So not particularly meaningful, but I just realized that this has been the longest stretch they've ever had between new albums. Also, that they released their first four albums in a shorter span of time than the span between Death Magnetic and the followup.
I remember reading years ago that basically, James would rather they record way more often, but that 'other band members' (Lars) kind of keep that from happening. It's a bit of a shame if that's true. I think a slightly quicker pace with album releases, especially if some of the band members want it, could give their writing a bit of momentum, and would let them try out more things without the burden of expectation that comes with releasing one album every half decade or so.
Also, the fact that Rob has been in the band for, what, twelve years? And he's only recorded one Metallica album with them? That's a bit nuts.
As for how eager I am for new Metallica, I'd say that I'm not necessarily on the edge of my seat, but I'll certainly check it out with some interest when they actually get around to releasing it.
Admittedly, because of when I started listening to the band, I feel like I have weird Metallica opinions as far as what I think of past material. Obviously I really like the classic albums, but then with their later output, I'm able to just see that as separate eras and enjoy it for what it is. Load and Reload are obviously very different from what they were doing in the '80s, but I find I'm able to approach them knowing that, and I think there's a lot to like there. It may actually help that, before hearing them for the first time, everything I'd heard about them was extremely negative. So when I actually gave them a listen, and it was just a very different style, a lot of the material exceeded my expectations.
Heck, even with St. Anger I feel like there's a decent album buried in there somewhere, and that a few tweaks with arrangement and production would do wonders.
With Death Magnetic, I like it overall, but the production just isn't there. You either have the brickwalled version that sounds like garbage, or the more dynamic version that, while better, lacks a bit of punch. For lack of a better explanation, I find that Death Magnetic sounds like a demo tape. Like "Hey, there's some good stuff on here. I can't wait to hear the finished product! What? ... Oh...".
Topic: The Metallica Thread v. Reloaded (Read 382412 times)
