The Metallica Thread v. Reloaded

[TAC]

There was a point in time, in the late 80's where Metallica was the coolest, most exciting metal band around. Their music was interesting and captivating. And as much as I now like TBA, the day I heard it, I knew it was over.

[jammindude]

The automatic conclusion that written fast = POS is about the dumbest musical conclusion I've ever heard.

Many of the greatest songs in history were written in less time than it took to play them.

I'm not saying that this is Stairway to Heaven... Only pointing out that the logic of equating fast with bad is stupid.

[Zook]

The fact that it was written as a last minute add on only adds to the giant pile of mediocrity that it is. Train of Thought was written in what, 3 weeks? The difference is Dream Theater gave a shit. Metallica stopped caring years ago because they know they don't have to anymore. St. Anger and Death Magnetic sold 3 trillion copies in the first week because Metallica was on the cover. Not because they were any good.

[black_biff_stadler]

 

Just seen this on Facebook.

Trump in the Fire

More like a side of shit.

Christ, I'm dyin 

[Adami]

Metallica stopped caring years ago because they know they don't have to anymore. St. Anger and Death Magnetic sold 3 trillion copies in the first week because Metallica was on the cover. Not because they were any good.

.........it's like you're in my head.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Metallica stopped caring years ago because they know they don't have to anymore. St. Anger and Death Magnetic sold 3 trillion copies in the first week because Metallica was on the cover. Not because they were any good.

.........it's like you're in my head.

Outta my head
Outta my head
GITEM outta my head
Outta my head
GETEM OUTT

[jammindude]

I like it when James says "go" and the other guys go when he says it. 

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

More like a side of shit.

I listened to it again and can't believe how generic and bad it is.

Aw, come on. It's not the best Metallica song but there are quite a lot of worse Metallica tunes out there. Remember those horrible Reload songs? St. Anger? Lords of Summer?

[Adami]

More like a side of shit.

I listened to it again and can't believe how generic and bad it is.

Aw, come on. It's not the best Metallica song but there are quite a lot of worse Metallica tunes out there. Remember those horrible Death Magnetic songs? St. Anger? Lords of Summer?

Totally.

[Adami]

Also just noticed this song is in E and not Eb.

Think they'll play it live in Eb like they did with all of the DM songs?

It's quite a strange thing to record albums in one tuning and then immediately play them live in a different tuning.

[BlobVanDam]

Also just noticed this song is in E and not Eb.

Think they'll play it live in Eb like they did with all of the DM songs?

It's quite a strange thing to record albums in one tuning and then immediately play them live in a different tuning.

I'd guess they'll do the same as they did for DM.

I actually prefer they do it this way. It's not a huge difference to do it in standard tuning in the studio where it will sound better, then play it live in the lower key to make it easier on Het to sing the whole show.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Slightly off-track, but am I the only one that actually likes LoS? I remember I was actually really hyped for the MT10 after hearing it for the first time, but now it isn't even on the main album & seems to have a generally negative reception...

[Kotowboy]

I didn't mind it at the time but now - listening to the demo - it sounds terrible.

[BlobVanDam]

I remember it being average, but a much better direction and song than Hardwired.

[Adami]

It had some cool riffs, and some "Let's try to sound like Metallica" riffs, but still mostly bad vocals.

Lords of Summer, that is.


Seriously James, what is going on with you?

[twosuitsluke]

Hetfield used to write the coolest fucking lyrics.

I don't know where it went wrong but somewhere along the line he lost the ability. I think before they became the biggest metal band on the planet (after the Black Album) they had consistently released amazing records that were well received and probably thought they could do no wrong. Then Load/Reload came and suddenly some people weren't happy with their output (you could argue this happened when the Black Album was released but even if the hardcore, oldschool fans didn't like it so much it made them fucking huge!).

I think since then they have almost been trying to play catch up and recapture what it is that the fans loved. I think maybe they started second guessing themselves at this point. I don't know if Het is trying too hard to write 'cool' lyrics but he generally fails and it's a shame. I don't feel they've taken any true risks and recorded an album truly for themselves since Load/Reload. As that was generally not so well received they second guess now and try to play it safe.

You could argue that St Anger was a risk, and I guess it was, but I think that was a reaction to metal coming out at that time and Metallica attempting (and failing) to keep up with the times. I don't think that was truly the album that Metallica recorded for themselves without any thought put into whether  it would be a hit or return to glory.

Just my two cents though.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Slightly off-track, but am I the only one that actually likes LoS? I remember I was actually really hyped for the MT10 after hearing it for the first time, but now it isn't even on the main album & seems to have a generally negative reception...

It's ok. Better than anyone here gives it credit for.

[Kotowboy]

The song could have been good but the recording of it is pure arse.

[Kotowboy]

Listening to Hardwired - I really enjoy the arrangement of it.

It reminds me of a Black Album track. I love all the little turnarounds in between verses.

And the ending 

The 1 bar E string chug with snare roll and then DUN DUN DUH!!!!! to silence with that massive reverb....

Fuck I love that bit.

[Dream Team]

Listening to Hardwired - I really enjoy the arrangement of it.

It reminds me of a Black Album track. I love all the little turnarounds in between verses.

And the ending 

The 1 bar E string chug with snare roll and then DUN DUN DUH!!!!! to silence with that massive reverb....

Fuck I love that bit.

Yes, some cool heavy stuff going on. I'm glad they're not pandering to the "play slower" zealots and are still recording stuff faster than 60bpm.

[Kotowboy]

Although I would like some slow songs too like Sad But True, Thing That Should Not Be or Devil's Dance...

[BlobVanDam]

Listening to Hardwired - I really enjoy the arrangement of it.

It reminds me of a Black Album track. I love all the little turnarounds in between verses.

And the ending 

The 1 bar E string chug with snare roll and then DUN DUN DUH!!!!! to silence with that massive reverb....

Fuck I love that bit.

Yes, some cool heavy stuff going on. I'm glad they're not pandering to the "play slower" zealots and are still recording stuff faster than 60bpm.

Lol I don't think that's a thing. Instead they're pandering to the clingy thrash fans who only like their music if it's playing the E string as fast as possible at 200bpm. But Metallica are just not good at that style of music anymore. Kirk and Lars are serious liabilities. They should be slowing down.

[Train of Naught]

Listening to Hardwired - I really enjoy the arrangement of it.

It reminds me of a Black Album track. I love all the little turnarounds in between verses.

And the ending 

The 1 bar E string chug with snare roll and then DUN DUN DUH!!!!! to silence with that massive reverb....

Fuck I love that bit.

Yes, some cool heavy stuff going on. I'm glad they're not pandering to the "play slower" zealots and are still recording stuff faster than 60bpm.

Lol I don't think that's a thing. Instead they're pandering to the clingy thrash fans who only like their music if it's playing the E string as fast as possible at 200bpm. But Metallica are just not good at that style of music anymore. Kirk and Lars are serious liabilities. They should be slowing down.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Kotowboy]

Ah. I was wondering how long it would take Blob to post about "thrashing the E string at 200BPM"


If the album has a mix of all their styles then I don't care. This is one song - which was written specifically to open the album with a band - there is +/- 77 minutes and 11 tracks remaining.

Even Death Magnetic had two or three "ballady" songs.

[Anguyen92]

Quite frankly, I'm finding metal that does nothing but go fast, fast, fast too fatiguing to listen through a whole album nowadays and an easy way to desensitize a listener and could burn out the musicians.  I rather hear metal that's more slow and broody and doomy and I think Gojira did a solid job of that in their latest album, even if that doomy, gloomy, stuff is not for me.  They weren't spamming notes endlessly.

I mean Metallica certainly is more than capable enough to slow things down, make their key fast moments of songs look more meaningful, as oppose to "What just happened?  Everything I listened to was a big blur." and Death Magnetic certainly had those moments where them slowing down at the right moment made the faster parts mean a lot more (to me, this happened in Suicide and Redemption and I liked that instrumental). 

So hopefully, Metallica still knows how to time the right moments to go fast or slow, or else, I might just have a hard time picking songs from the album that I enjoy listening to, since it could be just all a blur like when I heard Hardwired.

[KevShmev]

Regarding my low opinion of this new song, it is worth pointing out that the metal I usually like is not the lightning fast speed metal.  As awesome as I think Master of Puppets is, for example, the two speed metal tunes, Battery and Damage, Inc., are my two least favorites.  So I am not predisposed to like a song like this new one, but the lyrics are so laughably bad that it's impossible for me to take seriously.

[Kotowboy]

I'm guessing the lyrics were deliberately cliche.

[Enigmachine]

In my mind, it works well because it's down-to-earth, high-energy and doesn't waste any time. It doesn't pretend to be intelligent or revolutionary, it just rocks and I like that.

[Adami]

I'm guessing the lyrics were deliberately cliche.

Why?

[KevShmev]

That sounds like code for "made them up as we went along even though they make us sound like meathead metal."  I can't imagine they spent more than a few minutes working on those lyrics.

[Kotowboy]

That sounds like code for "made them up as we went along even though they make us sound like meathead metal."  I can't imagine they spent more than a few minutes working on those lyrics.

And this ruins your day because...?

[KevShmev]

Who said it ruined my day?  Don't get pissy just because all of us don't like what will likely be deemed a forgettable song by a washed up metal band. 

[SystematicThought]

Really wish I had tickets for tonight's show. Not only to check out the new stadium but just to experience the show. It should be really cool!

[Adami]

In my mind, it works well because it's down-to-earth, high-energy and doesn't waste any time. It doesn't pretend to be intelligent or revolutionary, it just rocks and I like that.

I mean, I really like that you dig the song. I don't have a major problem with outside of the awful lyrics and half-assed vocals. But, it seems what you're saying is akin to "the song ain't trying to be smart. It's dumb and it's proud to be dumb and that's what a rocking song should be"

I apologize for making it overly blunt and a bit more extreme than you likely meant it, but it's still a constantly lowering standard we give these bands. Look at Metallica's biggest hit metal songs.

Master of Puppets, Creeping Death, Four Horsemen, One, just to name a few.

They were intelligent songs, with thought provoking, or at least well written lyrics. Those are their huge hits. No one really listens to those kinds of songs because they're not trying to be intelligent.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

FYI, I'm at the concert in Minneapolis and you guys are not.