Metallica

Metallica’s first release of the 90’s couldn’t be better...or in other ways, i guess it could be, but i have no major complaints about this album. “Metallica” was the very first superbly produced and complete album from the San Francisco ex- Thrashers. They have made an important transition in their sound that wasn’t accepted very well by the hardcore fans and it’s still not accepted today by some of them…I just cannot comprehend this… I prefer the thrash Metallica, and of course, when I say that in other ways this could be better, I just think that they shouldn’t have stepped completely aside from their thrash roots, still, this is a HEAVY METAL album, no one can deny it, and although not being thrash, it’s heavier than hell.
Then, one thing that really pisses me off about this is the fact the some may consider them some sellouts just for having two fuckin ballads on the record. This is pathetic and hilarious. In fact, hearing it very well, it will make everyone realise that this is one of the albums where Metallica has the thickest and heaviest guitar sound…the other one only managed to have this kind of sound was “Ride the Lightning”. “…and Justice for All” had some really aggressive guitars, but in comparison to this, it just doesn’t sound as powerful as “The Black Album” ’s riffage, and I’m not talking about speed, but power!!!

The production made by Bob Rock is perfect, this was a really good work made by him at a time when he has still far from ruining Metallica’s soul and heavy spirit…Good sound coming from all of the instruments and really good voice from James Hetfield. Kirk’s solos are also hyperactive and technically amazing and the really big step on this one is the presence of the bass guitar by Newsted, something that we were unable to hear in their previous album due to mastering problems…

In this metal masterpiece we have some of their best classics, and some really great songs. Songs like “Enter Sandman”, “Holier than Thou”, “Wherever I May Roam”, “Don’t Tread on Me”, “Through The Never” and “The Struggle Within” are really excellent stuff by them, being some good and interesting headbanging experiences, and the perfect reminders that Metallica, although not practising thrash any longer, were still there to kick some serious ass…well, at least for the next four years…
We also have two ballads (??…Metallica making ballads in a few years??…NAH!!!), and even before you just start swearing about these songs, just give yourself the time to try to understand and enjoy them. “The Unforgiven” is really great…combines some cool acoustic guitar melodies with some good aggressive parts and is just responsible for having one of Kirk Hammett’s best solos IN his entire career. “Nothing Else Matters” is the other ballad, and might I say what a beautiful one…This one, more than a song, is a lesson on how to live…
We have then the “musically grown up” Metallica songs. Something really different from what they’ve been practising in the years before this. Tunes like “Sad But True”, “Of Wolf And Man”, the excellent “The God that Failed” and the angry “My Friend of Misery” only proved that the guys were really open minded about something else going out there and made these ones an essential listening on this one.

Everyone just blames this album for being the first step for Metallica’s spirit and heaviness decadence. There’s something really important that I think Metallica fans should know…changing your ideas or getting some new perspectives from each subject doesn’t mean you are a non-personality man or a big motherfuckin sellout… It’s true that Metallica got weaker in the years that came (that’s another story…) but I can only blame one single guy for that: BOB ROCK. This change of musical attitude didn’t made any harm to their spirit at this time, a time when they still had control of their musical direction…So, if you wanna tear apart “Load” or “Reload” or even spell a curse on Bob Rock’s “bon jovi ass”, fine…but you cannot do that to “Metallica”. This is in my perspective an excellent album and showed us a heavy and renewed
Metallica that had two ways they could be following in the future. Unfortunately we already know which one they did take…


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