Listening to St. Anger

[Wyvern]

Why not?? Well, OK, Death Magnetic was 2nd worst.

Try third or fourth, I mean "Load", "Reload" and "Metallica" don't live up to DM either and I'm not Metallica fanboy since 1988. Still I believe it don't worth full price, maybe find it at $5 will do.

 

[Psychonaut]

St. Anger is horrible. That hasn't changed. Death Magnetic feels uninspired to me, like four people trying too hard to play heavy because someone told them to. Stacked up against their early material, everything fails after AJFA.

 

[wdiv]

Yes, solid album all around. It seems like the vocals are a bit more out in front in the mix then on the classic albums -- probably the Rubin influence. I don't really have anything else to say about it that hasn't been said already. I did found myself starting to get a little bored of it after the 3rd or 4th listen, unfortunately.

I also wonder kinda if Metallica really wanted to get back to their "80's sound", or if the record label & all the negative reviews from St. Anger pushed them there.

 

[Wyvern]

St. Anger is horrible. That hasn't changed. Death Magnetic feels uninspired to me, like four people trying too hard to play heavy because someone told them to. Stacked up against their early material, everything fails after AJFA.

Absolutely agree kickass:. That's my overall feeling regarding DM, they tried too hard to clean up their act but they couldn't.

 

[SouthernTrendkill]

A moderately positive thread about Death Magnetic? This thread rules.

 

[metalmaster420]

the new metallica is so sick they are back with vicious vengance (nice alliteration i know)

 

[poundingmetal74]

the new metallica is so sick they are back with vicious vengance (nice alliteration i know)

The album to me is "Meh". Some good riffs and stuff, but hardly something I'll be returning to after a few months of the hype dying off. There have been much better releases this year far more deserving of my ears. You could say Metallica's new album is not very magnetic (nice pun I know).

 

[JonnyD]

Well, Lay my balls on an anvil and smash them with a sledge hammer ... after 5 years I find myself actually liking St.Anger ... once you get past the awful production and tin can drum sound its really not bad! Sweet Amber is absolutely wonderful .... I also really love Death Magnetic ... is it a return to form? not really at all but it is respectable to these ears

 

[sixxswine]

St. Anger is horrible. That hasn't changed. Death Magnetic feels uninspired to me, like four people trying too hard to play heavy because someone told them to.

Ditto. I expected a litte better porduction but Rick Rubin is barely in the fucking studio with the bands he works with. So they went from a guy that micromanages evey move the make in the studio to a guy that is fucking detatched from the recording studio... And just think Rubin will be working with one of a all-time favorite bands next...ZZ Top!

 

[SoundMaster]

The new album is great - it's NOT, of course, their classic 80s stuff. But how could it be, really? How many bands can replicate what they did 20 years ago? Perhaps the new Testament is close, but Priest? No. Maiden? No. Purple? Not close. Dio? No. Slayer? Not a chance.

Each of these bands still releases vital music, but just the same music they did 20 years ago.

I also gave St ANger a few more spins this past week. If you can look past the production, it's a good record (IMO, anyway). I'm really digging it and NOT skipping through it. of course, my horizons have really expanded the past 2 or 3 years for reasons unknown.

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

St. Anger is horrible. That hasn't changed. Death Magnetic feels uninspired to me, like four people trying too hard to play heavy because someone told them to. Stacked up against their early material, everything fails after AJFA.

To me it would be after MOP... but i can tolerate AJFA and the S/T album...

 

[Thoth-Amon]

Absolutely agree kickass:. That's my overall feeling regarding DM, they tried too hard to clean up their act but they couldn't.

that's my impression from the few tracks i've heard too...

 

[MsGanda]

yeah metallica rules!! they are the best of all.. i listen to them since high school. sooo happy that they're back

 

[KMADD]

So they had another number 1 debut. Im still going to buy it used.

 

[poundingmetal74]

I'll only buy it if they put out a remastered version. (ie. similar to the Guitar Hero versions that have leaked onto the net).

 

[Metalitia]

I like it. All Nightmare Long and The Judas Kiss currently being the two I am liking best.

Not so keen on the lead single though, The Day That Never Comes. Seems a strange choice to be the main sample of the album for people.

 

[zeppelin]

After a good couple of listenes to DM, this is what I think.

Cover - Shitty, exept for bringing back the old font.

Production _ Actually I know nothing about production, to me it sounds like it's supposed to sound, I like things raw and Slayer-like.

Layout - they defenatly did a layout true to their old albums, which is cool, 3 songs, balad, 2 songs, balad, song, Instrumental, song.

Songs - I really dont like Unforgiven 3, it's like the third Termanator movie, you just which they never made it.
The instrumental is a far cry from "Orion" or "Call of Ktulu" and sounds a bit uncreative, even foced.
Some of the songs feel to long towards the end, especially "The day that never comes"

To me it's better than Load and Reload, certainly better than St Anger (I dont know why you would give that another listen)but not better than the black album.

 

[ElectricWiz]

I finally just picked this up (Death Magnetic). I dig it. I think it's really good. I'm sure I'll be listening to it a lot. I don't hear quite as much distortion as some seem to be hearing. It's there, to be sure, but not so as to make it listenable. Not too shabby.

 

[SouthernTrendkill]

dunno if I've said so in this thread or not yet but I think the production is GORGEOUS. I think new ultra-loud production is one of the best things ever to happen to music.

 

[ElectricWiz]

The more I listen, the more I like it. For my money, there's a bit more of an artistic statement to Metallica these days. Say what you will about St. Anger, it was interesting to see James talk about his rehab experiences via the music. Further, on the new one, while Unforgiven III may seem a bad idea at first, it's actually a good song, and moreover it is relevant, since the message is now, "How can I forgive myself..." when it used to be all outwardly pointed. Interesting change. But on the whole, the riffs are killer, and the album is like a turbo charged ball of fury. No, it's not Master of Puppets...but not necessarily in a bad way. Times change. Master of Puppets would probably sound dated if it came out today. It would still be great, but not the landmark it was at the time. For my money, Metallica is moving forward. I didn't really like most of what they did in the 90s...but I tend to think of them now as in phase III. Phase one was the early, killer stuff. Phase II was the radio friendly stuff, not my bag. Phase III is from St. Anger on. I like Phase III.

A lot of diehards just don't like it...but if nothing else, you have to let a band change.

I think it's their best since Master of Puppets. Seriously.