Metallica - Metallica
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Free Music Notes for Metallica
Free Music Review: Another classic Metallic-disc
Hit: 5 Stars
Most fans think Metallica joined the mainstream with this, their 1991 self-titled album. But, if you look further back into the band's history, I think they inched closer towards the mainstream with their 1986 landmark, "Master of Puppets." Since it went multi-platinum and had several hit singles, that album definitely made heavy metal more accessible. Plus, their next album, 1989's "...And Justice for All," featured a song ("One") that was the first music video Metallica ever made. So, this C.D. ("The Black Album") may have shorter songs and slower song tempos, but I don't think this album was Metallica's first mainstream move. Plus, these songs may be shorter, but they are still, on average, five minutes long.
This C.D. is, from front to back, great and nearly flawless. It features some of Metallica's best songwriting and some of James' and Kirk's best riffs. Every song on here is a hit, and nearly as good as the one that came before it. Granted, there are about as many fast songs as there are tunes which are mid-tempo or even slow, but those slower songs don't kill the album's momentum.
1. "Enter Sandman" is the first of five hit singles, here. This song is one of Metallica's best of all time, and the intro, which is quite long, features one of the best and catchiest riffs of all time. The music fades in at the beginning and, as another reviewer said, when this song kicks into high gear, you know this is going a great record. The riff is ascending, chugging, occasionally wah-wah-ing, and, around three minutes in, there's a very cool guitar solo which is trademark Kirk. But with lyrics like "Sleep with one eye open" and "If I die before I wake...," there's sort of a dark vibe to this song.
2. "Sad But True" is also very catchy, partially due to some good vocal hooks. It also has lurching-almost grinding-riffs.
3. "Holier than Thou" opens with a riff which is much speedier than the track that came before it. Also included is a thumping beat and a two part guitar solo.
4. "Unforgiven" has a very laid back tempo, some soft singing, and even a few acoustic strums.
5. "Wherever I May Roam" has another slow beginning, but then Lars gives his drums a good thumping and the actual song begins. This song is kind of repetitive, but it's another up-tempo `Tallica tune, with a great, long, guitar solo that flares up.
6. "Don't Tread on Me" is similar to track two, "Sad But True." It's stop-start riffs create a very rhythmic beat, and (like track two) it also has a guitar solo. (But this solo is much better; it both ascends and descends.)
7. "Through the Never" has very catchy and fast chugging and churning riffs, with a good give and take between the guitars and drums. This song occasionally becomes a bobbing/slow skipping beat.
8. "Nothing Else Matters" is a semi ballad. It doesn't have any riffs, and the guitar picking is so soft, it almost sounds acoustic. This song's lyrics and mood are so depressing and slow, some audience members actually hug when Metallica play this song in concert.
9. "Of Wolf and Man" begins with bobbing, pounding riffs. This song-like this album-is full of great hooks (both musical and vocal).
10. "God that Failed" has more grooving guitars and another guitar solo. (This one is the best solo on the album; it has four parts to it.)
11. "My Friend of Misery" doesn't really present anything new to the album, but there's a slow tempo change around the four minute mark, and three wailing guitar solos are also included (the first two are rather short, but the third one is great.)
12. "Struggle Within" begins with a drum beat that sounds like an Irish parade or a marching band or something. The fast, moderately heavy chugging guitars kick in, and the rhythm becomes a toe-tapper. One last, fast, guitar solo (with several parts to it) also highlights this track, and the song (and the album) end with a pounding rhythm.
So, "The Black Album" may be somewhat more commercial and mainstream, but it is another perfect Metallica disc which stands up to classic metal albums like Black Sabbath's "Paranoid," Metallica's "Master of Puppets," and Pantera's "Vulgar Display of Power." To those of you who thought Cliff Burton was Metallica's brains and talent, you obviously haven't heard this, because if you don't like this album, you don't like good heavy metal! And if you are a heavy metal fan, you should buy this album... then, if you have enough money left, buy food, water, shelter, and clothes.
Free Music Review: The Immortal One
Hit: 5 Stars
OK, although I personally think that 'The Black Album' is NOT the best work Metallica has released, I must say that no matter what anyone says, this is the album that Metallica will be remembered for. Why? It was a GIGANTIC hit. EVERYONE has heard 'Enter Sandman' and 'Nothing Else Matters'. This is the one that made Metallica the biggest rock band in the world. And here's what I think of the tracks, one by one:(rated from * to *****)
Enter Sandman: A classic. Creeping intro builds into a hammering song, with one of the best riffs in rock EVER. Lars' drumming is great, James and Kirk do their finest on the axes, and Jason does what he does best: kicks the s**t out of the listener! A perfect live track, too. *****
Sad But True: Mega-heavy. Shows that to be heavy you don't need to be fast. Lars pounds his drums like a ten ton hammer. Lyrics are awesome, guitars rock, and, once again, Jason's bassing is phenomenal. *****
Holier Than Thou: Fast, heavy, but not as good as the first ones. This one has good-enough lyrics, the riffs are OK, bass lines float nicely, but Lars' drumming is somewhat repetitive and dull. Still, a good ***½ rating.
The Unforgiven: The first time you hear the beginning of this song, you might think: "F**k, Metallica's gone mellow." But as soon as the intro ends and the song REALLY starts, you realize that Metallica really knows how to make a heavy ballad. Here it is. Drums are heavy as anything, guitars sound fantastic, especially Kirk's solo... Good gawd. Jason's bass is really beautiful. ****½
Wherever I May Roam: SWEET. JESUS. How heavy can you get? This one is... beyond words. The sitar intro is by far the greatest intro in all of rock music. The song itself... PURE PERFECTION. The verses are nice and slow, but still heavy, and the chorus is a bit faster, a true KILLER. Lyrics RULE, guitars RULE, bass RULES, drums RULE. This is the one that really stands out on this record. This song heard live: BETTER THAN SEX. *****
Don't Tread On Me: Another near-flawless track. Reminds me of some army-style march music. Lars rocks the drums like a maniac, guitars roar heavily, bass pounds nicely in the back. Great song, highly underrated. This should've been a single track. ****
Through The Never: Perhaps the fastest song on the album. Still, this one doesn't quite do the trick for me... I can't really tell what it is, but something is missing here. This sounds a bit too... happy for Metallica? Kirk's solo is great, though. Not a great song, but OK. ***
Nothing Else Matters: Urgh. Almost every time MTV plays a Metallica video, it's Nothing Else Matters. This is a very good song, showing Metallica's capability to extend their musical limits, but overplaying has killed my interest in this one. Still, this is one of the best songs for Metallica to play live. The best moment in my life was at Metallica's concert at the Ruisrock festival in Turku, Finland in 1999, when they played this one. It had rained all gig, and the night was starting to fall, but when the Boyz started playing this one, the rain stopped and a fully lighted passenger ferry just passed the place (the festival was held at seaside), and about 15 000 cigarette lighters went up. It was beautiful. This live experience boosts the rating to ***½.
Of Wolf And Man: Ooohhh baby... This is one of the best tracks ever. It must be one of the most H-E-A-V-Y songs ever. The drums... Magnificent. Guitars... Unbelieveable. Bass... Brilliant. Lyrics... Perfect. *****
God That Failed: Slow, heavy, kind of reminds me of The Thing That Should Not Be. Lyrics sound like they're truly from the heart, but are quite repetitive. Bass is roaring, but nothing else really shines on this one. Guitars are flavorless, drumming is dull. The "betrayal" chant at the end is great, though. ***½
My Friend Of Misery: Bass intro that promises more than the song itself can deliver. This is, being co-written by Jason, the most bass-y song on the album. The guitar riffs are OK, so are the solos, but I really dislike the lyrics, especially the "happy" chorus, which is completely different from the rest of the song. Lars' drumming sounds like the work of a machine, not nice at all. Jason's bass saves this one from being a DUD. ***
Struggle Within: Drumroll at the beginning is fantastic! Intro shoots into the fast 1st verse, which KICKS A**! Chorus parts are not-so-good. Otherwise this is a great ending for the album. And what kind of ending: roaring guitars and raging drums rock, and the just... STOP. ****
Free Music Review: Another classic!
Hit: 5 Stars
Metallica's 5th album is there last classic. Almost every song is great and this album is heavy and has everything ranging from thrash songs to slow heavy rockers to ballads. James Hetfield's vocals never sounded better either...anyway here is my review.
1.Enter Sandman- 10/10 A classic song. Probably Metallica's biggest hit ever. The soft opening guitar line leads into an excellent heavy riff. The chorus is excellent too. The lyrics are good too. James Hetfield's vocals are good too. Kirk Hammett's wah wah solo is ok too. The part right after the solo is awesome.
2.Sad but True- 10/10 Another great guitar riff. A great heavy song with good vocals from James. The lyrics are good too. Another classic song. The chorus is awesome too. The solo isn't anything great in my opinion but the song rocks.
3.Holier Than Thou- 10/10 A classic fast thrash song. James Hetfield's vocals are good and the heavy riff is great too. The chorus is great too. The solo is sloppy but it has the great raw energy of Hammett's early solos. A great song.
4.The Unforgiven- 10/10 A great power ballad. The acoustic guitar line is excellent and the heavy riff is great too. James Hetfield's vocals are great and the lyrics are excellent too. An excellent solo by kirk Hammett who plays with a lot of soul. A classic and a big hit.
5.Wherever I May Roam- 9/10 A cool sitar intro that leads into an awesome heavy riff. James vocals sound great too. The bridge is awesome too. A cool harmony guitar line. The solo would sound a lot better without the wah wah pedal because there are a few cool parts in the solo. The wah wah doesn't fit the solo. A cool rocker that never gets boring in 6:44 minutes time.
6.Don't Tread on Me- 9/10 A great heavy song. This soungs like classic Metallica. Pantera copied this song on Walk. Listen to Walk which was released a year later. Anyway this song rocks. Once again some more cool stuff in the solo but the wah gets old very fast.
7.Through the Never- 9/10 A great song. This is has some thrash influence on it. The fast part of the song sounds better than the slow part but a great song anyway. I'm not a big fan of Kirk's solos usually but I like this one a lot. His solo sounds like Tony Iommi. A good song but not one of the best songs on the album.
8.Nothing Else Matters- 9/10 Another great song. Very well written. Metallica's ballads are always great. Jame Hetfield's vocals are excellent on this song. Very different from Metallica's usual style but a great song anyway. Another one of Kirk's best solos.
9.Of Wolf and Man- 10/10 Another classic. One of my favorite songs on the album. The guitars are very heavy and the tone is awesome. Jame's vocals sound great too. The solo isn't anything special though however the part right after the solo is awesome. Pure metal.
10.The God That Failed- 10/10 Another classic. The intro is awesome and the song rocks. James vocals are great and the riffs are awesome. The solo drags on too long but that's not a big problem.
11.My Friend of Misery- 10/10 A classic! One of my favorite songs ever. The soft intro is incredible and the distorted guitar part is great. One of James Hetfield's best vocal performances ever too. Kind of like a half ballad song. Harmony guitar solo sounds great and it has a middle eastern to it.
12.The Struggle Within- 6/10 A classic Metallica thrash song but I don't like the vocals at all on this song. The solo kind of reminds me of Tony Iommi again. I'd like the song a lot more if the vocals were better.
Like I mentioned before this is a very diverse album and the album has plenty of classics. It is different from the 80's stuff but it is very heavy and has some thrash songs. The songwriting is excellent too. Any metal fan should own this.
James Hetfield- Vocals, Guitar
Kirk Hammet- Guitar
Lars Ulrch- Drums
Jason Newstead- Bass
Free Music Review: An All-Time Classic!
Hit: 5 Stars
This album is, in my opinion, Metallica's best work. Rather than making another trash album, Metallica decided to make something different for a change. They get put down for this alot. All of their albums don't have to be same people!
Another thrash album would of been great too, but their last album ("...And Justice for All") was just another attempt to make another "Ride the Lightning" (RTL). RTL was their second album, and a great album indeed. Their two albums after that, "Master of Puppets" and "...And Justice for All", were good but looked like pure attempts to make another RTL. The songs were even arranged in the same format: intro, title-track, fill-in, soft song, a few more thrashers, then an instrumental. It was about time they broke the cycle. Since all of Metallica's albums after this one were really pathetic, alot of fans like to put the blame on this one. It's just not fair.
Metallica took their natural direction and as a result made a great album. The two metal-head geniuses were absent from the band. Dave Mustaine was dismissed from the band before "Kill Em' All" debuted, and Cliff Burton was killed in a bus accident after "Master of Puppets". These two guys were what kept Metallica's trash days great. Once they were both gone the band was still able to produce some decent thrash, but nothing magnificant like before. However, the new arrangement of the band after Burton's death was what lead to this album. The "new" Metallica (at that point) was a perfect line-up for creating this classic album. The result was great rock mixed with a hint of metal. Talented solos and memorable riffs complete the album. It struck a perfect balance. It was easy for the masses to stomach, but still satisfied alot of the metal-heads out there. The music at the time was really legendary.
This album starts off with some great openers. "Enter Sandman" and "Sad But True" are two of Metallica's best. They have memorable riffs and choruses. "The Unforgiven" is an all-time classic. It's only a song that Metallica could make, and they did it well. "Wherever I May Roam" is another. Although this gets a little repetitive, it's still great. "Nothing Else Matters" is a yet another. Alot of metalheads put this one down because it's a soft song. What they don't realize is that it's a great soft song. We would all be missing out if Metallica didn't make this song! "Don't Tread on Me" has a justice theme to it with great melodies. I love it! Then there are a few good rockers. Of course, there are a few songs that I don't particularly care for on this album, but what album doesn't?
I like Metallica, but alot of their albums do get old. I was a great fan of their earlier thrash albums, but I rarely listen to them anymore. "Master of Puppets" and "...And Justice for All" just had songs that were too long and got boring after awhile. This one still remains a classic. Instead of "look, we are cool because we can strum really fast and play really fast solos" type of songs, they focused on making, well, just good songs. I'm not saying their earlier songs were bad. I respect them for being the metal leaders at the time, but there is a difference between a good metal song and one that just fades away over time because it's all about fast-paced strumming and solos. On the part of good oldschool thrash metal, I would suggest "Kill 'Em All". There are alot of classic songs on that album that I still love.
Overall, this album has a great unique feel to it that you can't find in any of their other albums. This album also includes some of Metallica's best and most memorable. Not only is this a great Metallica album, but it's one of the best rock albums ever! It's almost impossible to not have already heard some of the songs off of this album, being as this is the one that really launched Metallica into the mainstream. Nevertheless, the music remains great. Whether you're a Metallica fan or not, I highly recommend this. Pick it up when you can!
Free Music Review: Enter the Black Album!
Hit: 5 Stars
I wonder what would have happened if Metallica stayed in the direction they were going with "...And Justice For All". It was certainly their most complex and layered album, and that's one of the reasons I really like it. But you've got to wonder just how impossible the song structures would have been on this album if they didn't decide to take a breather. I read one that Kirk Hammett said that the songs were "just too long", and I would imagine very complex. If "The Black Album" were any more layered and difficult to play, it might even send guys like Dream Theater or Symphony X spinning around their stack of Marshall amps!
It's interesting, though, to see that "The Black Album" is generally regarded as the decline of Metallica. Ironically enough, I've looked over the reviews and it seems as though plenty of people still really like this album. That gives me some relief, because I, too, agree that there's nothing wrong with "The Black Album".
True, Metallica stranded away from their faster, and occasionally more epic thrash metal, but the "semi-new sound" on this album doesn't bother me. In fact, lots of times when a band experiments around it doesn't bother me. What matters is the decency of the songwriting, and yes, "The Black Album" is full of great songwriting, talent and fun, along with a still-thrashy appeal.
"Enter Sandman" starts things off with a famous guitar riff and the horror-theme lyrics. A great guitar solo is included along with an awesome, shout-a-long chorus.
"Sad But True" is a slower, heavier song that's in the vein of bands like Pantera and Soundgarden. A catchy and somewhat melodic riff chugs and stomps its way through with more great verses and choruses.
"Holier Than Thou" is a faster-paced, more upbeat and a bit more progressive song than the previous two, with a chorus that'll replay itself in your head for a long time.
"The Unforgiven" is along the epic ballad lines of "Sanitarium", "Fade to Black" and "One", only instead, the verses are heavy and the chorus is balladic. Interesting twist, indeed.
"Wherever I May Roam" is a lengthy, epic mid-paced song with a foreign sounding guitar riff that sets a late-night atmosphere. Very cool and adventurous lyrics accompany, as well.
"Don't Tread On Me" has a staccato sort of march to it with more chugging guitar riffs and pounding drums.
"Through the Never" has more adventurous, epic lyrics, and even though I haven't listened to this particular song in a while, it's definitely up to par with the other songs here.
"Nothing Else Matters" is a beautiful ballad with great guitar work, orchestration and singing, and it's probably one of Metallica's most famous songs.
"Of Wolf and Man" has a sort of swashbuckling, on-a-ship feel to it with more great guitar riffs and some of James's best singing around.
"The God That Failed" features downtuned guitars, and James's frustration with the death of his mother. You can even tell from the melody of the song the anger and sadness from his personal loss. I imagine this song must have been hard for him to write.
"My Friend of Misery" is the longest song on the album, at almost seven minutes, and features *gasp!* basswork by Jason Newsted! Haha, but yeah, this is another solid song.
"The Struggle Within" is one of my favorite songs on the entire album. It's got a lengthy, larger-than-life epic opener and fast guitar riffs, along with an awesome, lengthy guitar solos, and the rhythm and groove from the verses and chorus make it absolutely awesome.
So even though this isn't Metallica's Number One greatest album, it's still high up there. The overall feel of the album is heavy, fun, epic, fist-pumping, occasionally dark, and overall excellent. I'd recommend this to all metal fans and rock fans, as it is a classic. Let's hope Metallica's upcoming studio album is just as great! Thanks for the time, and peace.