There's Only One Metallica

Introduction

I bought Death Magnetic the first week it came out.  I was nervous when I bout this album because St. Anger, their last one, was one of the worst albums I had ever heard.  For more about why I hated St. Anger see my post about it.

Death Magnetic, however, surprised me.  Just the first song “that was just your life” opened me up to the album.  Soon I was acctualy singing along with a new Metallica album!  Something I never thought I would get to do again.

Songs

That was just your life - a slow intro leading to heavy power cords and great solo riffs from Kirk.  The lyrics are a little disapointing at first, since they still sound a little like St. Anger lyrics.

The day that never comes – their “single” of the album.  They released a music video of this song where they look like their in Iraq or Afghanistan.  This is fitting since the song deals with abuse and a woman’s troubles.  The song is really good with some catchy riffs.  Those that read my blog often will know that I love the moral songs better so it makes sense that this one is my favorite.

The unforgiven III – A good attempt at a third part to the Unforgiven trilogy.  However, this song doesn’t quite live up to the legacy.  I was really excited to see it on the back of the case when I bought it but the song does not really work out the way it should have.  Though I didn’t like it as much, the guys definitely worked hard and incorporated some interesting ideas (like the piano at the beginning).

The Judas Kiss – a great, heavier song.  I find it impressive that at their age they can come up with new riffs, chords, and lyrics like this.  It certainly is a harder song to play and is faster than what they usually do now a days.  This song sounds like it would be with the Master of Puppets album!  Which is a huge triumph since “New Metallica” doesn’t hold a candle to “Old Metallica”!

Cover

A cool looking cover that definitely interests perspective buyers.  It shows a coffin radiating power, which is fitting to the songs in the album.  The pictures are good and show a dedicated group still intent on preforming for their adoring fans.

Conclusion

I was pleasantly surprised by this album and, though it isn’t my favorite album, it is definitely in the top 5.  The riffs are new but remind me of their older songs, the lyrics are original (though a bit still like St. Anger) and their presentation is solid.  I only wish that their was a song that delved into a story or ballad like their cover song Turn The Page did.  I liked this album and hope Metallica will continue their work for the fans that love them.

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These songs express and show that Metallica is not just loud music with head bangers.  It is a smart band that have used their popularity to express important messages through their songs, while still keeping a loud and metal theme!  The following songs best show Metallica’s ability to express important messages in their work…

Fixxxer – Reload

The last song on Metallica’s album Reload is a melody of emotion and passion.  The songs deals with child abuse and invites the listener to understand and appreciate the horrors of this cruel act.  James unleashes his soul while singing and you can truely tell he is feeling the anger and sadness that he is expressing.

Until it Sleeps – Load

Written shortly after James’ mother died from refusing life-saving medication because of the belief that “God would save her”.  James shows the arrogant stupidity of these claims.  This song plays with the conflicting ideas between science and religion.

Hero of the Day – Load

Written to deal with the media, this song caters to those that choose role models like Brittany Spears and Lindsay Lohan.  They ask the listener to respect and admire true hero’s like firefighters and the police, and not look to media heros as role models.

Disposable Heros – Master of Puppets

A great song when thinking of the war.  Metallica mocks the political leaders by immitating their apparent wishes.  Claiming that, “one soldier down, mothers son, but he served us well” is catering to the idea that government leaders must be woken up to the horrors they are inflicting, for usually their own personal gain.  Disposable heroes deals with the fact that some treat our heroes as disposable.

King Nothing – Load

Materialism is not left unchecked by Metallica.  King Nothing expresses the important fact that, although those with power and material objects feel in charge or important, they are no more important than anyone else.  This song also deals with pride and personal egotism.  Lyrics like “where’s your crown king nothing?” show that although these people feel like kings, they have no honor or real importance.

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These are five different songs that opened Metallica up to different audiences.  Metallica has so many fans, of so many different groups, and these groups discovered Metallica through these songs:

5 – Dyers Eve – And Justice for All…

A lightning quick song that amazed thrash and speed metal fans.  This song is so fast that the Metallica today has a very hard time trying to play it like they did those 20 years ago.  Though it is not often played live, it has been played a few times on select tours.  This song, known for it’s speed and powerful chords, opened the heavy metal, thrash metal, and speed metal fans up to Metallica’s ability.

4 – Hero of the Day – Load

One of Metallica’s first slower paced songs.  Though it picks up tempo in the middle, it was rejected at first by Metallica’s fan-base for being too slow and “rockish”.  The Load album was the first of Metallica’s alternative rock experiment and many fans did not approve.  However, many alternative rock fans found this song to be very good and it is now known as one of Metallica’s most famous songs.

3 – Until it Sleeps – Load

A new voice took the reins in the Load album, the secular voice.  The song “Until it Sleeps” was written to tackle some of the popular religious beliefs that James was struggling with.  James’ mother had just died after refusing life-saving medication because she thought that “God would save her”.  James comments on the illogical and showcases the popular, conflicting arguments between science and religion.  This song helped to get Metallica noticed by the atheistic community and the intellectuals who found the song to be an enriching caricature on the debate they were dealing with.

2 – No Leaf Clover – S & M  symphony

Over the years leading up to Metallica’s performance with the San Fransisco orchestra, James was playing around with a few new riffs he hadn’t fit into a song yet.  When the album S & M started recording and Metallica was accompanied by a full orchestra, James’ new riffs found a home in “No Leaf Clover”.  This song was created for the orchestra album and show.  It helped showcase Metallica as not only metal-heads, but as intelligent artists who knew how to create brilliant songs.

1 – Master of Puppets – Master of Puppets

A truly amazing masterpiece of metal banging performance.  This 8 minute song is one of the most popular in the bands history and helped bring Metallica to fame when it was released.  Who couldn’t love the powerful riff, the clever lyrics, or the interesting middle section.  The song topped charts and brought Metallica out in the open for the world to see.

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