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Nay-sayers beware your death!
Straight out of the gate, the first thing I notice is that Metallica has released an album with only ten songs, this fills me excitement and apprehension, excitement with the hope that this must mean that every song is GREAT, apprehension because, if they are great, there are only ten!
That Was Just Your Life - the first ten seconds of this song don't even sound like Metallica, its fresh, clean tone a great intro to get the blood pumping. A hard driving song and the first clear picture of the album.....the sound...is AMAZING. The guitars are thick and heavy, finally for the first time since the black album the guitars are back, up front and in your face!
The End of the Line - you can really hear Rob's influence in this song....the main riff has a lot of groove to match its heavy (if you know Rob's history you'll hear it here!) The bridge in this song is incredible, that dropped bass, clear guitars behind James slow voice...NICE guys, friggin NICE! Great use of dynamics in this song.
Broken, Beat & Scarred - Full driving, hard hitting from the first note. Again, sweet harmonies, ripping guitar riffs to burn your face off! (this song makes me a little sad when I think about what St. Anger "could have" sounded like) I really like the lyrical movement in this song, this song is incredibly tight but doesn't feel strangled like the St. Anger's tunes. I cannot wait to hear this song live. IMO this song is a must for the set list guys!!!
The Day That Never Comes - you've heard it and I'm sure like many you said, is this the new Metallica song, or did I click the wrong button??? The intro with its clean, biting guitars is a bit of a different sound for them (its an octave up from where you'll find them on previous albums) Again, is it just me or can no one else hear the Iron Maiden/Diamond Head influences in this song? (so for those who have indeed said Metallica have gone back to their roots were right, but any time anyone says that people come expecting a Ride or MOP copy, come on where were you in 1981?!!!) The slide harmonies in the intro are SICK...friggin beautiful. Rob really shines here also, my Bose speakers were humming, we all know this guy is great, and now we can HEAR it! If this is the future of Metallica, the rest of my musical life just kicked into high gear.
This song will be another bullet when played live.
All Nightmare Long - Kick drum, bass line, clean guitars to open this baby up, then driving riffs straight into a heavy gallop (and I can't say it enough the guitars sound amazing Rick Rubin stand up and take a bow) this song sounds like a natural progression from Damage Inc. to me!! Listen to the two songs back to back and tell me Metallica have gone soft.
Cyanide Heavy, heavy , heavy!! Drums and bass! Remember what those sound like? Yah, they're back!! I really like the lyrical movement in this song, riffs flow amazingly well with the vox, and this song also has a lot of groove between those epic guitars and stops. (again you may mourn what could have been on St. Anger when hearing this) I love the chorus in this song.
The Unforgiven III I saw this title on the back cover and my shoulders slumped (didn't really think Unforgiven II was all that great) But this song really stands on its own...and it may shock some with a PIANO intro. Yah, the ivory keys on a Metallica record. But don't worry every second of this song is great, it has an epic feel and really paints a picture with the music. The volume swells used in the bridge really brought me straight back to ORION.
The Judas Kiss - Lots of stops and quick riffs in this, fast lyrical movement...liked the short solo coming out of the bridge.
Suicide & Redemption - This is such a great surprise, they are so great at constructing epic instrumentals. I was so disappointed in the last few years that they had dropped that from their records. It's back and you'll see a thousand images in your minds eye while you're listening.
My Apocalypse A great way to close the album, its not a short one-off like some of their records, it's a great closer with a lot of power and grit, they haven't closed an album with a song this strong since Justice.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Raise a fist in the air for all the harmonies! These are everywhere on this album (Kirk and James playing the same riff an octave apart)...still don't understand what I mean? Check out any Iron Maiden album, they are known for dual guitar harmonies. This Metallica album is full of them, hard, heavy harmonies that make your speakers glow with heavy godliness.
Metallica's early influences are everywhere here: Diamond Head, Angel Witch, Iron Maiden, Mercyful Fate, King Diamond...you will hear those influences on this album again (remember back to Kill Em All and Ride? Yah)
I've listened to Metallica nearly all of my life, and this album sounds like a natural progression in their history to me. Load, Reload and St. Anger don't fit for me, they seem more like detours. Death Magnetic feels like its on the hard road, fitting comfortably after the black album.
The bass on this album is superb, the only down side for me were the solos. I don't feel that they were good enough for the songs. They weren't good enough for the album. They were fast licks and ascending and descending lines with no real phrasing, instead of a mini-story they weren't much else than quick runs (Kirk you are better than this, turn off that WAH box and go back to the fundamentals)
I am anxiously awaiting seeing Metallica LIVE. That is where they really shine.
In closing: Just like all of Metallica's records, so-called old school fans will crap all over it and the truth of it is...these people are angry with everyone that has changed, Kill, Ride and MOP will NEVER happen again, and frankly I don't want them to. It's an impossibility and it isn't even reasonable to expect that it will happen again. I see those so-called old school fans on all the message boards, and they try to provoke people, while they sit in their desk chair with their old ratty t-shirts at 37 years old with mullets and acne scars. This album feels right and it is METALLICA. For the first time in many years I am excited again about a Metallica album and in the end, that's all that really matters. See you at the show!!!!!
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Reviews with images
Great Album
This is my favorite album from the 2000’s. Every song is great. A must have for any Metallica fan.
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