Metallica Superthread -All Metallica discussion goes in here

...And Justice

ush wrote: »

I kind of ruined it for myself by watching the videos first. I've only listened to the album once. So in my head Confusion is someone having PTSD when theres a papperjam in the photocopier, ManUnKind is something Ghost would have done to appear BLACK METAL, and Spit out the Bone is a three foot ninja in red pyjamas. Murder One with subtext telling what you already know about Lemmy.

Yeah I know what you mean, I downloaded it first before watching the videos, murder one needs the video, but when I listened to the rest of it I thought it was great, few filler tracks, but overall I thought I was listening to the black album, then AJFA with bass, then load. Weird

King George VI

Just caught the new mix of Lords Of Summer. Damn it sounds so much better.

Lithium93_

Metallica: RL72 - The Making of "Here Comes Revenge"

Seth Brundle

As someone who has listened to a few of the vids and who has all the albums but regrets listening to the last few, shoukd I bother buying the album?
I haven't listened to SA or DM pretty much since I bought them as I simply can't get into them despite trying.
People say that the new album is like AJFA but does that mean that the production is crap or that they the music is kinda where they were just after MOP?

I saw it in the record shop in liffey valley today but bought a few other things unsalted (Testament and Carcass).
So, in your view should I buy it or get something else?

Lemming

Top five for myself:

1. Spit out the bone.
2. Here comes revenge
3. Moth into Flame
4. Hardwired
5. Confused

Honorable mentions to Halo On fire and Dream No More (because it's about Chtulu waking up to nom on our brains. Om nom nom).

In fact, I'm not sure if my speakers at home will survive much longer playing Spit Out The Bone such is the assault that the song is, and I'm pretty sure the neighbours hate me :pac:

scudzilla

kbannon wrote: »

As someone who has listened to a few of the vids and who has all the albums but regrets listening to the last few, shoukd I bother buying the album?
I haven't listened to SA or DM pretty much since I bought them as I simply can't get into them despite trying.
People say that the new album is like AJFA but does that mean that the production is crap or that they the music is kinda where they were just after MOP?

I saw it in the record shop in liffey valley today but bought a few other things unsalted (Testament and Carcass).
So, in your view should I buy it or get something else?

Buy it, it really is a return to form for them, best album in over 20yrs without a doubt

Lemming

kbannon wrote: »

As someone who has listened to a few of the vids and who has all the albums but regrets listening to the last few, shoukd I bother buying the album?
I haven't listened to SA or DM pretty much since I bought them as I simply can't get into them despite trying.
People say that the new album is like AJFA but does that mean that the production is crap or that they the music is kinda where they were just after MOP?

I saw it in the record shop in liffey valley today but bought a few other things unsalted (Testament and Carcass).
So, in your view should I buy it or get something else?

I wouldn't liken the album to AJFA; that's just lazy tw@ts being lazy.

Should you bother? Put it this way: I've been listening to Metallica since my older brother introduced me to metal when I was about six back in the 1980s; this album made me smile - there's more than a bit of old-school influence from Kill 'Em All & Ride The Lightning in the mix. There's a bit of NWBHM influence in there too. And yes, you can also hear some influence from newer albums like Load/Reload too, but if you approach this album with an open mind I genuinely think you'll like it.

If you've got spotify, give it a listen before deciding if you want to pony up the cash, or hop onto youtube and give some of the tracks a listen.

Edit: just to add to what Scudzilla has said - this album also has one of the finest trash metal songs I've heard in 25 years and arguably Metallica's best riff in 25 years. IMO of course, your mileage may differ

scudzilla

The big question, could Lars play Spit out the bone live, or do we have another Dyers Eve*





*Could also be construed as a 'Lars is a crap drummer' post

Dyr

kbannon wrote: »

As someone who has listened to a few of the vids and who has all the albums but regrets listening to the last few, shoukd I bother buying the album?
I haven't listened to SA or DM pretty much since I bought them as I simply can't get into them despite trying.
People say that the new album is like AJFA but does that mean that the production is crap or that they the music is kinda where they were just after MOP?

I saw it in the record shop in liffey valley today but bought a few other things unsalted (Testament and Carcass).
So, in your view should I buy it or get something else?

I'm only listening to about four tracks at this stage, sounds a bit like where they could have gone between justice and black album

Some load style riffing too. Production is good.

Anesthetize

I decided to give this one a couple of listens before giving my view on it. The songs I heard before listening to this album, 'Hardwired', 'Moth Into Flame' and 'Atlas, Rise!', were not all that bad. They certainly weren't all that special either, but certainly nowhere near the levels of awfulness that Metallica churned out at their lowest point (St. Anger).

The album starts off promising enough, with the aforementioned tracks featuring early in the album. At this point you start to think that you are in for a decent enough album, with the first four tracks reminding you of the band in their younger years. Unfortunately the album goes and takes a right turn towards dullsville after this. For the rest of the album they sound like a tired old band churning out generic hard rock riffs. Some songs even remind me of the material on Load and Reload, two dreadfully boring albums. The last track 'Spit Out the Bone' is another decent number that reminds me of their thrash metal glory years. Alas this song is not enough to save the album from mediocrity and is too little too late.

The band have chosen to play it safe on this album, retreading familiar territory rather than challenging themselves and challenging the listener. And by challenge the listener I mean giving them something they don't expect, rather than having them endure an unnecessarily long album which doesn't offer them anything they haven't heard before. Metal has long since moved on and evolved, and this album falls way short of the markers set for metal in 2016 by bands like Vektor and Deathspell Omega.

Degag

Am probably going against the grain here but I am really liking Murder One. Confusion and Spit out the Bone are other favourites so far.

briany

Anesthetize wrote: »

and this album falls way short of the markers set for metal in 2016 by bands like Vektor and Deathspell Omega.

OK, I put on some Deathspell Omega on Spotify, and maybe I'm just a big square, but I like for a singer to actually sing, or if failing that at least be understandable and defined in the mix. I'm reminded that there is a genre of Metal that is a load of notes, a lot of beats, a lot of indistinct screaming and very little actually being said or put across. It couldn't be any less interesting to me and I'd take old or new Metallica over it any day.

Anesthetize

briany wrote: »

OK, I put on some Deathspell Omega on Spotify, and maybe I'm just a big square, but I like for a singer to actually sing, or if failing that at least be understandable and defined in the mix. I'm reminded that there is a genre of Metal that is a load of notes, a lot of beats, a lot of indistinct screaming and very little actually being said or put across. It couldn't be any less interesting to me and I'd take old or new Metallica over it any day.

Hahahahaha you sound like my old man

Funnily enough the new Metallica album doesn't say anything to me other than "hey we're Metallica, remember us? Hell yeah!"...

jack presley

Anesthetize wrote: »

The band have chosen to play it safe on this album, retreading familiar territory rather than challenging themselves and challenging the listener. And by challenge the listener I mean giving them something they don't expect, rather than having them endure an unnecessarily long album which doesn't offer them anything they haven't heard before. Metal has long since moved on and evolved

They really can't win can they? When they deviate from what they're renowned for and giving the listener something they weren't expecting, like they did on Load/Reload, they get abuse. Now when they stick to what they're good at, they get abuse.

I think the fact that they haven't resorted to doing what other '2016' bands are doing should be admired. There's nothing worse than bands trying to stay relevant by copying the current trend. Remember the 90s when everyone wanted to sound like Nirvana or the late 90s/early '00s when everyone was adding DJs because nu-metal was popular? Awful stuff.

scudzilla

jack presley wrote: »

They really can't win can they? When they deviate from what they're renowned for and giving the listener something they weren't expecting, like they did on Load/Reload, they get abuse. Now when they stick to what they're good at, they get abuse.

I think the fact that they haven't resorted to doing what other '2016' bands are doing should be admired. There's nothing worse than bands trying to stay relevant by copying the current trend. Remember the 90s when everyone wanted to sound like Nirvana or the late 90s/early '00s when everyone was adding DJs because nu-metal was popular? Awful stuff.

yeah, exactly, i remember being at Donington one year in the mid 2000's and linkin park were headlining, you could shut your eyes and they sounded the EXACT same as they did on record, no joke. dire they were

rob316

Anesthetize wrote: »

I decided to give this one a couple of listens before giving my view on it. The songs I heard before listening to this album, 'Hardwired', 'Moth Into Flame' and 'Atlas, Rise!', were not all that bad. They certainly weren't all that special either, but certainly nowhere near the levels of awfulness that Metallica churned out at their lowest point (St. Anger).

The album starts off promising enough, with the aforementioned tracks featuring early in the album. At this point you start to think that you are in for a decent enough album, with the first four tracks reminding you of the band in their younger years. Unfortunately the album goes and takes a right turn towards dullsville after this. For the rest of the album they sound like a tired old band churning out generic hard rock riffs. Some songs even remind me of the material on Load and Reload, two dreadfully boring albums. The last track 'Spit Out the Bone' is another decent number that reminds me of their thrash metal glory years. Alas this song is not enough to save the album from mediocrity and is too little too late.

The band have chosen to play it safe on this album, retreading familiar territory rather than challenging themselves and challenging the listener. And by challenge the listener I mean giving them something they don't expect, rather than having them endure an unnecessarily long album which doesn't offer them anything they haven't heard before. Metal has long since moved on and evolved, and this album falls way short of the markers set for metal in 2016 by bands like Vektor and Deathspell Omega.

Ah come on man, those bands are nothing like Metallica. That isn't Metallica's target audience and you know it, putting them in there is just silly.

seachto7

Lemming wrote: »

Edit: just to add to what Scudzilla has said - this album also has one of the finest trash metal songs I've heard in 25 years and arguably Metallica's best riff in 25 years. IMO of course, your mileage may differ

Ok, here's one into the mix. Is this album any better than Anthrax "We have Come for You All", or the latest Anthrax? Or any of the recent Slayer albums?

millington

Must be the only one that thinks Spit Out the Bone is a snoozefest

Although, tried it once at 1.25 speed and it was a lot better

Lemming

seachto7 wrote: »

Ok, here's one into the mix. Is this album any better than Anthrax "We have Come for You All", or the latest Anthrax? Or any of the recent Slayer albums?

Read what I wrote again. There's a mighty, mighty difference between "song" and "album".

fluke

This thread is so scatty, and it just goes to show there are many variations of a Metallica fan.

Anesthetize

jack presley wrote: »

They really can't win can they? When they deviate from what they're renowned for and giving the listener something they weren't expecting, like they did on Load/Reload, they get abuse. Now when they stick to what they're good at, they get abuse.

I think the fact that they haven't resorted to doing what other '2016' bands are doing should be admired. There's nothing worse than bands trying to stay relevant by copying the current trend. Remember the 90s when everyone wanted to sound like Nirvana or the late 90s/early '00s when everyone was adding DJs because nu-metal was popular? Awful stuff.

There's plenty of examples of bands who try something different and successfully pull it off with something interesting. Metallica during the past 25 years were not one of them.

rob316 wrote: »

Ah come on man, those bands are nothing like Metallica. That isn't Metallica's target audience and you know it, putting them in there is just silly.

Who said they were? I put them there as examples of metal bands who released far better albums this year.

Anesthetize

seachto7 wrote: »

Lemming wrote: »

Edit: just to add to what Scudzilla has said - this album also has one of the finest trash metal songs I've heard in 25 years and arguably Metallica's best riff in 25 years. IMO of course, your mileage may differ

Ok, here's one into the mix. Is this album any better than Anthrax "We have Come for You All", or the latest Anthrax? Or any of the recent Slayer albums?

I'll just leave this here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aumt2oW9ZCc

Lithium93_

Hardwired... To Self-Destruct scored the band their 6th #1 album of their career

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7588880/billboard-200-metallica-no-1-album

DominionThree

The hyperbole around this album is not at all surprising, but some of it it fairly incredulous.

'Spit out the Bone' being "the best Thrash song in 25 years"?? If so, the expectation then has been significantly lowered. 'Spit out the Bone' is a good song but like most of Hardwired, very far from being genuinely great. A fellow poster added Kreator's excellent "Enemy of God" above; an incredible track and just one example of one of the main exponents of the genre making a genuinely thrilling thash track. Kreator, Overkill, Testament have made wonderful, visceral thrashers over the course of their respective last few albums.

I'm a Metallica fan since 1990, have followed them through thick and thin, even loved (and still love) the much maligned 'St. Anger'. However, I have to say I found 'Hardwired' similar to 'Death Magnetic', meaning it is good, at times very good, but lacking that spark that elevates the material to genuinely great. Their arrangements - trying to fit disconnected riffs and passages into songs and the awkward transitions - I have to say have improved since DM and 'Beyond Magnetic'. Too many of the songs are average; 'Here Comes Revenge', 'Murder One', 'Confusion', even 'Am I Savage'. 'Halo on Fire' starts brilliantly, the opening verses and chorus' are sublime and it promised to be the greatest Metallica track in years, but the arrangement really suffered in the latter half with aimless riffing.

Even though I am absolutely not a fan of Dave Mustaine, I have to admit, even reluctantly, that 'Dystopia' was a top tier metal record. The leads and solos alone are overwhelming, honestly I feel it is a masterclass in lead guitar. Mustaine and Kiko Loureiro have created such incredible guitar pieces that it's almost up there with 'Rust in Peace'. What drew me to 'Dystopia' were the wonderful reviews, and I noticed even reviews that vehemently disagreed with Mustaine's politics, they admitted the actual music was a wonder in itself. Kirk Hammett's solos on HTSD are woeful; as a long time fan I couldn't quite believe this was the same guy who played melodic and meaningful solos and lead parts on those 80s albums. The song structure on 'Dystopia' and the vocal melodies far surpass HTSD yet it is Metallica's album that will receive the most attention.

Hyperbole is expected when you're talking about the biggest heavy metal act in the world; but as another poster pointed out above, the new Anthrax would even be a far superior record yet you will never hear about it outside of the metal bubble. 'For All Kings' is astonishingly good, I never knew Anthrax could actually create an album of this quality as they were never a favourite. It is an example of craft at a peak, the album is absolutely full of highlights and honestly, I feel it, along with 'Dystopia', would be the albums of the year. 'Hardwired' doesn't come close, no matter how much I would like to.

briany

DominionThree wrote: »

The hyperbole around this album is not at all surprising, but some of it it fairly incredulous.

'Spit out the Bone' being "the best Thrash song in 25 years"?? If so, the expectation then has been significantly lowered. 'Spit out the Bone' is a good song but like most of Hardwired, very far from being genuinely great. A fellow poster added Kreator's excellent "Enemy of God" above; an incredible track and just one example of one of the main exponents of the genre making a genuinely thrilling thash track. Kreator, Overkill, Testament have made wonderful, visceral thrashers over the course of their respective last few albums.

I'm a Metallica fan since 1990, have followed them through thick and thin, even loved (and still love) the much maligned 'St. Anger'. However, I have to say I found 'Hardwired' similar to 'Death Magnetic', meaning it is good, at times very good, but lacking that spark that elevates the material to genuinely great. Their arrangements - trying to fit disconnected riffs and passages into songs and the awkward transitions - I have to say have improved since DM and 'Beyond Magnetic'. Too many of the songs are average; 'Here Comes Revenge', 'Murder One', 'Confusion', even 'Am I Savage'. 'Halo on Fire' starts brilliantly, the opening verses and chorus' are sublime and it promised to be the greatest Metallica track in years, but the arrangement really suffered in the latter half with aimless riffing.

Even though I am absolutely not a fan of Dave Mustaine, I have to admit, even reluctantly, that 'Dystopia' was a top tier metal record. The leads and solos alone are overwhelming, honestly I feel it is a masterclass in lead guitar. Mustaine and Kiko Loureiro have created such incredible guitar pieces that it's almost up there with 'Rust in Peace'. What drew me to 'Dystopia' were the wonderful reviews, and I noticed even reviews that vehemently disagreed with Mustaine's politics, they admitted the actual music was a wonder in itself. Kirk Hammett's solos on HTSD are woeful; as a long time fan I couldn't quite believe this was the same guy who played melodic and meaningful solos and lead parts on those 80s albums. The song structure on 'Dystopia' and the vocal melodies far surpass HTSD yet it is Metallica's album that will receive the most attention.

Hyperbole is expected when you're talking about the biggest heavy metal act in the world; but as another poster pointed out above, the new Anthrax would even be a far superior record yet you will never hear about it outside of the metal bubble. 'For All Kings' is astonishingly good, I never knew Anthrax could actually create an album of this quality as they were never a favourite. It is an example of craft at a peak, the album is absolutely full of highlights and honestly, I feel it, along with 'Dystopia', would be the albums of the year. 'Hardwired' doesn't come close, no matter how much I would like to.

Funnily enough, Metallica have been the biggest Metal act on the planet for about 25 years, despite constantly being harangued by Metal aficionados and written off as sh*te, sell-outs, past their best, simple, poor songwriters, not dangerous enough, and other criticisms. So with Metallica being as bad (or just plain average) as they allegedly are, what's it say about every other Metal act that they've never been really able to catch up, despite putting all these supposedly superior albums? I mean, sure you could away with being the top act, coasting on past glories for a few years, but 25? I don't know.

And I'm not saying that Hardwired is or isn't better than current offerings by peer bands, I'm just giving a thought on an issue that is indeed a bit mystifying. I think Metallica, though, have been able to do something that a band like Megadeth has not, and I don't know what that is exactly. Found a way to connect with more people? Had a better manager? Been a more engaging live act?

One note I would like to make about Megadeth, is that they've had a so many membership changes over the years. Seems like their lead guitarist changes with nearly every album. Even Ellefson's been in and out. I'm sure that Hetfield could bring in a couple of ringers on drums and lead (well, in an alternate universe where Ulrich hasn't got a stranglehold) and make a much more technically/musically accomplished album, but would it be the same? No, and not in a better way either, despite the increased musicianship. Like it or not, that group of guys going on and on is a most important factor in a band's identity and their fanbase's ability to really connect. Well, IMO, anyway.

Lemming

*yawn*

Read what I wrote again DominionThree. Really, do. Stop, slow down, and then read what I wrote. Then read what you wrote. Strawman much?

DominionThree

Surely quality isnt intrinsically linked with album sales. I prefer Bob Dylan to Britney Spears, but how come Dylan doesnt sell as many album as Britney...bad management? Material?

Metallica are the biggest metal act on the planet, a point I agree with, that doesnt mean other acts cannot make superior albums. Nor does it mean other acts are not as good; "what does it say about other acts ...etc"; simply because if metallica are bigger then othet acts seemingly just are not as vital.

Metallica had a massive crossover colossus in the Black album, this goes beyond the genre and when you sell 20 million copies of an album you are at ACDC level. I love that album, and even though I think other acts made better albums at the time, they didnt have that cross generational appeal.

Even as a die hard, Im not going to say what has come out since has been to the same level. Load, St. Anger, DM...all good albums, all featuring some highpoints, but not as vital or memorable as what came before. Metallica are mainstream massive like U2, of course they will stay there. U2s last decade even fans would agree is nothing like the 80s or 90s. But they are in the highest sphere you can get to, they will stay there, as will Metallica.

Megadeth have many different players, the songs on Dystopia and leads are 95% written by Mustaine. Like Lemmy was Motorhead, he is Megadeth. He always was. Whether you like them or not, credit where it is due on this brilliant new album this year.

HTSD is good, and in places very good. However, for me its unfortunately brought down by too many songs that just are not that good.

Reati

DominionThree wrote: »

 Their arrangements - trying to fit disconnected riffs and passages into songs and the awkward transitions 

Even the most diehard fans of Metallica (myself included) can't disagree with this statement. Halo on fire is a perfect example of disjointedness. Great riffs in places but what is with these awkward transitions and riffs that don't fit.
https://youtu.be/WbxH5S9_A3M?t=4m22s and https://youtu.be/WbxH5S9_A3M?t=5m58s are perfect examples which just knock you out of the song in a way that isn't enjoyable.
It's a good album, it appeals to all the fans in some way,  but it's no classic album that in 20 years or 30 years time people will view like we view AJFA, MOP, RTL KEA etc

seachto7

Gave the latest Anthrax a listen, and it's got good energy. The latest Megadave album ain't bad either. Really tips its hat to old Megadeth stuff too. "Almost sounds like" kind of thing. Not too gone on Megadave's guitar sound though. Very treble sounding...

Okon

I am loving this new Metallica album. For me this is a return to form for the boys, as this album is so much better than St.Anger/Death Magnetic... I do agree that 'Hardwired... to self-destruct' probably won't go down as a 'classic' metal album in years to come, but it is a solid enough album for a bunch of old men rocking it up in a studio!