METALLICA — Hardwired... to Self-Destruct (review)

METALLICA — Hardwired... to Self-Destruct album cover

Album · 2016 · Heavy Metal

4/5 · 2017-01-14
Nightfly

Like many I’d long since given up caring about whether Metallica released another album or not. Years of releasing mediocrity when around them others were releasing vital and brilliant pieces of work. I’m not just talking about newer bands here either. Take Exodus and Testament for example – two bands from the same era as Metallica who have still been releasing incredibly good albums for years with only the occasional misstep. The last Metallica album I was remotely excited about was the so called Black Album and even that paled in comparison to their 80’s output baring the poorly produced …And Justice For All. Load and re-Load would have made one strong album between them. St Anger was another album marred by bizarre production decisions, mainly in the drum sound but contained a few inspiring moments. Death Magnetic was a step in the right direction though lacking killer material again and an overly harsh production. Lulu was a brave experiment that delivered little but I have more time for it than most seem to, it has to be said, though it rarely leaves the shelf.

The initial signs were promising, Hardwired was the first song to be released and it showed Metallica as a vital force again with a strong performance from all and a return to their thrash roots with some killer riffage – total shock! Not quite as good but not far behind were the next two pre-album releases Moth Into Flame and Atlas, Arise!, both packing plenty of punch. I was really getting interested now and November the album finally arrived. First off, let’s say that it’s a very good and often excellent album. It’s also a long album spread over two discs on both vinyl and Cd versions. Many have said it’s too long at almost eighty minutes but as far as I’m concerned that’s only a problem if it’s sub-standard. For the most part here that’s not the case though a bit of careful editing wouldn’t have hurt. Hardwired…To Self-Destruct as most will know by now is not however an overall return to their thrash roots which is hardly surprising really. Most of the material plods along at a mid-pace the way much of their 90’s output did. The first sign of this comes three songs in with the seven minute Now That We’re Dead. Fortunately it’s still a great song with a memorable hook. Am I Savage, Halo On Fire and Confusion to name a few occupy that similar Black album/Load territory. Some of them slightly outstay their welcome at the seven/eight minute mark with not quite enough variation to sustain them, Halo On Fire being a case in point, though in the main are saved by strong songwriting. A late surprise is last track Spit Out The Bone which is the best song on the album belting along at a fair pace with a killer riff and capturing them in full on thrash mode. The seven minutes fly by!

Hardwired… is also the best sounding Metallica since Re-Load with a thick and powerful production lacking the harshness of Death Magnetic. The band play well throughout with moments of brilliance and the often maligned Lars Ulrich plays his best drums for at least twenty years. Not in terms of complexity but solid as a rock with a strong groove.

I’m happier with this album than I ever dared hope but a couple more up-tempo songs placed mid album could have helped with the overall pacing. If you want ground-breaking however don’t come here, but Hardwired…To Self-Destruct is certainly a strong traditional metal album intermittently delving into thrash. No doubt many will still dismiss it but it’s an album they can be rightly proud of.