The Metallica Thread v. Reloaded

[Peace and Love]

I actually think the worst song on Death Magnetic is The Day that Never Comes. The first half is fine, but the second is terribly forced and has some of the worst riffs they've ever recorded. Many of the songs on that album in general are brought down by a poor instrumental section/solo (The Judas Kiss, BB&S), or by simply being too goddamn long (The End of the Line, S&R). That Was Just Your Life has none of these issues, and Cyanide is close.

I don't agree with it being the worst, but you're absolutely right about the second half of The Day that Never Comes being far, far worse than the first half (which I really like).

I'll add another voice to say that I hate the 2nd half of TDTNC. It's so uninspired - from the Am I Evil? rip-off to Rob's puerile "circus" riff... just awful.

[jakepriest]

The second half of The Day That Never Comes is my favourite Metallica period. 

[425]

425 and "check it out on Spotify" are those two things that don't really go well together.

LOL, accurate. But seriously, while I may check it out at some point, I just really don't care about covers. When I'm watching a Metallica live video/listening to a Metallica live album and they go into one of the covers, I always find myself thinking "okay, can we get past this and play a real Metallica song?"

I agree that nothing on there is better than anything on Death Magnetic (though The Unforgiven III is in my top on that album, so...), but it is well ahead of St. Anger and Kill 'Em All IMO. And its tracks are just as much of Metallica songs as the three non-album tracks you listed before.

Wait....did you just say that Beyond Magnetic was well ahead of Kill 'Em All??

Yes. Outtakes from the time after the band had actually learned how to write songs > unpolished album of thrashy riffs, screechy vocals and lyrics about killing people with rock music.

That's probably too harsh a description of KEA, but I really think it's just an okay album. Nothing special if you take away the context that the band took the best aspects of what they were doing at that time and developed them way more in the future. It's certainly not anything I would ever listen to outside of maybe The Four Horsemen if I didn't like their other stuff. Death Magnetic is a really good album, and while its outtakes are deservedly outtakes, they are fully composed songs that have musical and lyrical depth, and have decent vocal performances. Which places them ahead of at least half the tracks on KEA. Yeah, The Four Horsemen is better than those four tracks. Maybe Seek and Destroy and Phantom Lord, too. But that's probably about it.

Also I don't like thrash.



Least Favorite Tracks on Each Album:
1. Motorbreath (what a bland song)
2. Ride the Lightning (Escape is good fite me)
3. Battery (I don't like thrash)
4. The Shortest Straw (I don't like thrash)
5. Holier Than Thou
6. Wasting My Hate (why)
7. Better Than You (why x2)
8. My World (why x3)
9. My Apocalypse (guess why)
10. Hate Train (this has nothing special)
11. Hardwired (I don't like thrash)

I'm exaggerating how much I don't like thrash—I actually think Battery, The Shortest Straw and My Apocalypse are pretty good songs. But it's safe to say that Metallica's thrashy side is my least favorite side of them, so when it comes down to picking my least favorite songs on pretty consistent albums, guess what I'm going for?

On this list, I only actually think Better Than You and My World are bad songs. I think Motorbreath, Wasting My Hate, Hate Train (basically stop naming songs "hate"—also "my") and Hardwired are pretty bland (and Motorbreath's drug references and mumbly vocal melodies make me less keen on it). The other ones I actually like.

[fadetoblackdude7]

425 and "check it out on Spotify" are those two things that don't really go well together.

LOL, accurate. But seriously, while I may check it out at some point, I just really don't care about covers. When I'm watching a Metallica live video/listening to a Metallica live album and they go into one of the covers, I always find myself thinking "okay, can we get past this and play a real Metallica song?"

I agree that nothing on there is better than anything on Death Magnetic (though The Unforgiven III is in my top on that album, so...), but it is well ahead of St. Anger and Kill 'Em All IMO. And its tracks are just as much of Metallica songs as the three non-album tracks you listed before.

Wait....did you just say that Beyond Magnetic was well ahead of Kill 'Em All??

Yes. Outtakes from the time after the band had actually learned how to write songs > unpolished album of thrashy riffs, screechy vocals and lyrics about killing people with rock music.

That's probably too harsh a description of KEA, but I really think it's just an okay album. Nothing special if you take away the context that the band took the best aspects of what they were doing at that time and developed them way more in the future. It's certainly not anything I would ever listen to outside of maybe The Four Horsemen if I didn't like their other stuff. Death Magnetic is a really good album, and while its outtakes are deservedly outtakes, they are fully composed songs that have musical and lyrical depth, and have decent vocal performances. Which places them ahead of at least half the tracks on KEA. Yeah, The Four Horsemen is better than those four tracks. Maybe Seek and Destroy and Phantom Lord, too. But that's probably about it.

Also I don't like thrash.



Least Favorite Tracks on Each Album:
1. Motorbreath (what a bland song)
2. Ride the Lightning (Escape is good fite me)
3. Battery (I don't like thrash)
4. The Shortest Straw (I don't like thrash)
5. Holier Than Thou
6. Wasting My Hate (why)
7. Better Than You (why x2)
8. My World (why x3)
9. My Apocalypse (guess why)
10. Hate Train (this has nothing special)
11. Hardwired (I don't like thrash)

I'm exaggerating how much I don't like thrash—I actually think Battery, The Shortest Straw and My Apocalypse are pretty good songs. But it's safe to say that Metallica's thrashy side is my least favorite side of them, so when it comes down to picking my least favorite songs on pretty consistent albums, guess what I'm going for?

On this list, I only actually think Better Than You and My World are bad songs. I think Motorbreath, Wasting My Hate, Hate Train (basically stop naming songs "hate"—also "my") and Hardwired are pretty bland (and Motorbreath's drug references and mumbly vocal melodies make me less keen on it). The other ones I actually like.

Ride the Lightning being your least favorite song = spectacular fail

EDIT: I know it's all opinion, just giving you shit lol

[425]

To be fair, RTL is one of those albums where I think all the songs are very good and it's hard to pick a "least favorite" (keeping in mind that unlike most I actually think Escape is a really good song). The main reason I pick Ride the Lightning is because I'm not a huge fan of the vocal melodies.

[Train of Naught]

It just sucks that Garage Inc is most of the time represented in live shows by one of the worst songs Metallica has ever done: Whiskey in the Jar. wow, I hate that song so much.

The album is definitely worth a try, some absolute gold on there like Turn the Page (Bob Seger) and Astronomy (Blue Öyster Cult)

[twosuitsluke]

It just sucks that Garage Inc is most of the time represented in live shows by one of the worst songs Metallica has ever done: Whiskey in the Jar. wow, I hate that song so much.

The album is definitely worth a try, some absolute gold on there like Turn the Page (Bob Seger) and Astronomy (Blue Öyster Cult)

And of course the amazing Mercyful Fate medley!! One of my all time faves. I find Whiskey overrated too if I'm honest.

[Kotowboy]

It just sucks that Garage Inc is most of the time represented in live shows by one of the worst songs Metallica has ever done: Whiskey in the Jar. wow, I hate that song so much.

The album is definitely worth a try, some absolute gold on there like Turn the Page (Bob Seger) and Astronomy (Blue Öyster Cult)

My fave thing on Garage Inc is " The More I See ". It's heavy as fuck and awesome.

Plus Turn The Page of course, It's Electric.

[Onno]

Garage, Inc. has a lot of awesome stuff. I don't really like the Motörhead covers that much, but most of them are all right. But Metallica really are very good at covers.

[fadetoblackdude7]

As much as I can't stand medleys, their Mercyful Fate medley is outstanding.

[PixelDream]

I'm doing a favorite studio albums list because I'm bored and on a Metallica kick.

1. Master of Puppets
2. The Black Album
3. Ride the Lightning
4. Load
5. ...And Justice For All
(Garage Inc.)
6. Kill 'Em All
7. Re-Load
8. St. Anger
9. Death Magnetic

I used to rate AJFA much higher and 'One' is definitely a top 3 Metallica song for me, maybe their best. But I revisited it and I realized that a lot of songs sound very samey. Nothing really sticks with me besides 'Blackened', 'One' and 'To Live is to Die'. The complexity was groundbreaking for the band, but the songs feel overly long and contrived. They were right on the money with TBA having hookier songs and just more groove-oriented IMO.

[Kotowboy]

Death Magnetic worse than St. Anger ?

[Adami]

Death Magnetic worse than St. Anger ?

That's a tough one for me since those are my bottom two anyway, but depending on the day, I might put DM below St. Anger. At least there was an authenticity behind St. Anger, granted it was an authentic sense of confusion but still. DM is just hollow and empty to me.

[Kotowboy]

DM is harder to listen to for the clipping but the songwriting is just far better on DM.

SA is brutal and honest but vert repetitive. There is a kind of dishonesty in the cut and paste arranging but there is a fucking fire in their bellies.

DM may have been looking backwards but I think it was a step in the right direction.

[fadetoblackdude7]

Ride The Lightning
Master Of Puppets
Metallica

...And Justice For All
Kill 'Em All
Load
Reload
Death Magnetic




St. Anger

[Adami]

This is actually a really cool video. Dude made a demo to show what (instrumental parts) of Hardwired would have sounded like with the recording and tones of their first few albums.

Makes me realize how much I don't really dig the new Metallica guitar tones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE2rgWFAO2A

[Tomislav95]

This is actually a really cool video. Dude made a demo to show what (instrumental parts) of Hardwired would have sounded like with the recording and tones of their first few albums.

Makes me realize how much I don't really dig the new Metallica guitar tones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE2rgWFAO2A

Cool video
RtL tone is especially on point.

[PixelDream]

Yes, St. Anger above Death Magnetic. Even though Death Magnetic was a step in the right direction. I would even agree that Death Magnetic has better music on it. But somehow I still give the edge to St. Anger, simply because of how brutally daring and different that one was at the time. Death Magnetic is basically Metallica going back to their older style, but just less good than they used to be. I don't really get excited by that approach.

[bl5150]

1. Master of Puppets
2. The Black Album
3. Ride the Lightning
4. Load
5. ...And Justice For All
(Garage Inc.)
6. Kill 'Em All
7. Re-Load
8. St. Anger
9. Death Magnetic

I used to rate AJFA much higher and 'One' is definitely a top 3 Metallica song for me, maybe their best. But I revisited it and I realized that a lot of songs sound very samey. Nothing really sticks with me besides 'Blackened', 'One' and 'To Live is to Die'. The complexity was groundbreaking for the band, but the songs feel overly long and contrived. They were right on the money with TBA having hookier songs and just more groove-oriented IMO.

Aside from having DM higher (about No 5) I agree with pretty much everything above.

[TheCountOfNYC]

My ranking.

1: Master of Puppets
2: ...And Justice For All
3: Death Magnetic
4: Kill 'Em All
5: The Black Album
6: Ride the Lightning
7: ReLoad
8: St. Anger
9: Load

[pogoowner]

1. ...And Justice for All
2. Master of Puppets
3. Ride the Lightning
4. The Black Album
5. Load
6. Reload
7. Death Magnetic
8. Kill 'Em All
9. St. Anger

[Adami]

A new Metallica album is coming out and we're doing our 4th rank/list of the week?

-sigh-

1. ....And Justice for All
2. The Black Album
3. Master of Puppets
4. Load/Reload
5. Ride the Lightning
6. Kill em All
7. St. Anger
8. Death Magnetic

[twosuitsluke]

1. Ride the Lightning (probably my #1 album of all time)
2. Master of Puppets
3. The Black Album
4. S&M
5. ...And Justice for All
6. Garage Inc
7. Kill 'em All
8. Death Magnetic
9. Load
10. Reload
11. St. Anger

[425]

Album ranking? Okay. This is where I kill just all the sacred cows.

1. Ride the Lightning

2. The Black Album
3. Death Magnetic
4. ...And Justice for All

5. Load
6. Master of Puppets
7. Reload

8. Kill 'Em All
9. St. Anger

[jammindude]

1. Ride the Lightning
2. Master of Puppets
3. ...And Justice For All
4. Kill 'Em All


5. Death Magnetic
6. St. Anger
7. The Black Album
8. Load/Reload

[krands85]

1. Master of Puppets
2. Ride the Lightning
3. ...And Justice for All

4. Death Magnetic
5. Metallica


6. Kill 'em All



7. Load
8. Reload




9. St. Anger

[aurorablind]

1. ....And Justice for All
2. Master of Puppets
3. Load
4. Ride the lightning
5. Black Album
6. Kill 'em all
7. Reload
8. Death Magnetic




9. St. Anger






10. Lulu

[ariich]

It's that time again, is it?!

1. ...And Justice for All
2. Load
3. Master of Puppets
4. Metallica
5. Death Magnetic
6. Ride the Lightning /
=. Reload
8. Kill 'Em All
9. St. Anger

[Dave_Manchester]

Masterpieces: 1) Master of Puppets, 2) And Justice For All, 3) Load, 4) Ride The Lightning

Great: 5) Reload

Decent: 6) The Black Album, 7) Death Magnetic

Not keen on: 8) Kill Em All, 9) St Anger

[TAC]

1. Kill 'Em All
2. Justice
3. Master Of Puppets
4. Ride The Lightning
5. The Black Album
6. Death Magnetic



7. Load











8. St. Anger

9. Reload

[Kwyjibo]

Load (the most consistent and varied album, and yes, I'm serious)
The Black Album (heavy but without much of the bloated stuff of the previous albums)
Master Of Puppets (half absolute classic, half nearly forgettable)
Ride The Lightning (good but not that great)
.
And Justice For All (with better production it might be higher, but not much)
.
.
.
Kill 'em All (I like the raw energy but not most of the songs)
Death Magnetic (some decent songs but most are too long and bloated)
.
.
ReLoad (clearly the leftovers, one or two good tracks)
.
.
.
St. Anger (just no)

[BlobVanDam]

Again? Really? Ok...........

1. The Black Album
2. And Justice For All (although I can't really listen to it any more because of the production)
3. Kill 'em All
4. Master Of Puppets

5. Load
6. Ride The Lightning
7. Reload
8. Death Magnetic



9. St. Anger


I'm splitting hairs to separate AJFA/KEA/MOP, because they're all so damn good.

[KevShmev]

Too easy...

1. Master of Puppets
2. Ride the Lightning
3. Metallica
4. ...And Justice for All
5. Load
6. Death Magnetic
7. ReLoad
8. Kill' Em All
9. St. Anger

[TAC]

Blob, glad to see you rate KEA so high.

[ariich]

2. And Justice For All (although I can't really listen to it any more because of the production)

Have you heard the Mastered for iTunes version? I think it sounds much better, but I've not done a proper side-by-side comparison so I can't tell whether I've just got so used to the original production and love the songs so much that actually it could be barely different. It's obviously the same mix so you still can't really hear the bass guitar, but the EQ of the master feels quite different and much fuller to me.