I just purchased the new album by Metallica, Death Magnetic. Before reading this review, you should know my bias. Metallica is my favorite heavy metal band, I've liked them since my college days listening to Kill Em All, Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets and playing songs from those on my college radio heavy metal show. (I was WBIM's Master of Metal for three years 84-86) I've seen the band four times in concert, own all the CDs and DVDs including the disappointing St. Anger. My favorite Metallica period was from Ride the Lightning to the "Black" Album, and I consider ...and Justice for All as one of my favorites. With that out of the way, what did I, a long time Metallica fan think?
Instructions for Playing
Place the disc in your system. Set Volume to VERY LOUD. You may choose to listen in a seated position, or standing with your arms outstreched, your outer finegers extended with your inner fingers pressed to your thumbs. Shake vigorously in a forward backwards motion. Turn up the subwoofers. If you have amplifiers (like Marshall Stacks, Peavy, Line 6 or some other PA type amp system), plug your CD player into those so the neighbors down the street can hear too. When you can feel the bass deep in your chest, and it sounds like James Hetfield is screaming right into your face, you've got it at the proper volume.
Express Review
This album totally ****in kicks ***. It's brutal. Welcome back Metallica!
Track by Track
The album contains 10 tracks, That was Just Your Life / The End of the Line / Broken, Beaten and Scarred / The Day that Never Comes / All Nightmare Long / Cyanide / The Unforgiven III / The Judas Kiss / Suicide & Redemption / My Apocalypse.
There isn't a song on the album that I don't like, but here is an in depth look at some of my favorites.
That was Just Your Life
The song begins iwith a heartbeat (rather like another billboard topping album from 1973), and soon you can hear a gentle guitar solo from Hammett. The crunching sturm and drang type power chords quickly follow giving this song that delicate yet heavy sound that the band perfected by the Black Album. Gentle almost classical sounding guitar solos are alternated with bone crushing power chords and bass lines. Urich's drums are clearly heard keeping a hard beat under the songs (not like St. Anger). The album starts like many albums with a cheerful optomism. The chorus taunts I blind my eyes and try to force it all into place, I stitch them up, see not my fall from grace. Hammets guitar screams with fast paced solos against Hetfields crunching rhythms. He sings of despair of someone realizing that it is over. The song sets the tone for the album, Metallica is back with a vengeance.
The Day that Never Comes
The song begins with a nice open note arpeggio like solo and slow somber chords. It is Metallica's version of a ballad. LIke many ballads it is about love and romance. However, since Metallica is not a band that sings of such things it is about the tragic flip side of relationships; abuse. Born to push you around Better just stay down You put away, He hits the flesh, You hit the ground The song is about someone stuck in an abusive relationship who waits and waits for the day that never comes. AS reality sinks in for the songs protagonist, the pace picks up with an onslaught of drums, faster riffs, and intense solos. However, Metallica is not a pessimistic band, hope is present I’ll end this day / I’ll splatter color on this gray. I'm thinking bright crimson red as the tables are turned.
All Nightmare Long
Hunt you down without mercy, hunt you down all nightmare long. This is music to play while flying an Apache Attack Copter while mowing down civilians with the mounted 50 caliber chain gun. Thats what came to mind anyway when I listened to the all out assault like bass and guitar riffs (and yeah I know I watch too many movies). Out of all the songs on the album, this was both my and my son's favorite song. It is the most burtal and aggressive song on the album with machine gun like bass and guitar riffs. The song is unrelenting in its aural assault.
The Unforgiven III
One of my favorite songs from Metallica overall was The Unforgiven from the self tiltled "Black Album". A followup song Unforgiven II was on Reload. The fact that the song is an Eastwood movie title is no surprise, Metallica opens every concert with music from Enrico Morricone. (from his score of the spaghetti westerns that made Eastwood famous). Like the previous Unforgiven songs, Unforgiven III is a ballad and one of this albums slower songs. I didn't like it as well as the first Unforgiven, but it has a nice sound to it with slow gentle, yet heavy rhythms. This time around, the song seems to be about a lost explorer How can I be lost If I've got nowhere to go? Search for seas of gold How come it's got so cold? the chorus implores.
The Judas Kiss
As its titile implies, this song examines blackness of the deepest sort. (for those not versed in Christianity, the Judas kiss was the ultimate betrayal. Judas kisses Jesus Christ, identifying him to the Romans, and leading to the arrest of Jesus). The song begins with heavy tank like drums and methodical driving powerful guitar and bass riffs. The song is about a certain tempter who has been around a long long year and stolen many a man's soul and faith. A sample of the lyrics In the heart of evil man Plant the seeds of my own plan Strong and powerful will fall Find a piece of me in all Inside you all . Metallica follows up Jaggers story of a man of wealth and taste with a heavy foreboding song.
Overall Thoughts on the Album
This album has been in my car or playing on my stereo constantly since I picked it up the day it came out. Metallica is back in the fine form that I fell in love with some 20 or more years ago when I first heard a song called Fight Fire with Fire and purchased Ride the Lightning. This album has the raw agression of the first albums tempered and polished with the sounds of ... and Justice for All and the "Black Album". For those who weren't as fond of Load, ReLoad and St. Anger as he earlier albums, you should love Death Magnetic. For Metallica fans new and old and for heavy metal fans in general, Death Magnetic is a must have album. Both my son and I absolutely love the album. My heavy metal friends love the album. Read on, so do at least half a million other people.
Death Magnetic Acheivements
This album debuted at No. 1 on the BillBoard Charts and quickly sold half a million albums. They also broke the record for the most albums debuting at Number One, surpassing even The Beatles! Death Magnetic brings Metallica album's debuting at Number One to a a total of Five.
Production Notes
This album introduces the bands newest bass player Robert Truijillo. He does an able job filling the shoes of previous bass player Jason Newstead and original bassist Cliff Burton. The album is produced by legendary rock producer Rick Rubin, and the sound is excellent. No more tinny barrel sounding drums like in St. Anger, this album is full bodied and just cries for full volume playback. The heavy metal sound is back full throttle on this album.
Summary
This is the best Metallica album since the "Black Album". This album brings the band back to their apex. Now I just need to go kill someone to get my Metallica 2009 Tour Tickets. Five stars
Great Music to Play While: Invading a neighboring country Viking Style with Melee Weapons
Recommend this product?
