METALLICA — Death Magnetic (review)

Album · 2008 · Thrash Metal

1/5 · 2010-04-07
arcane-beautiful

God, Metallica were once an intresting band. The 80's was a great time for them, 4 quite great albums, good songs, they even were flirting with prog and at times classical music, making very beautiful compositions which appeased to both prog and metal fans.

But what is this filth, oh my god. Words can't even describe it.

Basically to put short, ever since Load & Reload (2 quite average albums, but had some good songs on em), Metallica probabbly suffered a brain heamorrage and couldnt make any songs of their own (Garage Inc was actually very good and they performed these covers better than the originals themselves and even better than the music they were currently making.) Then a dangerous flirt with an orchestra (S&M) was very risky but turned out very good, Michael Kameon (RIP) was a great conductor, and Metallica had performed the songs excellently. But then once this century entered, Metallica had just lost it. St. Anger was a poor album, with bad mixing (no snare could be that loud) and the songs were quite poor, but even from that there were some great songs, e.g. Frantic, The Unamed Feeling, Sweet Amber etc. The songs were good, the lyrics had some sense at least and even though there was lack of solos (thank god, the wah was in pain). But the movie was just frightening. No band needs to do this, no band needs a therapist unless something is wrong, there was nothing wrong with any of them (bar Hetfields drink problem). But everyone (except Kirk) came of as not nice people...and can you blame them, i would rather sit on Mike Portnoy's lap than even speak to Lars Ulrich (although sitting on Mike Portnoy's lap wouldnt be too bad...i should try that some day)

But this...ahhhh. God it just reaks bad. Now Rick Rubin is a good producer and one of the only good points about this album is the mixing. Rick did a good job, although he couldnt tame Lars down too much (snare is still a bit clangy) But these songs are just utter sick. They have no real soul or meaning, the lyrics make no sense, it looks like he just took the most stereotypical metal lyrics and just through them together, the solos are back (Kirk, seriously, you're not that good, and you get the feeling that this album was just made so that it gave them a chance to just make a load of money from it just because they knew it would sell and to start touring again (even though it tooka year to make...come on, i could have made it in a night).

1. That Was Just You're Life - Not the worse song in the world, good Tool based intro. Good enough start, but the songs is ruined by the solo (wah wah wah wah)

2. The End Of The Line - Way too much testoesterone, not remerable, and the instrumental sounds like something early Maiden would have thrown away. There's a good Cathedral like riff in it.

3. Broken, Beaten & Scarred - Same as 2 basically, boring and just tedious.

4. The Day That Never Comes - This song isn't that bad, it's listenable. The lyrics are absoulte tripe and the video for the song makes no sense...so you're in Iraq...big woop.

5. All Nightmare Long - One of the o.k. songs, theres another ok Tool like intro, and a riff that sounds like Strapping Young Lad (but is ruined by bad drumming)

6. Cyanide - Utter tripe, if the chorus wasnt' a bit catchy.

7. The Unforgiven III - Probabbly the best song on the album, the lyrics aren't that bad. Before the solo Hetfield hits an intresting note before the solo. The solo is quite good, some nice Maiden esque melodies but is ruined by Kirk's sloppy use of the wah.

8. The Judas Kiss - Snare is too loud, links inbetween the verses aren't that bad. But I fear that Kirk can only play hammer ons.

9. Suicide & Redemption - This song proves my theory that long songs can be at times very boring. Seriously compare this to an early Metallica long instrumental, e.g. The Call Of Kthlu & Orion. Playing the same riff over and over again really. Lyrics could have been easilly added, but do you really want them. You can guess what all these songs sound like.

10. My Apocalypse - I think i turned my c.d. player off so meh.

CONCLUSION - Is this album absolute tripe. Not really, it is very very very bad, but not tripe. There is some ok moments on it, but i think this is the end of all the good metal bands. It is time for newer bands to better em really. Metallica won't make another album for another 20,000 years so it's ok. The best thing about this album was the artwork, it was very intresting, shame about the songs.