Death Magnetic is a damn good effort by Metal's biggest act, there are two ways to review this album, one is by thinking who's made it and what they've done before (good and bad) and the other is to review it as a stand alone album, the latter is definitely the fairer way to review it, but also it's nigh on impossible, at least for me. so i'm going to try both!On a first listen it's apparent that Metallica have REALLY REALLY REALLY tried hard to make an album that not only rocks, but makes everybody happy revisiting alot of styles from their back catalogue.
The first thing that stands out is that this band have made an incredible effort in recording this album and writing the songs, taking a multitude of influences and blending them into a nice concuction that usually falls somewhere between Pantera and Megadeth.
Robert Truillio is The best thing to happen to Metallica since Cliff Burton, he's breathed some fresh air into them and helped them get back on their feet and start running again.The band feels very comfortable with sharp turns and twists, and the sound is not only a nice refreshing change, but also each member has a nice commanding prescence, with impressive performances by the Vocalist and Basist.
ok enough of that, it's too hard
Overall this album makes me feel 10 again discovering the Titan Metallica for the first time, left open mouthed by their power and being slammed into a wall at a million miles an hour. I've read countless comparisons to previous Metallica albums, and although there are tastes or rather influences from said albums, Death Magnetic sounds mostly like Death Magnetic. It's just like hearing Ride the Lightning or ...And Justice For All for the first time, it's a new chapter in Metallica, and for 12 or so years the first one that's not been dissapointing. Sorry Dave but this album tears United Abominations apart, chews it up, swallows it, digests it and then excrets it all over every Megadeth album released after Countdown to Extinction. Can this album reach the highs of the first four?
After Metallica have let so many people down before I doubt it, but HAD this album been released instead of load, and HAD the whole napster kerfuffle never happened, i'd say definately, but that hurt and resentmant Metallica caused can't be burried or forgotten by most people, and that's understandable. What i will say is every song on this album will sound fitting played live with Seek and Destroy and Creeping Death.
That was just your Life
Ripping the album open in true Metallica style, That was just your life is the kind of song you want to have blairing out your speakers in your 70s muscle car as you mow down innocent bystanders and pedestrians. A true neck jerking onslaught of powerful and sharp riffing with a catchy chorus, this song is everything good about Metallica wrapped up in a nice package. I've heard comparisons to Blackend, but those are false, I'd put it more along the lines of Holier than Thou meets Lepper Messiah.
The End of the Line
This song starts off with the intro of 'Death is not the end' you know that song they played live a while back and someone did a cover version on youtube, that was half decent song, but this is much better, the main verse shares a vocal likeness to the 'time has taken it's toll on you..' bit of The Four Horsemen, it's probably intentional and the mixture along with the groovy bouncing of Rob's bass works wonders, the slowdown and build up around 6:00 is pure musical genius, kind of showing a load influence, but in a good way.
Broken, Beat and Scarred
This is one of those songs that that you just can't help singing along to 'Show your Scars' for some reason it reminds me of no remorse even though it doesn't really sound like it at all. The sound visits ground where Metallica have never really been before, but it sounds like Metallica.
The Day that never Comes
The tried and tested formula of a slowbit, heavy bit, slow bit, heavybit, really heavy bit works wonders in the first single off of Death Magnetic. with the slow bit being one of the slowest softest metallica have done, think Nothing else matters/mamma said,exploding into an onslaught of intense manic riffage and pounding bass guitar, think Damage inc. You see the two extremes of Metallica and the song really grows on you and as part of the album sounds much better than on it's own. I'd give it an over all vibe of Load 1st half, Sanitarium 2nd half.
All Nightmare Long
Luck Runs out! Another real taste of Metallica's 'new sound' like Broken Beat and Scared, and one of my favorite tracks on the Album, another real neck jerker here. A couple of riffs from 'Vulturus' grace the mid section and accompany a most delicious solo nicely.
Cyanide
OK We've all heard this one before, and it's in some ways one of the better songs on the album, in others it's one of the worst, i think it really takes some getting used to, it's very jigsawed and doesn't seem to flow as smoothly as all the others, but at the same time it's a really identifiable song that sticks out from the crowd.
The Unforgiven III
I was very scepticle when the Titles were released and to see Unforgiven III on the list, i wasn't to suprised that it's my least favorite track on the album, it starts of with piano, and moves on to a very eeerie clean riff which is probably the best bit of the song, it proceeds into a very 'bleeding me' sounding verse followed by a megadethy sounding bridge. Better than the Unforgiven II but not as good as the original.
The Judas Kiss
Yes it starts with that riff from the Album name anouncement video, a bit start stop at first but soon progresses in to a damn fine neck jerker. BOW DOWN SELL YOUR SOUL TO ME!
Suicide and redemption
This is never gonna be another Ktulu or Orion, but i don't think it's too far behind To Live is to Die. though the style isn't really Metallica.
My Apocalypse
Damn fine Thrasher, sounds like it could be on Kill Em All, and keeps up the Metallica tradition of ending an album with a blast.
That was just your Life
Ripping the album open in true Metallica style, That was just your life is the kind of song you want to have blairing out your speakers in your 70s muscle car as you mow down innocent bystanders and pedestrians. A true neck jerking onslaught of powerful and sharp riffing with a catchy chorus, this song is everything good about Metallica wrapped up in a nice package. I've heard comparisons to Blackend, but those are false, I'd put it more along the lines of Holier than Thou meets Lepper Messiah.
The End of the Line
This song starts off with the intro of 'Death is not the end' you know that song they played live a while back and someone did a cover version on youtube, that was half decent song, but this is much better, the main verse shares a vocal likeness to the 'time has taken it's toll on you..' bit of The Four Horsemen, it's probably intentional and the mixture along with the groovy bouncing of Rob's bass works wonders, the slowdown and build up around 6:00 is pure musical genius, kind of showing a load influence, but in a good way.
Broken, Beat and Scarred
This is one of those songs that that you just can't help singing along to 'Show your Scars' for some reason it reminds me of no remorse even though it doesn't really sound like it at all. The sound visits ground where Metallica have never really been before, but it sounds like Metallica.
The Day that never Comes
The tried and tested formula of a slowbit, heavy bit, slow bit, heavybit, really heavy bit works wonders in the first single off of Death Magnetic. with the slow bit being one of the slowest softest metallica have done, think Nothing else matters/mamma said,exploding into an onslaught of intense manic riffage and pounding bass guitar, think Damage inc. You see the two extremes of Metallica and the song really grows on you and as part of the album sounds much better than on it's own. I'd give it an over all vibe of Load 1st half, Sanitarium 2nd half.
All Nightmare Long
Luck Runs out! Another real taste of Metallica's 'new sound' like Broken Beat and Scared, and one of my favorite tracks on the Album, another real neck jerker here. A couple of riffs from 'Vulturus' grace the mid section and accompany a most delicious solo nicely.
Cyanide
OK We've all heard this one before, and it's in some ways one of the better songs on the album, in others it's one of the worst, i think it really takes some getting used to, it's very jigsawed and doesn't seem to flow as smoothly as all the others, but at the same time it's a really identifiable song that sticks out from the crowd.
The Unforgiven III
I was very scepticle when the Titles were released and to see Unforgiven III on the list, i wasn't to suprised that it's my least favorite track on the album, it starts of with piano, and moves on to a very eeerie clean riff which is probably the best bit of the song, it proceeds into a very 'bleeding me' sounding verse followed by a megadethy sounding bridge. Better than the Unforgiven II but not as good as the original.
The Judas Kiss
Yes it starts with that riff from the Album name anouncement video, a bit start stop at first but soon progresses in to a damn fine neck jerker. BOW DOWN SELL YOUR SOUL TO ME!
Suicide and redemption
This is never gonna be another Ktulu or Orion, but i don't think it's too far behind To Live is to Die. though the style isn't really Metallica.
My Apocalypse
Damn fine Thrasher, sounds like it could be on Kill Em All, and keeps up the Metallica tradition of ending an album with a blast.
Overall it's a nice concoction of songs, though i can't give it more than 9/10 as a couple of things let it down.
Well worth ordering the coffin box off mission: metallica if there are any left, they have them on play.com too.
9/10
