Metallica

[blacklab]

Listening to Newsted talk on that band reality show was freakin' painful. What an idiot.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Metallica jumped the shark 18 years ago guys. Everything after ...And Justice For All is crap. Black has a couple decent songs on it but that's about it.

 

[zoebisch01]

Just depending on what I was in the mood to listen to at the time - I might agree with you - both are excellent albums.

I remember when I first got Master thinking there is no way this will stand up to Ride the Lightning, but realized that was silly 30 seconds after popping the tape into my cars tape-deck.

I do like Master of Puppets a little bit better though because as a guitar player I find it a little more challenging and interesting, but I can't find much fault with Ride the Lightning either - very choice songs, crushing riffs, if I had to pick something to not like about it I'd say that "Escape" is a little bit of let down - but overall no complaints.

I choose to see it like the progression most bands go through:

The struggling early stuff/garage band days with the raw artistic ability and little refinement, often showcasing raw potential.

The developing/breaking on the scene stuff with a good deal of artistic ability mingled with some refinement/discipline. The band is usually getting a good idea of who they are and producing some really great stuff that is still edgy but more controlled.

The established phase, usually producing an all around solid album that speaks to who the band is. They know who they are, they know who each other is, they know their ability and they accept where they are. This is usually the pinnacle album in terms of broader acceptance and sales, yet still pleases those who really dug the early stuff.

The experimental phase. The band may or may not get here, but if they do it often goes in one of three directions. One they find a 'new sound' and rekindle their popularity and creative expression. Two they overshoot the mark and say "man what were we thinking" and come back to their roots. Three they fizzle out and get lost 'trying stuff', only to become swept up in the commercial aspect of trying to please fans or just come out with another album.

To me "Master of Puppets" was the established phase for them.

 

[bru-er]

Thats sad. 'Tallica hasn't made a good record since Justice. They've become the crap they were once a reaction against. Death Magnetic is ****ing awful too.

+1 - Justice was the last good full album. A few good songs on garage days.

 

[menschmaschine]

I'm all for bands developing/taking new directions and I think Black is, musically, one of the great albums of the 90s. But ever since they tried to capture the sound of a group of Finnish cellists that captured the sound of them (Apocolyptica... and quite successfully, I might add), they took a wrong direction IMO. I've lost interest in them since.

 

[shecky]

Black has a couple decent songs on it but that's about it.

A couple good songs? Seriously? It's phenomenal.

I'm still a fan because of the reasons everybody seems to dislike them now: they're tried different things. Maybe it's not all great or even good, but at least they aren't stagnant. Hell, they could be a band like Nickelback. Heard one Nickelback song, heard 'em all.

As for them making money, that's the whole point. Never been in a band but I'm sure everybody starts out with dreams of making it big, not banging around the fringe while living in a van.

 

[Mutilated1]

I think Black is, musically, one of the great albums of the 90s

>.<

what ?

Black was a bad joke, it was Metallica saying - look we can put out crap - a turd of an album and people will buy it ! Its Metallica's "Smell The Glove".

 

[Bobby_M]

I remember going to the Black album listening party at MSG a couple days before it got released and I think the only reason I actually liked the stuff at all was the fact that it triggered the nostalgia of those good old days. Listening back to that stuff now assures me it was mostly nostalgia. I think Sad But True is the only tune that comes close and man, it seems so relevent now doesn't it?

Black should be titled "The Bob Rock Show". The making-of video is hillarious.

 

[stever]

I lost all respect for them after the napster crap. Kill 'Em All is probably my favorite and like many others, I liked the stuff right up to the black album. Did I hate the black album? no, but it wasn't the same.


[youtube]YYLQwJESh-w[/youtube]

 

[Special Hops]

Here is a link to some more songs from the new album. Not bad. Definetly going back to their roots. Metallica.com

 

[McKBrew]

Definetly going back to their roots. Metallica.com

Based on what I just listened to, they have a long way to go to get back to their roots.

 

[shecky]

I don't need them going back to their roots. I already have that stuff. Don't need more of it. After all, I certainly wouldn't want to go back to my routes. I, you know, grew up.

Why can't a band do the same without being lambasted for it?

 

[strohs]

Based on what I just listened to, they have a long way to go to get back to their roots.

Did you even really listen to it?
And by really listen I mean listening to it without a preconcieved notion that its going to suck?
It seems as though most people just refuse to listen to this album with an open mind...

I picked the album up today, its incredible. Best stuff since ...And Justice For All.
Some of the songs are just wicked heavy.
Finally MetallicA is back! :rockin:

 

[Special Hops]

Well back "towards their roots" it's certainly more their original sounds then anything including and since the black album.

 

[menschmaschine]

>.<

what ?

Black was a bad joke, it was Metallica saying - look we can put out crap - a turd of an album and people will buy it ! Its Metallica's "Smell The Glove".

Apparently, we look at music differently. But that's OK... to each his own and all.

 

[the_bird]

They sound like they're TRYING to re-do some of the old stuff; some of those riffs are extremely derivative/self-referential. The problem that I hear is Hetfield thinking that it's a good idea for him to SING. That first tune is pretty brutal...

 

[CodeRage]

I have not been able to stomach Metallica since they sold out millions of their own fans. I refuse to listen to them.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

roots? hell they need to start using again. The only time they were talented was when they were f-ed up

 

[Kevin Dean]

Most of this thread is a Metallica bash, and I admit, they're not very high on my list of bands. Anyway...

It was leaked on my local rock station yesterday and confirmed by me this morning that Hot Topic is selling the CD for $5, today only. It could suck totally and I still wouldn't feel ripped off at $5.

 

[Mutilated1]

Stay out of Hot Topic - you'll catch AIDS.

 

[riored4v]

Did you even really listen to it?
And by really listen I mean listening to it without a preconcieved notion that its going to suck?
It seems as though most people just refuse to listen to this album with an open mind...

I picked the album up today, its incredible. Best stuff since ...And Justice For All.
Some of the songs are just wicked heavy.
Finally MetallicA is back! :rockin:

agreed. i'm loving the album so far.

 

[Bobby_M]

I listened to everything they have on the website and even $5 is a rip off. I guess I've just outgrown the sound they offer. It happens with all the bands I've liked at one time. Look where Pantera went right after Vulgar... horrible.

 

[McKBrew]

Call me a d!ck but I don't think the new album is anything near comparable to their old stuff. Sure they have some "old-school" syle riffs, but thier lyrics and Hetfield's singing style is way different than any of the Justice and earlier albums. Maybe it's just evolution, but not everything evolves for the better.

 

[MULE]

Call me a d!ck but I don't think the new album is anything near comparable to their old stuff. Sure they have some "old-school" syle riffs, but thier lyrics and Hetfield's singing style is way different than any of the Justice and earlier albums. Maybe it's just evolution, but not everything evolves for the better.

Dick! just kidding


I love the new record. I've loved Metallica since 1986. If wasn't for them, I wouldn't be a guitar player.

 

[pen25]

Newstead was good.....but let's not forget about Burton.

met burton about 6 months before the accident. he was truely a great normal nice guy. had a chance to have a beer with him(even though i was young) had no clue who he was as i wasn't a metalica fan but my buddy was so much on metalica's you know what it was crazy. and anyway after napster i banned them except for pre black

 

[EvilTOJ]

K so I 'aquired' the new album the other day, just to listen to it. I am pretty sure I'll end up buying it. It really is like their older stuff, lots of noise and speed riffs. Hetfield still feels like he needs to SING, and that's still kinda irritating. For those of you that said you listened to it and hated it, did you go off of your hatred of the Load and Reload albums? St. Anger was also a steaming pile of gutter¢unts, but I listen to each album with an open mind. I couldn't even get through St. Anger.

 

[schneemann]

You guys crack me up. The two biggest complaints I hear from people about bands who have been around a long time are either "All their albums sound the same" or "their music has changed sooo much over the years.....they sold out". If they still had the same sound they did back in the 80's/early 90's I bet you guys would be complaining that all their stuff sounds the same. I'm sure you'll deny this, but I believe it to be truth.

+1000
Metallica's first record was in 1983 for g-d's sake.

 

[Mutilated1]

I don't think "All their albums sound the same" is a valid criticism though. Well maybe it is to some, we are talking about personal tastes here after all.

But to give you an example, AC/DC has a new album coming out I think the 20th of next month. Now AC/DC has been around since 73 - thats a decade longer than Metallica.

What do you want to bet that AC/DC's new album doesn't sound appreciably different from any of the 14 other albums they've made in the past 35 years ?

See there is a real difference between evolving as musicians and just getting better at what you do while staying true to what made you great, and completely changing the style of music that you play that brought you to the point of being successful in the first place.

 

[schneemann]

But to give you an example, AC/DC has a new album coming out I think the 20th of next month. Now AC/DC has been around since 73 - thats a decade longer than Metallica.

What do you want to bet that AC/DC's new album doesn't sound appreciably different from any of the 14 other albums they've made in the past 35 years ?

Right. And Motorhead's songs don't sound a lot different than when they started, either.

But neither Motorhead nor AC/DC have had anywhere near the success that Metallica has had.

Keep in mind also, Metallica basically created metal as we know it today. People talk about Black Sabbath being the godfathers of metal, and I think that's true, but all speed/thrash/death/ extreme metal owes its roots much more to Metallica than anyone else.

In other words, Metallica made their mark on music by changing things up. It would be anti-metallica to stay the same.

 

[wihophead]

I am and always will be a Metallica fun and I say why should anybody really give a SH!T.
If they are happy with what they are doing then all the power to them.

If they stuck with the same sound that made them popular and they weren't happy with it anymore or they just wanted to make a change since they have matured and evolved wouldn't this too be a form of "selling out"