Metallica - Metallica
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Free Music Notes for Metallica
Free Music Review: Metallica: Metallica (1991)
Hit: 5 Stars
Around 1989, 1990, while on tour for their fifth album, ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, James Hetfield had a serious accident. They were performing in Toronto, or wherever it was in Canada, Metallica had pyro explosions coming from their stage, giving off an edge to their show. James had been getting into the particular song they were playing. As he stepped forward, a pyro-flame blasted him, causing him to catch on fire. Luckily, he was rushed to the hospital, where he was treated. Turns out that he was not badly hurt. The burns left rarely noticeable scars.
In 1991, after James had fully recovered from his injury, Metallica had released their sixth album entitled, METALLICA, simply self-titled. Metallica not only refers to this album as their self-titled album, they also refer to this album as THE BLACK ALBUM since the front cover is all black, with the band's name in the top right-hand corner. This album is actually my favorite Metallica album.
ENTER SANDMAN
This is one of the best songs on this album. Just about every Metallica fan, whether those fans hated this album or not, should have heard and loved this song. It is, indeed, a classic.
SAD BUT TRUE
Another great song. Kid Rock had actually used this song's music for his 2000 song, "American Bad Ass", which kind of ticked me off because I am very used to hearing the music behind James' voice, along with this song's lyrics.
HOLIER THAN THOU
Not bad.
THE UNFORGIVEN
This song is my first of two favorites from this album. I just love the way James sings the verses with the edgy metal tone in his voice and then changes his voice to a softer tone with the choruses. This song is just amazing.
WHEREVER I MAY ROAM
When I heard this song's introduction, I knew I was going to like it. But I was wrong. I did not like the song. I loved the song. You cannot say you just simply like this song. You have to say that you love it because the song's sound. The introduction alone is just simply classic.
DON'T TREAD ON ME
Not bad.
THROUGH THE NEVER
Outstanding.
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS
This song is my second of two favorites on this album. Throughout the whole song, with the exception of at least one or two verses, James' voice is in that soft pleasing tone. I usually hate it when a heavy metal band's lead singer sings softer on a ballad, but only James can pull off that soft tone on a song like this. So, James is the only exception with having the chance to sing in a softer tone as he does on this song, as well as "The Unforgiven".
OF WOLF AN MAN
When I read the title to this song, I thought it was about the difference between wolves and humans. But after hearing it, I found that it was about...Werewolves. I would love to see a new werewolf movie made with this song as the main theme.
THE GOD THAT FAILED
Not bad.
MY FRIEND OF MISERY
Unbelievable.
THE STRUGGLE WITHIN
Incredible.
Most fans will consider this album to be Metallica's sell-out album, but those fans are wrong, because this album is amazing. As I said earlier, this is my favorite Metallica album and it will be for years to come. Pick up a copy and make this album your favorite Metallica album.
Free Music Review: It deserves more than a passing glance
Hit: 5 Stars
I've looked at some of the reviews for this album and, being a rocker and hardcore Metallica fan, am quite apalled at some of the very derogatory things people had to say about Metallica and The Black Album.Yes, it definately sounds different than Ride the Lightning in that it has a more laid back sound to it. And yes, the sound of the music might have indicated that they were starting to conform to the money part of the music industry instead of "playing for the fans," as was their belief in the days of Ride the Lightning and Kill 'Em All. But sound isn't the only aspect to look at. There are lyrics there as well.
The lyrics of every song on this album deserve close attention. Maybe if some of the reviewers actually thought about what the lyrics meant, they might appreciate the songs more. "Forever trust in who you are, and nothing else matters" sounds like pretty deep lyrics coming from the band that I've seen some call "blockheaded." Many of the songs, including Sad But True and The Struggle Within, depict an inner stuggle and show that sometimes you can't even trust yourself....and that life's not always fair.
The lyrics not making sense? Is it really that difficult to see that Enter Sandman is, on the surface, about putting a child who fears monsters to sleep? It's about fear, something that everyone has. The proverbial "beasts under your bed." Not to mention that Don't Tread On Me could be interpreted as one of the most patriotic metal songs out there. "Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail, once you provoke her, rattling of her tail, never begins it, never but once engaged, never surrender, showing the fangs of rage. Don't tread on me. So be it, threaten no more. To secure peace is to prepare for war." Both the lyrics and the sound of Don't Tread On Me send a "mess with me and you won't live to see another day" attitude, much like that of the United States.
As for the cover, at first glance, it may appear all black, but if you take more than a glance at it, you'll see that the top left corner sports "Metallica" and the bottom right corner sports a coiled snake similar to the one on the Gadsden Flag of the Union during the Civil War, which happens to also bear the line "Don't Tread On Me."
On a final note, Metallica seems to have already taken care of themselves against those that choose to attack them and their music: "No more, the crap rolls out your mouth again....Before you judge me take a look at you. Can't you find something better to do? Point that finger, slow to understand, arrogance and ignorance go hand in hand....Judge not, lest ye be judged yourself." Basically, it's them that work their tails off to make it big, they've done so from the beginning. It's no easy task to come out with widely different material such as they have. And until I see those who write the really negative reviews put a band together, write music that lasts over a decade, keep the band together with at least half of the original members for over 20 years, and can generally do any better than Metallica, I think they need to grow up and enjoy the album for its good parts, not attack it for parts they don't like just because it's not like Metallica's older works. Besides, don't most people complain when a band's CD sounds like the previous one?
Free Music Review: Metallica--Metallica-"The Black Album"--(Elektra)--1991----awesome epic album!!
Hit: 5 Stars
Metallica released their self-titled album Metallica in the fall of '91...the year I graduated high school. What great times the early '90s were especially 1991. Not to long ago either!!Metallica's "The Black Album" as everyone refers to including myself is an epic album. All songs on this album are excellent. My favorites include Enter Sandman,Sad But True,Holier Than Thou, The Unforgiven,Through The Never,Of Wolf And Man,and all songs !!!! On Metallica's "The Black Album" they got a new producer, Bob Rock(awesome producer of this masterpiece),slower songs, and went more mainstream. I believe Metallica's direction here on this '91 epic is/was TOTALLY the right decision by the producer Bob Rock and of course Metallica. Awesome album guys as I have said from the beginning!!!! Though this album split the old 80s Metallica fans somewhat from the new Metallica fans of the 90s and today. I first got into Metallica somewhat late in '88 from ...And Justice For All and that was a great album ,but Metallica's self-titled ("The Black Album") is my all time favorite by far!!!! During this release of Metallica's self-titled album there was a lot of action going on in the world of rock. Red Hot Chili Peppers released the giant epic album Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) and were signed to Warner Bros. and had Rick Rubin (great producer). As this album too(like "The Black Album") went on to sell millions of albums and still does well like "The Black Album". Also during this time in the fall of '91 alternative rock or better known as grunge hit the airways,MTV,and worldwide. Nirvana,Pearl Jam,Soundgarden and many other Seattle bands other bands from other place put a HUGE STAKE in the ground as in their domination of attention and rightfully so as alternative/grunge rock is a blast from the past with late 60s-70s rock with a new twist of the decade of the 1990's. My point is Metallica faced all of this and was carrying the metal torch. Sadly though in '96 Metallica kind of weirded out on the album Load,though I do enjoy that album as it was a major changing point in Metallica's career in metal and everyone reflects "The Black Album" as the last greatest album. I do not want to get in this debate and feel I do not needed to share this. Metallica's "The Black Album" dominated the metal community from '91-'93 and maybe into '94!!!! The truth of how poweful this epic album was duing the time are all the metal bands from the 80's who had sucessful albums suffered in sales and popularity. To some it up alternative/grunge rock dominated the media(MTV,radio,etc.) and Metallica's "The Black Album" dominated the metal community etc. Most everyone is well aware of this. Awesome bands as well that did not get as noticed in 1991 were Nuclear Assault's Out Of Order (greatest album by Nuclear Assault) , Metal Church's Human Factor, Wrathchild America's 3-D,Overkill's Horrorscope,and Corrosion of Conformity's Blind just to name a few. In '92 Testament made its "Black Album" entitled The Ritual and same as true with Overkill's '93 album entitled I Hear Black. It shows what an impact they had on the metal world and "The Black Album is truly a vintage metal album that flows very well with great songs,production,and the overall feel of this album. Metallica--Metallica is a must for all rock and of course metal fans. Its a proven winner!!!!Free Music Review: On Its Own Merits, A Very Solid Album
Hit: 5 Stars
Truly, there probably is not a band out there which demonstrated how much of a role image, popularity (or lack thereof), and mainstream/underground appeal apparently play in determining what is quality music. Metallica, a band which throughout the 80s were at the forefront of the thrash metal scene, decided, with their fifth album, known as "The Black Album" to take a different direction from that which they had been pioneering. A smash upon release, it shot up the charts to number one, introduced a whole new audience to their music, alienated many of their hardcore fans, and became the center of a war of the popular vs. the underground.
It's a shame that the war of popularity and the unwillingness of fans to let a band change would become such an issue with this album, because people quit looking at the album for what it's really about: music. The Black Album may not be another slice of what came before it from the band, but taken for what it is, it really is a good recording.
Of course the question is: what is The Black Album? Certainly not a thrash album, The Black Album is actually return to roots of sorts. Having pioneered and played the thrash style well for nearly a decade, Metallica steps back with this one, dipping a bit into the blues-rock/hard-rock/heavy metal tradition of the late 70s whose evolution would eventually be their own music, and combining those elements with many of harsher elements of their signature thrash style. The result: an album which, while not particularly appealing to fans who wanted thrash and only thrash from Metallica, stands as one of the best hard-rock recordings to come down the road in a long time.
And really, it's that successful melding of elements that give this album its flavor. Songs like "Enter Sandman" and "Sad But True" capture the indellible hooks of hard-rock but add the brutal intensity of thrash to the guitar attack, while others like "The Unforgiven" and "My Friend of Misery" meld intricate, almost delicate guitar picking with thrashy verses/chorouses to paint some truly beautiful, disturbing, and sad musical pictures. And "Nothing Else Matters," while a bit lyrically simple, is played sincerely and beautifully, succeding without the Metallica tradition of a thrash intro/outro for their ballads, a bold move for a thrash band indeed (plus, as a love song, it's a fine antidote to Bryan Adams' overplayed mega-hit "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" of the same year).
There are still some exercises is speed and thrash, and while they don't stack up to the efforts of the previous four albums, they are solid songs, and provide a nice balance to the slower tracks, as well as at least recalling the direction from which Metallica had just come.
Overall The Black Album is an excellent album, if not as a metal album, than at least as hard rock. It's a damn shame that this album became so caught up in the politics of fan/band relations, because it really does succeed brilliantly on its own merits. Those who only like Thrash Metallica will be dissapointed, but those who don't mind something different may well enjoy this album. Different from those classic first four albums, yes. Still great. Still reccomended.
Free Music Review: As Good As It Gets
Hit: 5 Stars
Although it is somewhat true that Metallica sells out with their self-titled fifth album, ignore those accusations because the music here is just way too damn good. (Now as far as Load and all albums there after are concerned, that's a different story.) If this is a sellout effort, then, well, I guess I'm a sucker because I still love every second of the Black Album even after all these years--something I cannot say about ...And Justice for All. And these are the many reasons why:
1) Enter Sandman - Unfortunately overplayed more than almost any other Nineties anthem, this is obviously one of the most essential metal songs ever and probably one of the top rock songs ever. 10/10
2) Sad But True - Picking up right where `Sandman' left off in the quality department, this is possibly Metallica's most underappreciated song and one of my all-time favorites. 10/10
3) Holier Than Thou - The funny thing is that this is one of the least memorable songs on Metallica and it's still a damn fine tune. Great bass in this song, love how it progressively picks up after the solo. 8/10
4) The Unforgiven - A ballad? No sir, not by a long shot. The band's most accessible number outside of `Sandman' and some of the best lyrics of Metallica's career. 10/10
5) Wherever I May Roam - A fine song that has had its eastern influences ripped off on several occasions, Live's Secret Samadhi for example. A fan favorite. 8/10
6) Don't Tread On Me - I've never understood why THIS has never been the album's staple track, it's so good I could listen to it all week and still salivate at the massive riffs. Easily 10/10
7) Through The Never - Fast, heavy, addictive, dark, fun, this is one of those songs that not a lot of people know but those who do love it. Sing it with me! `On/through/the/nev/ver!' 8/10
8) Nothing Else Matters - Alright already...Yes I suppose this is a ballad but it's no issue at all, considering the quality. Sounds even better on 99's S&M. 9/10
9) Of Wolf And Man - Such a great way to compliment `Nothing Else Matters' and yet another splendid riff to go along with memorable lyrics. Great song for a pre-game warm-up. 9/10
10) The God That Failed - This reeks of old school Metallica, namely `The Thing That Should Not Be' and `Blackened' from the 80's. A true deep-cut that sounds even better next to the overplayed anthems before it. 9/10
11) My Friend Of Misery - Most say it's a slight step back in the expected quality but Metallica still does no wrong. Unjustly overlooked, can't believe some consider this filler. 8/10
12) The Struggle Within -Just a typical Metallica song, meaning it is, of course, excellent. The `Go!' then awesome riff after the solo gets me every time. 9/10
Amazingly consistent and one of the best albums ever, even if it did inevitably lead to the downfall of a great band. I'd even go so far as to say that this is the pinnacle of Metallica's long and illustrious career, the best album they ever released.