This album is lifeless. Mid-paced riff after mid-paced riff that goes absolutely nowhere. Forgive my nostalgia, but even Death Magnetic had vigour, song progression that justified the song lengths, and some pretty kick-ass riffs. I know I shouldn't have, but I expected more. In any case, there isn't a single song that I'll be returning to.

Oh how I wish half of the second disc didn't exist. Or atleast was bonus material.

Written by tominator on 18.11.2016 at 01:14


Only thing I'm wondering is why it had to be a double album. They could have easily put all the songs on 1 disc, so why did they do that? Overall the songs on disc 1 are better than the ones on disc 2 (Spit Out The Bone is really the only song I would call memorable on that second disc).

It was very well hinted since they gave an interview to Rolling Stone stating "they have 20 songs written for new record". Almost a week after, source close to Metallica camp said the record will be 80 mins long. So, we were expecting a double album from them.

This album seems to be mix between Load/Reload - Black Album and classic heavy metal bands: Black Sabbath, Diamond Head & Iron Maiden. Really enjoyable... Halo on Fire, Spit Out The Bone & Dream No More (Alice in Chains groove?) the best...

Written by Cynic Metalhead on 18.11.2016 at 08:00

It was very well hinted since they gave an interview to Rolling Stone stating "they have 20 songs written for new record". Almost a week after, source close to Metallica camp said the record will be 80 mins long. So, we were expecting a double album from them.

That explains it. I didn't know that this was the case. I was thinking "Why the hell didn't they put an 80 min. album on 1 CD?". But now I know the story behind it.

Thanks for the explanation.

Really awesome

I also wish Am I Savage? was a Diamond Head/Sweet Savage tribute song. Alas...

Lifeless record. Listening to this I still see potential in Robert, Kirk and James. Lars is a dragger and a problem.

It almost makes Death Magnetic look great. Even the shortest song on the album that's just over 3 minutes long goes on for way longer than necessary. Seriously, every time I think they're gonna end a song properly they glue another redundant riff to it. And even the production didn't improve. Sure, it doesn't hurt my ears as much as its predecessor's did, but god damn it the drums and guitar sound awful.

Some songs are a bit too long, but overall I found the album really good ! It's no 80's 'tallica of course, I don't even know why people try to compare it to their early albums, but that's a very good record IMO.

Ii just hope there are more like-minded people, like me, who give it a 9 rating and increase their average rating!
Too many 7 ratings!

Written by Hermann Langke on 19.11.2016 at 09:59

Ii just hope there are more like-minded people, like me, who give it a 9 rating and increase their average rating!
Too many 7 ratings!

"I just hope there are more like-minded people, like me, who give it a 1 rating and decrease their average rating! "

People who do this are vain morons.

Written by Doge of Venice on 19.11.2016 at 15:09

Written by Hermann Langke on 19.11.2016 at 09:59

Ii just hope there are more like-minded people, like me, who give it a 9 rating and increase their average rating!
Too many 7 ratings!

"I just hope there are more like-minded people, like me, who give it a 1 rating and decrease their average rating! "

People who do this are vain morons.

Roger that!

This could be a point higher if they only they had made it a one disc album and removed Here Comes Revenge, Am I Savage? and Murder One, those are quite weak and uninspired and even come one after the other. I only listen the album up to the end because the hyped ending track Spit Out The Bone is really what everyone says it is, Metallica's best track since the Black Album.
I'm surprised they included influences from Load and Reload, but it works. Good album overall and the production is a LOT better than DM.
Oh, and James is really in top shape, he shines in every track.

Loving Halo on Fire, Atlas Rise and Spit Out the Bone . The lyrics, vocals and guitars are really good. There are 4 or 5 really good songs. a few good ones, and 1 or 2 that are forgettable.

They're lyrical content has always been great and this time around I like the riffs and song structures more than Death Magnetic. James' vocals carry much more passion too

This album is boring, bland, full of riffs from the past, a lot of wah-wah, Hetfield's usual bully vocal style, uninspired solos and almost a complete lack of anything melodic. That does not work for me. Death magnetic was a disappointment, bit it was still 10x better than this one IMO. The only song I kinda liked so far is Moth into flame. maybe there are a couple more that are kinda listenable for me... Surprisingly tho, I checked and it's getting 3-4 stars out of 5 on various reviews O.o

Written by abysss on 19.11.2016 at 23:24

a complete lack of anything melodic

LMAO it's way more melodic than anything they've done since the black album.

Well in that case, I will have to give it another listen, but for now death magnetic seems to me much more melodic overall.

Written by abysss on 19.11.2016 at 23:24

This album is boring, bland, full of riffs from the past, a lot of wah-wah, Hetfield's usual bully vocal style, uninspired solos and almost a complete lack of anything melodic. That does not work for me. Death magnetic was a disappointmepn, bit it was still 10x better than this one IMO. The only song I kinda liked so far is Moth into flame. maybe there are a couple more that are kinda listenable for me... Surprisingly tho, I checked and it's getting 3-4 stars out of 5 on various reviews O.o

LOL!
much more melodic than past few albums. James' vocals are much more varied than in Death Magnetic. btw, what is an 'uninspired' solo? that's just a term people throw around when they dont have any other words to justify hate :p
the solos are all speedy, technical, thrashy and at times melodic too.

DM was "ten" times better than this? ummmm. ohhkayyy.

It's a good album, nothing killer or classic but puhleeez at least try to make more sense with the hate comments :p

An uninspired solo is where the solo is used just as a filler, when it does not stand out as anything special... if you listen to old metallica albums each one of their solos were killer stuff, even the shortest ones stood out perfectly, you can't deny that. And it's still Kirk and James (not sure of the latter as of now) playing them. But I must say I listened to the album just once. And I listened to death magnetic at least 7 times

Written by abysss on 20.11.2016 at 03:46

An uninspired solo is where the solo is used just as a filler, when it does not stand out as anything special... if you listen to old metallica albums each one of their solos were killer stuff, even the shortest ones stood out perfectly, you can't deny that. And it's still Kirk and James (not sure of the latter as of now) playing them. But I must say I listened to the album just once. And I listened to death magnetic at least 7 times

Then it is wise also to listen to Hardwired seven or more times.

Written by Doge of Venice on 19.11.2016 at 15:09

Written by Hermann Langke on 19.11.2016 at 09:59

Ii just hope there are more like-minded people, like me, who give it a 9 rating and increase their average rating!
Too many 7 ratings!

"I just hope there are more like-minded people, like me, who give it a 1 rating and decrease their average rating! "

People who do this are vain morons.

yes people that dont actually listen to music and just wanna be a part of something without getting deep into it

I agree with the guy who said the solos were uninspired. I like the album, so I'm not "throwing that term around because I don't have any other word to justify hate".

Written by Tod_Engel on 20.11.2016 at 07:25

Written by abysss on 20.11.2016 at 03:46

An uninspired solo is where the solo is used just as a filler, when it does not stand out as anything special... if you listen to old metallica albums each one of their solos were killer stuff, even the shortest ones stood out perfectly, you can't deny that. And it's still Kirk and James (not sure of the latter as of now) playing them. But I must say I listened to the album just once. And I listened to death magnetic at least 7 times

Then it is wise also to listen to Hardwired seven or more times.

Will do, and then I'll be able to give a more detailed view on the album. Metallica were once my favourite band for many years. Started listening them in 1994, so it's not like idk what I'm talking about... But if there is a great song that stands out I usually do notice it fairly quickly. For now pretty much only Moth into flame did stand out to me. Also I love very much Metallica's ballads and instrumental songs and sadly here none of these can be found.

I seem to usually be out of step with most other metalheads. i dislike a lot of popular albums and love ones that are universally panned. This album has been given such a mixed bag of reviews so far i thought id poke my nose in. I like all Metallica except of St Anger and i do think Load and Reload were the lowest point before that but i still like them. I love Death Magnetic and I prefer the overall sound on that album compared to this one. I find this album such a mixed bag its hard to review it as a single entity. Some things are consistent. James voice is good all the way through but Lars Drumming, I know a lot of people hate on him but im not saying it for that reason. On this album his Drumming is consistantly Boring. There is nothing exciting or even intresting in his performance from start to finish. I know Metallica have often done 1 minute intros but theres some songs on this album ("Now That We're Dead", "Confusion") where the intro seems too long for no good reason. My highlights on this are "Now That We're Dead", Moth Into Flame" And "Am I Savage". I don't get the tribute to Lemmy. It just doesnt work imo. One last whinge before i go. What is with the Guitar solo on ManUNkind. it doesnt fit. Its not up to KIrks usual high standars and its just genrally bloody awful. I would never say a band should retire. That is thier Descicion and absolutely none of my business. that said the phrase flogging a dead horse springs to mind. I dont believe we will ever see a Pheonix rise from these ashes. Hope everyone else liked the album but for me, its not great

Deadcalm: I'm usually like that too... I make my selections and people usually say I have sophisticated taste in music. I always liked metallica drumming on the early albums, but the drummers I know in real life usually said to my surprise that as a drummers Lars is a quite bad when it comes to originality, then they showed me his rythm is very much the same in each song,... I do not heave enough drumming knowledge to judge what is right and what isnt' I can just tell if I like the drumming or not, although I do play guitar so again the world of music is not foreign to me. Since I put Metallica as No.1 as favourite band when I was a teenager, I discovered many bands in the similar vein (thrash, heavy, power with melodic solos and powerful riffs but also clean vocals, love clean vocals if they are good, btw) that had such better drumming then I finally noticed what those drummers were talking about

I prefer this cover, totally

Written by knightlightning on 20.11.2016 at 15:06

*image*

I prefer this cover, totally

God damn, I haven't laughed that hard in a while. Thank you.

Written by ATG on 20.11.2016 at 20:40

I love Metallica and this isn't a very good album, Death Magnetic was better I find most of these songs are very forgettable tracks

Then why did you give it 8/10? 8/10 = Very good.

Well this wasn't very good. The song are just so ridiculously stretched and for no apparent reason! Spit out the bone is a really good song but other than that this is somewhere between lousy and really bad.

Those 1/2 measure 16th note snare fills in the slower tempo songs make me want to stab me in the ears! Very weak drumming and it's even produced so that it stands out!