The Metallica Thread v. Reloaded

[fadetoblackdude7]

I agree that Am I Savage? is too similar to Am I Evil? But all the other titles are original and badass IMO

[425]

Lyrically, I'd say Het went downhill hard on St. Anger (though to be fair, some of that, like "MY LIFESTYLE DETERMINES MY DEATHSTYLE," can be blamed on Kirk or Lars). The decline to there from the Loads is actually rather shocking, in my opinion. The Loads have some of my favorite Metallica lyrics, and SA is just not good in that department. From SA to DM he definitely took somewhat of a step up, though I don't think he nearly reached back up to the level of lyrical quality on RTL-RL.

At least with DM, though, the lyrics are pretty inoffensive. A majority of the songs are just generic metal imagery that is neither notably good nor notably bad. Some of them seem personal, yes, but it's hard to get much out of them. Usually you can tell what he's singing about but don't really get anything too compelling out of it. At best you get a clever turn of phrase ("Like a poison / That I swallow / But I want the world to die") and at worst you get a line that sounds like it means nothing ("Reaper... butchery / Karma amputee") or is a bit cheesy ("love is a four letter word").

I do think The Unforgiven III has some nice lyrics, but not as good as the first two.

I do worry that he's going to take whatever lack of inspiration he has lyrically and just go for gratuitous violent imagery or profanity for the sake of being "metal." I really don't like that at all, and it does seem like a direction that is possible based on Hardwired and some of the song titles ("Murder One"? Yikes).

[Progmetty]

I actually kinda like Cure

Then it's pretty much just you and me for the 17 years I've been on the internet, through MIRC days to MSN to forums to fb, just you and me
Load was my first tallica album, I bought it a month after Until It Sleeps video premiered on MTV Europe. I was not a rock music kinda kid and my first take after going through the album was Until It Sleeps and Cure were the best songs on it. I was 14. Since then I kept liking Cure but there's at least 4 songs on Load that I liked better as the years went on.
Cure for me was the essence of Load for better or for worse, the vibe of the song is exactly the vibe I get from the front and back cover of the album, that ugly mix of blood, cum and cigar smoke. Back then I had a dream of Cure music video, centered around that picture on the back of the album being in the back room of a church and alternating with them playing in the main hall of the church as people came in to pray individually.
I've always loved the verses with Hetfield spoken word underneath his singing of the same words. The main riff was simple and fun to play so it was one of the very first things I learned on guitar back in the day.

[Progmetty]

Lyrically, I'd say Het went downhill hard on St. Anger (though to be fair, some of that, like "MY LIFESTYLE DETERMINES MY DEATHSTYLE," can be blamed on Kirk or Lars).

I agree but the main thing that stuck with me of how poor the album was in lyrics is the fact that St. Anger's first verse and second verse are the same words.. when I first heard the song I thought it was a demo heh, seriously. Revisiting St. Anger now the whole thing feels like a demo, some ideas that you can take to the studio and work on making them into songs, only they just released them that way, cause they thought it was very metal and "raw"..

At least with DM, though, the lyrics are pretty inoffensive. A majority of the songs are just generic metal imagery that is neither notably good nor notably bad. Some of them seem personal, yes, but it's hard to get much out of them. Usually you can tell what he's singing about but don't really get anything too compelling out of it. At best you get a clever turn of phrase ("Like a poison / That I swallow / But I want the world to die") and at worst you get a line that sounds like it means nothing ("Reaper... butchery / Karma amputee") or is a bit cheesy ("love is a four letter word").

I agree again, but I still liked the lyrics on DM, generic metal lyrics is better than St. Anger lyrics.
But also I think it's very unfair to compare troubled, violent drunk, "I can't hear you motherfuckers!" pre-rehab Hetfield to the sober, well adjusted, take the kids to school, wo't sing So What again, can only tour 2 weeks at a time, "You're the Metallica family" happy Hetfield. It's not the same guy and I personally don't compare them as such.

[Prog Snob]

I can't believe you spent that much time defending a poor album.

He wasn't defending Kill Em All.

A+ post right here.

Also, Prog Snob, that post was like 300 words. How much time do you think I spent on it? If your answer is higher than "10 minutes," you're quite mistaken.

9:58?

[425]

9:56.

I agree again, but I still liked the lyrics on DM, generic metal lyrics is better than St. Anger lyrics.
But also I think it's very unfair to compare troubled, violent drunk, "I can't hear you motherfuckers!" pre-rehab Hetfield to the sober, well adjusted, take the kids to school, wo't sing So What again, can only tour 2 weeks at a time, "You're the Metallica family" happy Hetfield. It's not the same guy and I personally don't compare them as such.

Completely agree. And I think this a good case for why he shouldn't try to go back to writing some form of immature, violent lyrics for the new album.

I also agree that St. Anger feels like a demo. I think it's a demo that has some good ideas that could have been fleshed out a lot more.

[Progmetty]

And I think this a good case for why he shouldn't try to go back to writing some form of immature, violent lyrics for the new album.

But you see that's what his old guy mind is telling him the fans want , that "place" where his pre-stanger lyrics came from, is gone now IMO. And I don't blame him for it, all good things come to an end.
I love Hetfield and that's not really me bashing him, I'm glad he's happy, for all the music and inspiration he has given me through the years. For me to see or to hear Metallica now is to experience the greatest Metallica tribute band available, not quiet Metallica but the best you can get cause the other thing is gone, of natural causes. I hold no contempt against them for the decline and I'm glad they're still out there in whatever form they find comfortable.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Jason Newsted & The Chophouse Band

Pretty cool stuff, like his voice. I liked his Newstedt stuff so i'm not surprised but still, cool hearing him sing stuff like this.

[mikeyd23]

Completely agree. And I think this a good case for why he shouldn't try to go back to writing some form of immature, violent lyrics for the new album.

I agree that people shouldn't expect the same type of lyrics from Het that he pushed out 20 years ago. He's in a completely different place in life.

[PixelDream]

I've actually warmed up a bit to Hardwired. I dig the production, I just hope they'll slow down a bit and let the music breathe in places on the album.

[Onno]

Jason Newsted & The Chophouse Band

Pretty cool stuff, like his voice. I liked his Newstedt stuff so i'm not surprised but still, cool hearing him sing stuff like this.

Oh, that's awesome!

[Progmetty]

Jason Newsted & The Chophouse Band

Pretty cool stuff, like his voice. I liked his Newstedt stuff so i'm not surprised but still, cool hearing him sing stuff like this.

I heard his new interview with Eddie Trunk. I love Newsted and wish he never left but he's been a mess since he left Metallica IMO, all over the place, keeps starting or joining projects and then quitting then goes on to the next thing, I hope this new thing works out.

[Anguyen92]

^^ I honestly felt like Newsted's solo band back around 2013 had some good traction and, whilst it probably wouldn't have any big-time success in today's modern age, it would have had its place in the metal world, especially if they are touring with Megadeth.  Apparently, them having problems with the Soundwave promoter (the festival in Australia) was the factor that put the nail in the coffin in that one.

[Kotowboy]

I thought the NEWSTED album was generic as fuck and really badly produced.

[Prog Snob]

I thought the NEWSTED album was generic as fuck and really badly produced.

I never heard it but I will take your word on it and listen to The Astonishing instead.

[Kotowboy]

I thought the NEWSTED album was generic as fuck and really badly produced.

I never heard it but I will take your word on it and listen to The Astonishing instead.

It's really not punchy at all. The tone is really weak and muddy. They would be good demoes.

[Prog Snob]

So he picked up where St. Anger left off?

[Kotowboy]

And just dialled back the punch and treble.


Check out "soldierhead" in YouTube.

[Zydar]

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/upcoming_releases/lars_the_most_prominent_lyrical_theme_on_the_new_metallica_album.html

Discussing Metallica's upcoming album "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct" with Rolling Stone, Lars Ulrich singled out relationships as one of the record's focal lyrical points.

He said: "There's a lot of dark stuff about relationships. Not just with other people, but the hidden personalities within."

[Kwyjibo]

I'm sure there is a decent drummer and a good lead guitarist hidden somewhere in Metallica, if only they would let them out 

But if this is true

"Most of the songs are simpler. We introduce a mood and we stick to it, rather than songs we've done where one riff happens and we go over here and then over there and becomes a journey through all these different soundscapes. The songs are more linear."

I find it more promising, hoping that means the songs aren't unnecessarily drawn out and bloated.

[Kotowboy]

I find it hilarious when Blabbermouth gets what would be one sentence of news and pads it out with other recent news and slaps a new headline on it.


CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT THE SECRETS OF THE NEW METALLICA ALBUM !!!!


" Lars says it's about relationships...."

PARAGRAPH OF PREVIOUS METALLICA NEWS

SECOND PARAGRAPH OF SLIGHTLY OLDER METALLICA NEWS



And Lars has improved steadily over the years since 2004. His timing is a lot better these days. He still speeds up a bit but it's nowhere near as bad.

When they would play Breadfan recently and it comes to those "stabs" at the end of each verse - he would speed up at least 5 BPM when performing those hits.

He is a lot more even now and he very rarely badly messes up these days like he used to.

His playing on "Hardwired" is pretty damn good for a supposedly "shit" drummer.

[Zook]

Glad to hear he's improved, but there's no "supposedly" about it. For a very long time he was a shit drummer.

[Kotowboy]

Mainly in the 2004 tour. But the whole band was shonky as hell on that tour.

James had zero grit in his voice. Lars was rushing all over the place. The band weren't tight at all.

Just one year before that - they were super tight and firing on all cylinders and they've never quite got back to that level.



Kirk's leads aside - they're all pretty good these days.

[Onno]

Mainly in the 2004 tour. But the whole band was shonky as hell on that tour.

James had zero grit in his voice. Lars was rushing all over the place. The band weren't tight at all.

Just one year before that - they were super tight and firing on all cylinders and they've never quite got back to that level.



Kirk's leads aside - they're all pretty good these days.

Agreed. I recently watched a 2003 show on Youtube, don't remember exactly which one it was, and they were really really good there.
EDIT: Ah, it was the 2003 Rock am Ring show. Didn't watch the whole thing, but what I saw was awesome.

[Kotowboy]

There's a show called " London Riverside Studios " and everything is mixed with zero reverb and it's tight as hell.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGwYiz1TiA

[King Postwhore]

You're welcome. 

https://youtu.be/N4pj7RByIeA

[fadetoblackdude7]

Kids say the darndest things

[Adami]

There's a show called " London Riverside Studios " and everything is mixed with zero reverb and it's tight as hell.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGwYiz1TiA

Of course it sounds tight, the only things audible are guitars and hi hats. Those are the three things they're best at!

[Kotowboy]

ok

[NotePad]

On the albums, does Kirk only record the solos and that's it? Or does he record other rhythm and lead parts? i

And another question, why did Kirk need all those riffs he recorded on his iPhone if he's not even a part of the writing process? Because it sure seems like his only role is coming in to record his solos and that's it.

[mikeyd23]

On the albums, does Kirk only record the solos and that's it? Or does he record other rhythm and lead parts? i

I think from KEA through TBA album, James did all the rhythm and Kirk only did solos or other overdubs. For the Loads and St Anger, Kirk recorded rhythm parts. I believe DM was back to the original formula of James doing all the rhythm and Kirk just contributing solos and overdubs.

And another question, why did Kirk need all those riffs he recorded on his iPhone if he's not even a part of the writing process? Because it sure seems like his only role is coming in to record his solos and that's it.

I think now-a-days everyone in the band (Kirk and Rob included) bring ideas to the writing table and the band writes and jams on ideas together. In the old days, it used to just be James and Lars.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Kids playing metal is usually cute and funny but these guys and the energy they put out is legit fuckin awesome:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woPv8RRYn3s

[Kotowboy]

Perfect ! The drummer even speeds up just like Lars!

Flawless !

[seasonsinthesky]

There's a show called " London Riverside Studios " and everything is mixed with zero reverb and it's tight as hell.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGwYiz1TiA

Of course it sounds tight, the only things audible are guitars and hi hats. Those are the three things they're best at!

And the vocals are super high up. They probably weren't able to do a broadcast mix at the time and were unable to re-mix after. Horrible.

[Kotowboy]

https://metallica.com/blog/news/432106/hardwired-deluxe-sets-update

Hardwired...To Self Destruct is FINISHED !!! 

Also - they've binned off all the demoes from Disc 3 - and replaced them with a studio version of Lords of Summer, their covers of Remember Tomorrow, When A Blind Man Cries and their Ronnie

James Dio Medley.

Plus their gig from Record Store Day AND Hardwired live from Minneapolis.



That's a pretty decent package I must say.