Controversial opinions on metal

[EspaDa]

^Yeah, especially the instrumental part around 5:30 in The Day That Never Comes, although the song itself is really decent.

 

[waif]

There is a significant drop in quality after Reign in Blood and it wasn't simply due to the slowed down tempo on South of Heaven. They all but lost the menacing songwriting that made the previous three so great and instead opted for a more cinematic feeling of "evil" which didn't ultimately work for their style. I think it goes without saying that Tom Araya deciding to use half-sung vocals on the album was a bad plan and his vocals only seem to have gotten worse since. I still like South of Heaven and Seasons in the Abyss but it was a step in the wrong direction for the band. The latter album has a few decent tracks but is still only passable at best.

South of Heaven, at its best, is creepy. Reign in Blood, at its best, is borderline terrifying. I'm not sure that Slayer had another album of that magnitude in them after RiB, but a different direction would definitely have been good. Not sure they really could have gotten faster and less traditionally melodic, though, which was the trend up until that point.

But with metallica its in the opposite direction for me - I simply love St. Anger and Death magnetic, but hate anything released by metallica before that. Really controversial I know.

I have never encountered anyone who thought this, so congratulations on having an original opinion regarding Metallica. That's pretty rare.

On the other hand, oh my god you're so wrong. Ride the Lightning is one of the greatest metal albums of all time.

 

[Dak]

There are some solid songs/moments in DM, and I even like a couple of songs on St Anger, but I wouldn't even begin to call either album "good". More of a guilty pleasure.

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

people actually listen to that stuff?

 

[Oblivious Maximus]

I remember when St. Anger came out I was still a pretty big Metallica fanboy. When I first heard it I really didn't have positive or negative opinion about it. Perplexed would be the appropriate term.

 

[SentinelSlain]

I listened to it when I didn't know any better but even then I could tell the production was fucked, even if they'd been trying to do a numetal or garage rock (metal) album.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

I still haven't even heard those albums.

I did download a Death Magnetic a few months ago ... haven't got around to listening to it yet.

 

[ApparatusUnearth]

St. Anger is pretty lacking lyrically but James is giving 110% on the vocal delivery.

 

[End of Glory]

Still one of the worst productions and don't make me start about Lars and the sound of his drums.

 

[Westsiyeed]

At least they tried something different but unfortunately it didn't pay off. The songs were too long, James' vocals were a bit forced and the production was fairly shite (agree the crappy tinny drum sound was bad).

It had a few good moments - Some Kind of Monster would be the highlight for me.

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

James usually always delivers on vocals and his lyrics, at least until TBA are some of the best ever written.

Damaged jackals ripping right through you
Sight and smell of this, it gets me going
Know just how to get just what we want
Tear it from your soul in nightly hunt



That shit just fucking works.

 

[waif]

What a strange example to use.

 

[Mort Divine]

James usually always delivers on vocals and his lyrics, at least until TBA are some of the best ever written.

Damaged jackals ripping right through you
Sight and smell of this, it gets me going
Know just how to get just what we want
Tear it from your soul in nightly hunt



That shit just fucking works.

Those might be okay for metal lyrics, but good lyrics? Some of the best ever written?

 

[waif]

For Whom the Bell Tolls, Master of Puppets, Creeping Death...I can think of so many better options to demonstrate Hetfield's lyrical prowess.

And Metallica's lyrics were always relatively straightforward without being overly simplistic, clear and approachable, and full of effective imagery, but they were, at their core, heavy metal lyrics full of escapist fantasy and not much else. Good but entirely forgettable had they not been attached to some of the greatest metal songs ever written.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Escapist fantasy is the shiggity, but I agree that it's the music that really sells them. To me, peak Metallica is still some of the most image evoking metal out there, especially for their time. Admittedly I think part of that might be due to listening to them as a kid, having more free time and probably general creative energy to lay around, close my eyes, and just form scenes in my mind.

 

[KafkaX]

Metallica NEVER invoked any sort of imaginative qualities within myself. No matter what my age was...That type of music does only one thing. Get my head banging.

Black metal for me evokes the most imagination. Always has.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Enjoy your endless tundras and forests bro.

 

[waif]

To me, peak Metallica is still some of the most image evoking metal out there, especially for their time.

I
rule the midnight air
The destroyer
Born
I shall soon be there
Deadly mass

I
creep the steps and floor
Final darkness
Blood
lamb's blood painted door
I shall pass

 

[KafkaX]

Enjoy your endless tundras and forests bro.

I will.

Enjoy your beautiful cocks bro.

 

[Carpe Mortem]

Metallica never once had me totally lost in their music, just daydreaming and my body on autopilot. They have some nice lines, but don't really have an awesome, cohesive story in one song or an album, lyrically and instrumentally. Its too vague a picture.