New Metallica anyone? Here ya go!

85_SS_302_Coupe · Sep 11, 2008

It appears they've given in and just put it up on their site to listen to for free. I heard it leaked online anyways. I'm 2 songs in and so far it's pretty damn good...not the "old Metallica" but still pretty good for a modern rock/metal album. Also it appears that James still has his voice (at least in the studio). Suffice to say this is the best sounding album since And Justice For All...

Metallica.com

FrankenStang · Sep 11, 2008

Gonna check it out later tonight...

MahFiVeOh · Sep 11, 2008

I'd say 6/10. Its missing something......

93tealstang · Sep 11, 2008

^^^^

Yep, gotta agree. It's good, but missing something. James' voice is rather tame on this album, more smooth than previous albums. Songs on this album are long just like Justice but don't seem to keep my attention

aar0s · Sep 11, 2008

they have one thats in rotation on a local college station here. I would also give it a 6/10. Its almost too clean sounding, not really gritty and hard like the early stuff. I heard thats what they were shooting for. A buddy of mine that plays guitar said the solo's were weak. I dont play so i cant comment on that.

Darkwriter77 · Sep 11, 2008

That's just the problem: James's "voice." When he tries to "sing," it sounds like frickin' country music. Metallica's old-school vocals were not SUNG so much as simply yelled/screeched/yelled/whatever, which is one of the reasons I haven't liked much of anything they've made after "...And Justice for All." The style changed vocally ... and the music structure changed to the standard mainstream format: INTRO, VERSE, CHORUS, VERSE, CHORUS, SOLO, CHORUS.

The new stuff has the right music structure, and instrumentally it rules ... but, dammit, James just needs to stop frickin' trying to sing and just go back to doing the old "Yeeeowww! Yeahh-eee-yeahhh!" kind of thing. That, and they need to bump the overall tempo of every song up a few beats-per-minute, instead of trying so hard to make half of every song sound like "One" or "Fade to Black." It's like the drugs ate a chunk of their brains over the years - either that or sobriety is worse for them than the drugs - and they just can't figure out that the kind of music that got them famous in the first place wasn't rock or ballads, it was SPEED METAL.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Sep 11, 2008

All you 6/10 guys, have you actually listened to the whole album?? Get half way through "All Nightmare Long" and get back to me.

As for leads....well, they kinda died out in the '80s. There are 4 Metallica albums FULL of leads if that's what you're into...i don't blame them for going lean on the hair metal. It's tough for me to put a rating on it....i'd say probably 6/10 compared to the first 4 albums, but strictly speaking on as a new metal album, i'd say a solid 8/10...it could be heavier for my taste but it's a damn fine album, and i haven't said anything that positive about Metallica since 1989.

Ozz · Sep 11, 2008

I had no expectations for this, I didn't even care to listen to any songs I didn't happen to hear elsewhere. BUT - I bought pre-sale tickets to see them on the upcoming tour (never got to see them yet, always wanted to, so I was going regardless!) and I got the CD along with it. It came today, I just listened to it, and I was honestly freakin surprised as hell. Unforgiven III and The Day... both suck (The Day... is pretty good past the 5:00 mark though) but the rest was SOLID. Reminds me of pre-'black album' for sure.

I agree about his voice though, it needs to be more harsh. I was glad to hear that there is actually a more reverb'd type tone to the whole production note, it harkens to the glory days. I'm definitely glad to have this one. It's not amazing but it's totally solid. Don't sit there and compare it to Puppets or Justice, just listen to it on the whole.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Sep 11, 2008

mansonozz said:
It's not amazing but it's totally solid. Don't sit there and compare it to Puppets or Justice, just listen to it on the whole.

That about sums it up right there. You can't expect '80s Metallica ever again...the band is just not the same, their priorities and ideals as a band are just different. You've gotta take it as a fresh new thing, not as something meant as the end all be all Metallica album. It'll be the first Metallica i actually look forward to getting since '89 and that to me is a big deal.

FrankenStang · Sep 11, 2008

Ah, screw it. I'm going to listen to it now...

Fett · Sep 11, 2008

I've been listening to this album for over a week now, and I have to say it is the best album they have put out since Justice. Not comparing it TO Justice...just saying that it is a thousand times better than Black, Load/Reload, and St. Anger.

The biggest problem to me, like many older fans, is James voice. I couldn't put my finger on it and, like everybody else, I kept saying that he was trying to sing as opposed to growl. Well, I think I figured it out.

If you really go back and listen to the older stuff, Puppets, Lightning, Justice...he DOES sing. He doesn't just growl out the lyrics....he almost sounds the same. The problem lies in the vocal arrangements.

If you listen to the older stuff the vocals were very much blended with the music. He sang in the same rhythm as the rest of the music. The vocals and the music blended perfectly...it was almost like James was singing with the power chords. The beat and the vocals matched.

Flash forward and listen to this last album. The singing is the same, it's just that the vocals are much more pronounced...mainly because it doesn't match the music well at all. It's like he wrote the lyrics and the songs separately, and tried to blend them together after all the music tracks were laid down. You can hear places where he has to sing faster to keep up with the music and stretch out words at other points...just to keep the same rhythm. It just doesn't blend well together.

If you listen to the older stuff, the lyrics were written to fit the music, words were put together that enabled him to keep his vocals in the same rhythm. Now he tries to make the vocals fit after the fact....and it sounds awkward.

All in all this album is better than anything since Justice....it doesn't compare to anything before Justice...but those albums were classics and will NEVER be topped.

LiquidGT · Sep 11, 2008

I love these Metallica debates. opcorn:

bentley429 · Sep 11, 2008

Sucks comparing it to old Metallica but they will never sound like justice and previous ever again. The kids of today cant handle it. BUT in general comparing it to more modern bands its not bad. Honestly might go buy the cd.

Darkwriter77 · Sep 11, 2008

In other words ... Metallica on booze and drugs > Metallica sober.

Seriously, it's just like it was with Megadeth. When Dave Mustaine sobered up (or claimed to, anyway), his music slowed WAY down and he got too mainstreamy. A lot like "Snakes and Barrels" on Metalocalypse, too - when metal bands that get famous on drugs n' booze go sober, they all wind up looking fat and worn-out, and they SOUND fat and worn-out. (It also boosts my appreciation of bands that have awesome talent and a great sound WITHOUT being all hopped up goofballs in the first place.)

I'm not advocating drug use, of course, but if continued substance abuse is what it takes to keep some bands making good music, well ... maybe they should just consider overdoses and the like to be an "occupational hazard." I mean, it's not like Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield can't afford a huge stack of blow on a daily basis, anyway...

sd331 · Sep 11, 2008

the lyrics seem to be out of place on some songs. but the music is good. its hard to make good music for 25+ yrs

FrankenStang · Sep 11, 2008

Dear Metallica,

Welcome back to the land of Metal.

Signed,
Frankie.

LiquidGT · Sep 11, 2008

I finally just got to listen, and its not bad for modern stuff, and as far as comparing it to older their older stuff... don't. It just goes on forever like a gears debate and it will never come to a resolution; look at the You Tube comments. IMO that Metallica is one of those bands that has gotten so big that there is too much expected of them.

FrankenStang · Sep 11, 2008

Metallica outdid themselves hardcore with Kill Em All - ...And Justice For All. I doubt they'll ever live up to those albums. Ever. I'm happy with this album though.

Darkwriter77 · Sep 12, 2008

Giving it an official listen-through right now. I will report back with my final verdict. I'm 1:30 into the first song and it's good so far ... because James hasn't started singing, yet.

FrankenStang · Sep 12, 2008

Darkwriter77 said:
Giving it an official listen-through right now. I will report back with my final verdict. I'm 1:30 into the first song and it's good so far ... because James hasn't started singing, yet.

I was like...

Then I realized you probably got off work early.

New Metallica anyone? Here ya go!

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

FrankenStang

Now, give me a damn CT!

MahFiVeOh

93tealstang

aar0s

Darkwriter77

Resident Ranting Negative Nancy

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

Ozz

I think I have a problem here.

85_SS_302_Coupe

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FrankenStang

Now, give me a damn CT!

Fett

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LiquidGT

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bentley429

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Darkwriter77

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sd331

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FrankenStang

Now, give me a damn CT!

LiquidGT

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Now, give me a damn CT!

Darkwriter77

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FrankenStang

Now, give me a damn CT!

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