Album review: new Metallica

Riaan-Combrink

I'm not much of a Metallica fan
*Riaan C ducks to avoid flying debris*
but herewith a link to the first big review of their new album. As someone who fancies himself as a bit of a writer, I love a cool turn of phrase, and was drawn by Rolling Stone’s Brian Hiatt's description of the album: “Death Magnetic is the musical equivalent of Russia’s invasion of Georgia — a sudden act of aggression from a sleeping giant.” Isn't that cool? ?

How's this for a first paragraph?

In the Eighties, thrash metal wasn't a scene, it was an arms race: riffs kept speeding up, drum kits got bigger. But with 1991's Black Album, Metallica opted for unilateral disarmament, slowing their tempos, shortening their songs and smelting their chugging guitars and piston-powered drums into armor-plated pop hooks.

Full review (and more great writing) here ...

BTW, another Rick Rubin job. For those into music production, someone ought to give this guy a medal for reinventing jaded and/or faded artists (Cash, Diamond).

http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/22723926/review/22787142/death_magnetic

Riaan C

Martyr

*Throw guitar at Riaan C*

lol kidding,i kinda agree some of metallica's new work was really bad,but i've been hearing stories from people that this CD is going back to their old sound(like master of puppets ? ? ?)...so maybe it's worth checking it out....it's going to be a download-before-buy cd('cause we all buy originals ???) ?

If i find a download link for it i'll post it here,shouldn't be to hard

Riaan-Combrink

Martyr wrote: [If i find a download link for it i'll post it here,shouldn't be to hard

Cool, Martyr. But only if its a legal link (i.e. authorised by Metallica, publisher, etc). The Forum can get in heaps of trouble for posting links to illegal mp3s, etc.

Cheers

Riaan C

scratchy

Right, as a Journo, I've had the chance to give this album a good polishing through.

Here's the good and the bad after a few spins:

Good:

Kirk is back. Solid riffs, solid rock, solid music

The sound is back. None of that prissy commercial *** of St. Anger. If you're not into rock, you won't like this album, and that's what I love.

The songs have been properly structured again ala "The black album"

James got his **** together and his singing can be compared that of "Reload" which is arguably his best vocal work to date.

The layout of the album is very well thought out.

"The day that never comes" is a ballad straight out of the book "How to make ballads blow your mind"

It rocks your ******* socks of.

Bad:

While the production values are much better than St. Anger, they are still a far cry off what is to be expected of these monsters of rock. Lars' snare is still pretty loud on some tracks and while it sounds like that is the sound they were going for, it just irritates the crap out of me.

Unforgiven 3 sounds like Don't cry for me Argentina compared to the first 2 instalments.

It's short.

If you've been listening to the old albums a lot this past time while awaiting for the new incarnation, stop right now. Yes, the new album is the old Metallica, but that means that it all sound just a tad too familiar.