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Band Name: Metallica
Album Name: Metallica
Rating: 5 / 5 User Rating: 4.6 / 5
Label: Elektra Records
Buy Album: Amazon.com
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Tracklist
Enter Sandman
Sad but True
Holier Than Thou
The Unforgiven
Wherever I May Roam
Don't Tread on Me
Through the Never
Nothing Else Matters
Of Wolf and Man
The God That Failed
My Friend Of Misery
The Struggle Within
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One of metal's all-time most triumphant moments, the self-titled, fifth full-length release from these Bay Area bashers shows a refined, stripped-down sound in compassion to the overtly technical '…And Justice For All' as well as a move away from the tinny sound of that record in favor of a much beefier mix. James Hetfield's vocal approach here is deeper and more rumbling than ever, matching well with the mammoth strains of 'Sad But True' as Lars Ulrich's precise timely pounding carries the load. 'Holier Than Thou' kicks in with a suitably thrashing riff, this up-tempo rager being one of the album's most metal moments. Bassist Jason Newsted provides not only a substantial bass performance on the sure-footed 'Of Wolf And Man', but contributes some authoritative backing vocals as well, a component Metallica records had sorely missed in the past.
Mournful dirging ensues with the uncharacteristically melodic hit 'The Unforgiven', where lead guitarist Kirk Hammett chips in a highly emotional solo that bursts with feeling. By this point, Hammett had developed into a masterful player, pulling influence from a wide assortment of stylizations in order to make up his soulful, original sounding style of soloing. Metallica delve further into sonic experimentation on the Middle Eastern sounding 'Wherever I May Roam', a track that has since become a live staple as well as a fan favorite.
The group rekindles the vibes of their thrash metal roots on the burly, hammering 'Through The Never', whilst injecting a forceful chorus that paves the way for yet another slick, tasty Hammett lead. 'The God That Failed' kicks off in very similar fashion to Megadeth's 'Dawn Patrol' before lapsing into a crunching lurch as Hetfield spits forth determinedly noxious vox and 'The Struggle Within' marches forward into a kicking groove with no remorse whatsoever, ending the record in assuredly intense fashion.
Ultimately, it would be the character of two extremely diverse offerings that would characterize this enormously popular release, the textured, slowly building 'Enter Sandman' (the album's first single) and its polar opposite, the deeply introverted and tuneful 'Nothing Else Matters.' The former would go on to become one of the most recognized songs in all of heavy metal while the latter would cast light on the group's ever growing diversity, proving that even the hardest of the hard have their softer, more sympathetic moments.
Dubbed 'The Black Album' for it's dim looking, minimalistic cover depicting a barely readable Metallica logo and a patently recognizable serpent symbol, 'Metallica' would go on to sell millions and millions of copies, making the still youthful four piece the most extreme metal ensemble to reach such a massive degree of popularity. If, for some unknown reason, you are not in possession of this massive metal milestone you should feel shamed, indeed.
Review by: EF
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