Among some other classics, I found the remastered 2016 version of RTL under the x-mas tree. I consider this version to be a poor rip-off, it comes in a cheap cardbox digisleeve with no bonus or whatsoever. Besides, I couldn't spot any significant improvement in sound quality compared to the 25 years old 12" I already owned. Not surprisingly, Metallica's own label Blackened published the remastered version. But how could Santa know they are selling out?

Anyway, I finally have this on CD so thanks a bunch, adorable Mrs. Santa! It was a great and unexpected gift indeed, because I didn't listen to this album for round about 20 years. Not that I forgot about it, I still remembered every single second of it. But back then, I didn't really bother when vinyl was out of fashion and it was too much of a struggle dealing with the ancient record player.

Hearing this masterpiece finally again after so many years, two questions arose: what If Metallica still had the fire, urge, anger and motivation of 1984 in their veins right now? And what if they still had a bit of the willing and the spirit of a young and struggling thrash band to record this album with the technical possibilities of 2019?

It's a pain in the arse thinking about this, because I bet - no, I know! - Metallica could still be one of the greatest metal bands the world has ever seen. Now, they are nothing but a blurred and shabby rememberance of that.
It's a shame. It really is.

@Lars Ulrich: I hate you with every fibre of my heart. And I hate your mum.
The day you sued Napster, I felt obliged to share the broadcasting of the 1968 Wimbledon quarter finals with the entire world so anyone could watch your daddy and Ingo Buding being shred by those Ozzies again and again and again. F#ck off!

I recently listened to this album in full for the first time in quite a while and it's crazy how I still remembered the lyrics to The Call Of Ktulu so well after not hearing it for a long time.

I have been wondering for years whether I should eventually put a 10/10 on Metallica's all-time best album.
If not on this one where else?
But after spinning this again after quite some time my 9 still stands (though it is rather a 9.4 I guess).
And this is only due to Escape and Trapped Under Ice.
These two songs are really sub-par here I think.
And with 2/8 songs sub-par -- the other 6 songs clearly being masterpieces -- I am afraid I will never be able to 10 this probably most influential and most relevant metal album of all time.

Written by Redel on 16.12.2020 at 00:09

I have been wondering for years whether I should eventually put a 10/10 on Metallica's all-time best album.
If not on this one where else?
But after spinning this again after quite some time my 9 still stands (though it is rather a 9.4 I guess).
And this is only due to Escape and Trapped Under Ice.
These two songs are really sub-par here I think.
And with 2/8 songs sub-par -- the other 6 songs clearly being masterpieces -- I am afraid I will never be able to 10 this probably most influential and most relevant metal album of all time.

Escape isn't very good, but Trapped Under Ice is an awesome track IMO.

Written by Boxcar Willy on 16.12.2020 at 17:33

Escape isn't very good, but Trapped Under Ice is an awesome track IMO.

imo both tracks are absolutely not bad, they are very good, I somewhat like them.
But they dont come even close to the excellence of all others tracks on this album.
Thats all I am saying.

I used to think that MoP was better than this, but now I've seen the light.

Definitely my favourite Metallica album, by a mile, Fade to Black, For whom the bell tolls, Creeping death and the title track are all my Metallica top 4 songs, call of Ktalu and Trapped under ice wee also great songs. The only one I found slightly weaker was Escape which was still a good song tho.

It is one of the first four albums of this band, which means it is a pure 10.

It's clear Metallica were maturing as songwriters with this album, ready for creating a perfect 10/10 album 2 years after.

9.9/10 for me - almost perfect, Escape is weaker than the rest of the songs.

Back when Metallica was epic.

Written by Redel on 16.12.2020 at 00:09

I have been wondering for years whether I should eventually put a 10/10 on Metallica's all-time best album.
If not on this one where else?
But after spinning this again after quite some time my 9 still stands (though it is rather a 9.4 I guess).
And this is only due to Escape and Trapped Under Ice.
These two songs are really sub-par here I think.
And with 2/8 songs sub-par -- the other 6 songs clearly being masterpieces -- I am afraid I will never be able to 10 this probably most influential and most relevant metal album of all time.

Is there no such thing as rounding up in your rating system?

Written by Redel on 16.12.2020 at 00:09

I have been wondering for years whether I should eventually put a 10/10 on Metallica's all-time best album.
If not on this one where else?
But after spinning this again after quite some time my 9 still stands (though it is rather a 9.4 I guess).
And this is only due to Escape and Trapped Under Ice.
These two songs are really sub-par here I think.
And with 2/8 songs sub-par -- the other 6 songs clearly being masterpieces -- I am afraid I will never be able to 10 this probably most influential and most relevant metal album of all time.

I've always liked Trapped under Ice.
Escape is the weakest song here, it's the filler for this album.

I've never understood the hype around For Whom the Bell Tolls, even long ago when I first heard it. Now I skip it when I listen to the album.

Written by John_Doe on 11.07.2021 at 11:35

I've never understood the hype around For Whom the Bell Tolls, even long ago when I first heard it. Now I skip it when I listen to the album.

Wha!!!! It's Metallica's best song.

Written by gavdann on 11.07.2021 at 12:26

Written by John_Doe on 11.07.2021 at 11:35

I've never understood the hype around For Whom the Bell Tolls, even long ago when I first heard it. Now I skip it when I listen to the album.

Wha!!!! It's Metallica's best song.

Like I said, I do not understand the hype. Nothing against the people who like it. It's listenable.
Don't make count how long ago I first listened to this song and album.

Written by F3ynman on 11.07.2021 at 10:49

Is there no such thing as rounding up in your rating system?

Sure there is. But I have an economic background by education. And in the world of economics people tend to round down up to and including .4, while .5 and more is rounded upwards. I have been following this rule since high school.

Written by John_Doe on 11.07.2021 at 11:35


I've always liked Trapped under Ice.

I have never found much in this song. But that is rather me being the exception here -- as opposed to your view of Bell where it is you I guess.

Written by John_Doe on 11.07.2021 at 12:34

Written by gavdann on 11.07.2021 at 12:26

Written by John_Doe on 11.07.2021 at 11:35

I've never understood the hype around For Whom the Bell Tolls, even long ago when I first heard it. Now I skip it when I listen to the album.

Wha!!!! It's Metallica's best song.

Like I said, I do not understand the hype. Nothing against the people who like it. It's listenable.
Don't make count how long ago I first listened to this song and album.

For Whom the Bell Tolls has one of the best instrumental intros of any song. But I admit that the ending is pretty weak with the guitars just whining, it seems like they ran out of ideas near the end of the song . If they had ended it like they ended Creeping Death, then it would definitely be their best song ever

Written by Redel on 11.07.2021 at 16:06

Written by F3ynman on 11.07.2021 at 10:49

Is there no such thing as rounding up in your rating system?

Sure there is. But I have an economic background by education. And in the world of economics people tend to round down up to and including .4, while .5 and more is rounded upwards. I have been following this rule since high school.

Ah ok - I just now saw that you wrote 9.4. For me, the album's probably a 9.8. (You need to listen to Trapped Under Ice again - those riffs near the middle are fantastic!

Has anyone noticed that all songs on this album are about death in some way?
Fight Fire With Fire - death by nuclear war
Ride the Lightning - death by electric chair
For Whom the Bell Tolls - death through war
Fade to Black - death by suicide
Trapped Under Ice - death by... being trapped under ice
Escape - death through oppression
Creeping Death - death by the Angel of Death
Call of Ktulu - death by an ancient sea monster

*face palm*

Written by nonZero on 31.07.2021 at 22:44

A lot of Master of Puppets is about control (drugs, war, religion, etc) so I wonder if those albums were intentionally themed that way.

(Could the songs on ...And Justice for All be about justice? E.g. war veteran, destroying the planet, hating parents, Cliff's passing, etc)

Good idea!
Ride the Lightning: war with death
Master of Puppets: fight for control
.. And Justice for All: battle for (in)justice

How tf can you hate Escape

Written by Jack_Torrance on 06.05.2022 at 17:44

How tf can you hate Escape

"Escape" is probably my least favourite song on the album, but I still think it's a very good song, to me this album is flawless.

Now and then I will listen to remixes of their songs as if it was mixed in this way which says a lot about how this album was head and shoulders above the rest.

Written by F3ynman on 01.08.2021 at 00:42

Good idea!
Ride the Lightning: war with death
Master of Puppets: fight for control
.. And Justice for All: battle for (in)justice

Kill 'em all = Kill them all.

Oh and for the Napster thing, if that's ever still a discussion (doubt it). Lars was right.

Scrolled through the comments to find someone who rated less than 7. No luck.

Greatest Metal album of all time!

Kill ‘Em All is better.

Quality and Quantity. That’s all that can be said. Metallica slowed it down here and starts to distinguish themselves in the metal scene with this perfect album. The album flows like butter, never a dull moment. BRAVE for the time to end with an instrumental. This is the album that started the “Metallica imprint of sound” they are now known for

I prefer the first half over the second one (Although The Call Of Ktulu is excellent). For Whom The Bell Tolls and Fade To Black might be my favorite Metallica songs ever.
Overall great album. I'm not a Metallica fan tbh but I can totally see why people give this a 10.