I personally rate this album as one of my favourite Metallica albums. the reasons are that musically it is a lot more crushing and technical (riff wise) than any of their other output, and lyrically more profound.
To me a lot of the riff work is bordering on death metal technicality and heaviness, while still retaining the basic thrash metal framework and blistering solos.
The songs are also a lot longer than usual and therefore have plenty of time to expand and develop, but never become tiresome.
The guitars have a wonderful crunch, and if you play it load you will get a serious headache! This album has received a lot of flak for the absence of bass from the final mix (there must have been some in there at some point - Jason is playing in the videos!). What people haven't said is that after "Master Of Puppets" was released their original bassist, Cliff Burton, died when their tour bus crashed. James Hetfield in particular was distraught with grief, and found it impossible to come to terms with even years later. For a while the band considered carrying on without a bass player, but eventually decided on Jason as a replacement. The lack of bass is not down to bad production so much as James eliminating it because the thought of Jason taking over from his best friend was too much to contemplate.
It is hard to pick a standout track because they all have their merits, but I suppose the one most people would identify with is 'One', a great song about a soldier injured in war who wants to be allowed to die. The lyrics are incredibly intelligent and James' singing is full of spite and emotion. For me the emotional high-point (low-point?) comes in the track "To Live Is To Die" when James sings:
"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"
...because it was the last contribution Cliff Burton made to the band, after his death. The words seem to carry a lot of feeling in them, especially the last line.
Ever since the Black Album I have lost interest in Metallica, I think its safe to say that they have "sold-out" and run out of ideas musically - no wonder Jason left! I'm just glad they made such good album throught the 80s. Thy'll probably take me to court for usin their lyrics now!
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Hey, I like the black album! It's called progression - surely if they'd run out of ideas they'd still be doing the same stuff, not moving on...
PaulTangaroa 21.12.2001 05:33
As this is my favourite Metallica album, and the one where I lost interest also ( good call, rude ) I read this review with particular interest , and virtually everything is summed up. Not sure about the comments about Jason Newsted's bass being dropped out of the mix and the reasons for it ( can you actually back that up? ) , but this album certainly does have the biggest crunch to it, and is certainly the most emotive Metallica album . In a way, for me the production makes the album, it has a sound not really heard that much in metal and it really does work . There is certainly a darkness to it . This album is a masterpiece and the review virtually does everything to back that up! Nice one.
TallTone 08.10.2001 14:07
Good op. For such a self-confessed lover of bass, I hadn't noticed its absence. How did I manage that? I'll have to pull this one out and give it another play. Maybe it's just that the lead guitars are so full of noise. "One" is definitely the best track on the album, and there are some good lyrics all round ("Eye of the Beholder" and "Dyer's Eve" stand out for me). TT.
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...
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May 27th, 2001
(Oct 1st, 2001)
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