i'm me... and no-one else... *lol*... if you wanna know more..... i guess you'll have to e-mail me.....
i'm me... and no-one else... *lol*... if you wanna know more..... i guess you'll have to e-mail me..
Member since:13.11.2000
Reviews:4
Members who trust:4
...And Justice For All, the first metallica album to introduce Jason Newstead, the replacement for the now departed Bass Monster that was Cliff Burton... although you wouldn't notice... because you cant hear him!!
After this album was released Mr Newkid... errrrm Newstead was quoted as saying that he'd rather be in an Elvis cover band... but maybe he was over-reacting... just a little... hmmmmm metal gods... Elvis rip-off merchants... I think 'tallica would win *lol*
The lack of bass presence was nothing to do with Jason, or the band themselves, but was to do with the piss poor production staff... who woke up to a nice pink slip in their mail boxes a short time after...
But with all the set backs taken into account it's still not a bad album... it's probably the worst album that metallica have ever done... but is still better than a lot of other bands best stuff... anyways, on with the write up...(I’m listening to the album as I type!!)
The first song on the album is entitled Blackened... starts with a rather slow fade in... Then kicking in to a much faster pace after a few seconds... soon James’s voice can be heard, but as with the bass problem, due to the production team his voice doesn’t sound
as good as on the previous album, although his could have a lot to with the fact that his voice has stated to change, and they were trying to make it sound like it did... trust me it doesn’t work... all in all I think that blackened is probably one pf metallica worst sounding songs...
The title song comes next, starting at a rather battery like pace, with a kind of medieval street mandolin playery kind of sounding section, before picking up pace & becoming much more heavy (although it'd be heavier still if I could hear the bass!!). Once again James’s voice just doesn’t sound right... but the song it's self is much better than the opener. One thing I did notice about this song is how long it is...and how long most of the songs on the album are... this one is 9:46 long!!
Song three on the album, Eye Of The Beholder, and another fade in, although this time it fades in at full pace rather than slower... James starts singing... wow... now you can hear that his voice has really started to change... but you can also hear the studio distortion too... which is rather annoying... this is actually a very good song, with a number of good pace changes that fit in well with the song, and it's very contradictory lyrics...
The sound of gunfire heralds probably the best song on the album, One... this it a truly amazing song... with a generally slow pace, except for certain points, I’ve actually heard this song live, and it sound even better with the louder bass, and the fire works that accompany the song, it also sounded real good on the S&M album (review on the way!!), with once again the increase bass volume, and the added depth of the orchestra. This is a very melancholy song, dealing with the thoughts of a soldier gravely injured in battle, having lost his limbs, and his sanity explained in the lines
"Darkness- Imprisoning me All that I see Absolute horror I cannot live I cannot die Trapped in myself Body my holding cell
Landmine - Has taken my sight Taken my speech Taken my hearing Taken my arms Taken my legs Taken my soul Left me with life in hell"
He basically wants an end to his tormented existence.
Onto number 5... The Shortest Straw, with a rather Kill 'em all kinda feel to it, and James voice once again being distorted, but not to the degree of blackened... this is quite a fast song, which is also quite heavy, even without the bass...
Song number 6 on the album is entitled Harvester Of Sorrow, starts off with another full pace fade in.... wow the production team weren’t just shite... they were unimaginative and shite! *lol*... anyway this song is another showcase of James changing voice, with a rather marching pace, this is another weak song, which really doesn’t fit in with anything that metallica have ever done before, and just doesn’t sound right...
Track 7... The Frayed Ends Of Sanity, no fade in, but a chance to hear Lars sing, along with the rest of the band in an umpalumpa like chant at the start... this is one of the weirdest, and coolest songs the 'tallica boys have ever done... the beginning, with the use of effects, reminds me of Am I Evil, one of the songs that was take off the original track list for Kill 'em All, and James’s voice sounds really good in this song, and even with the lack of base it still sounds really good, with a typically fast Hammett solo to go along with it, all in all this is a great song which, along with One really stands out on amongst the others on this album... although the lyrics sound less metallica, and more Ozzy Ousburne-ish!
"Old habits reappear Fighting the fear of fear Growing conspiracy Everyone's after me Frayed ends of sanity Hear them calling Hear them calling me"
Track 8... yet another fade in, and a 9:49 song... with hardly any lyrics...
"When a man lies he murders Some part of the world These are the pale deaths which Men miscall their lives All this I cannot bear To witness any longer Cannot the kingdom of salvation Take me home"
And that’s your lot! The song kicks in at a slow, and justice for all pace, the inexplicably, and rather, for lack of a better word awkwardly kicks in to a heavier beat, with a lot of very random guitar work, this is just a very weird song, and not necessarily in a good way... if they were gonna do a song, they should have done a song... if they were gonna do a instrumental then they should have done one... certain sections of this song aren't all that bad... it just seems like a number of songs stuck together, including a section that sounds like a cross between Unforgiven, and Unforgiven II
Mirroring the previous album, the last song on the album is a fast one... by far the fastest on the album, but not just because of the pace of the music, but also the machine gun speed that James spits the lyrics out...
All in all a rather disappointing metallica album, but a great album when compared to allot of other bands...
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Why exactly did you not review "Dyers Eve"? Its one of the best songs on the album, but you still managed to miss it out! Why, Why?? I actually think James voice sounds great on this CD, really raw and heavy, and (again) why do you think its metallicas worst CD?? It has some truly fantastic songs on it!
kleft 11.06.2001 21:47
Great op. My real introduction to Metallica was when a friend lent me a copy of LOAD and RELOAD. 'Until it sleeps' and 'crown king nothing' are some of my favourites and most addicted-to tracks.
will certainly sample this one if i can.
R
Folkemon 19.04.2001 16:37
I love that album - and Master of Puppets of course! Dark Greetings, Folkemon
This record has so much good material that it's a shame the production is so shoddy. ... more
Song-wise, this is probably Metallica's most sophisticated album, exploring the theme of justice and perversions thereof with a vengeance. "One" is one of their best s...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Apr 6th, 2001
very helpful by (89%):
helpful by (11%):
![Lest We Forget (The Best Of Marilyn Manson) [PA] - Marilyn Manson](http://imagesa.ciao.com/iuk/images/products/small/908/prod_small-5766908.jpg)
![Greatest Hits Vol.1 (Parental Advisory) [PA] - Korn](http://imagesb.ciao.com/iuk/images/products/small/605/prod_small-5878605.jpg)
