a feeling that none of these dudes were in the room at the same time - the lack of vibe and cohesion and passion on these songs is incredible.

Save your money. Listen to the originals and imagine how good this record COULD have been...

I have no idea how this album is recieving any hate, but I am going to give my opinion regardless. This is the only tribute album that has this many well-known artists from some of the best hard rock and heavy metal bands covering Metallica songs. So many of these artists stand out like Dave Lombardo of Slayer doing the drums on "Battery"...he gives the song a totally new sound and I really think he outshines what Lars did on the original. Some other artists that I felt stood out were Whitfield Crane from Ugly Kid Joe doing vocals on "Sanitarium", Anthrax/S.O.D. guitarest Scott Ian gives his own flavor of rhythem on "Sanitarium" and on "Whiplash" while his bandmate Billy Milano from S.O.D. does the vocals; and former Anthrax singer Joey Belladonna is another worthy mention on "Sad But True". Another thing about the album which people may find very cool is that Rob Trujillo (THE NEW METALLICA BASSIST) does bass duties on the tracks "Battery" and "Enter Sandman" giving us Metallica fans an idea of what the future has to hold for this newly added Metallica bassist. The only drawbacks of this CD were that there could have been a few more tracks, and I also was pretty dissapointed being a Fear Factory fan of how Burton Bell did the vocals on "Enter Sandman", he sounded fine but it just really didn't fit the music. Over all though I'd say this album is with out a doubt worth any real Metallica fan's money. Not only do you get the artists I mentioned doing these classic tracks but some other standout artists are Eric Singer (one time drummer of Kiss), John Christ (of Danzig, who I must say plays an incredible guitar solo on "Enter Sandman"), Vernon Reid (from Living Colour) and Lemmy (bassist of Motorhead) amongst many others. I'd say almost every artist on this album makes their part very original and each song has a much different spin on what Metallica originally made.

A strange mixing of of great artists. Possibly copyright keeps names from being plastered all over this albumn, but it is populated by greats giving tribute to Metallica.

We have Kiss (Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer), Anthrax (Scott Ian, Joey Belladonna), DAVE LOMBARDO!! (Slayer) all mixed up with other amazing musicans (such as Jason Bonaham).

This is THE Metallica tribute album to own. If for no other reason than to hear Dave Lombardo out-drum Lars.

This is the first, and really the only Tribute to Metallica done not only by established musical powerhouses, but that is in the same Genre as the band being given tribute (as opposed to the Death Metal Overload, the Techo "Blackest" Albums, and the Um, Punk um, Punk Tribute. Metallic Assault is a great album that any Metallica fan should at least give a listen to.

This may not be Kirk, James, Jason and Lars, but some of Metallica's best music has now has equally great performances by those who have toured with and grown to admire Metallica. Seek and Destroy and Battery are clearly equivilent or superior on MA than they were in their original rendition.

My only complaints are the choice for vocalists on For Whom the Bell Tolls, and the Thing That Should not Be; and the use of Lemmy Kilmister on Nothing Else Matters (couldn't they have adapted Disposable Heroes or Eye of the Beholder for to Lemmy's bass, like Metallica did to Motorhead's Overkill?)

Tribute albums are always hit and miss, especially those that feature a collection of members from various bands instead of actual bands. Most are duds (see: just about any Deadline/Cleopatra tribute album), but occasionally you find one that works really well (see: Working Man and Dragon Attack: A Tribute to Queen). Metallic Assault, unfortunately, is a tribute album that just doesn't work on any level.

On paper, this should be an absolute winner. Doug Pinnick and Vernon Reid, Kurdt Vanderhoof and Jeff Pilson, Jon Oliva and Lemmy for crying out loud! These are all interesting and potentially incredible combinations and every single one fails miserably. I don't know if it's the production or what, but something just seems to suck the life out of every song on this album. I didn't even think it was possible to hear a flat, dull Doug Pinnick performance, but it sounds like he sang "The Unforgiven" in his sleep. Only the Bell/Christ/Trujillo/Aldridge version of "Enter Sandman" and the Oliva/Balch/Kilmister/Bissonette version of "Nothing Else Matters" merit a (legal) download.

I love the source material, and am a fan of nearly every musician who contributed, but I'm afraid Metallic Assault goes back to the used CD store clearance bin from whence it came.

Come on guys, I'm sorry you aren't selling albums any more, but this lame attempt at generating revenue by doing a Metallica "tribute" album just leaves me sad. I'm a huge fan of Metallica and many of the groups whose members perform on this album, but this is not a good product. In almost all cases the singer is the week point. Check out Unforgiven, good guitars, lousy vocals. Even John Oliva, the voice of Savatage, does a poor job. I wonder why they didn't let Lemmy sing on Nothing Else Matters? Most of these remakes lack any personality. The shining exception is the Jake E. Lee and Chuck Billy rendition of Seek and Destroy. Not Metallica's best tune, but this cover at least has that recognizable Jake E. Lee style (ala Ultimate Sin). Buy it to keep them from starving, but I don't see it going on anyone's "Most Played" list.

with members of suicidal T.danzig,slayer,metal church,anthrax,motorhead,testament,flotsam&jetsam, mod/sod you can't get much better musicans buy the sound quility lack a bit but worth the money

To be honest, this album is not bad but... For people who wants to get know various songs of Metallica and/or to distinguish who has played, it seems to be rather valuable. Besides the above, you can realize that Jake E. Lee is comparatively shining player on those songs.

That's it. Just the fact that tributes are for people deceased. Besides......Metallica started going to kraps once they made a "way" over rated album called Black. They completely ruined Kirk Hammett's career.