What if Metallica never "sold out"?

[Required Fields]

What direction do you think the band would have taken? How would things be different?

I think they would have only put out one more album that could be called thrash, two albums tops. Mind you, thrash metal really "died out" to an extent (well, that or was mostly dormant) from around 1993-1999, only really experiencing a comeback within the last five or six years. During the early 90s, Metallica could have changed their sound without really "selling out".

Maybe one more thrash album, and then they would have gone in one of the following directions:

a) Groove/post-thrash metal (Pantera, Machine Head, etc.)
b) Heavier industrial metal (Fear Factory) with the odd thrash riff here and there
c) Something rather progressive, though not quite technical, but still metal

I personally think a is the most likely scenario. One more thrash album, then they'd become post-thrash/groove.

That's just my opinion.

What direction do you think they would have taken if they didn't sell out? Please don't say "They would have sold out anyways" or "Then this topic wouldn't be up."

 

[Ramses-Bringer Of War]

I think they would have just got worse if they were left on their own...

Let's face it - it's pretty evident that they lived off Dave Mustaine's spare riffs up to and including Master Of Puppets. On Justice For All - they didn't even know how to end a song judging by the length of them. They eventually decided they needed help in ending their songs and got Bob Rock in as a fifth member of the band (may as well have been Desmond Child for all I care).

Sure, the Black Album was a complete success commercially, and I personally liked all their albums up until this point... but I had to draw a line in the sand somewhere - as 'Load', 'Reload', 'St Anger', don't even register as far as I'm concerned. The moment I heard Metallica had done a cover of Queen's Stone Cold Crazy, was the day I sold my collection. I don't care if they relase a killer album now, as far as I'm concerned - the damage is already done and it's too little too late!!!

Metallica are just another bunch of sell out losers who care more about being photographed wearing Calvin Klein Underwear than their music - ala Machine Head, Entombed, etc.

 

[Hawng]

Good question.....If they stuck to the heavy stuff regardless if it was thrash or not, they probley wouldnt have the mansions they are living in, but they would be respected, instead of ridiculed by every metal head in the world.

As for writing Master of Puppets off of Mustaines riffs.... You shouldnt belive everything Dave Mustaine tells you.

 

[EvileOL]

I think the greatest thing on earth would be to see alternate dimensions, and see what it'd be like if Cliff didn't die. I'd pay 605478054705478054 pounds to see that.

 

[Ramses-Bringer Of War]

As for writing Master of Puppets off of Mustaines riffs.... You shouldnt belive everything Dave Mustaine tells you.

I don't believe a fucking word Dave Mustaine has to say... I came to that conclusion myself many years ago. As far as I'm concerned Metallica/Megadeth are both as bad as each other in the sell-out stakes. The whole Master Of Puppets album is littered with Mustaine riffs and structuring whether anyone likes it or not. Even to an untrained ear, it's blatant for everyone to hear.

In all honesty I couldn't give a shit about the pair of them, 'coz either way - Testament kick BOTH their asses inside out (and they've NEVER sold-out themselves, or their fans in the process!)

Metallica, are no longer a band... they're a product:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstagetour/metallica/metallica1.html

I expect Davice 'Christ' Cooperstaine has very much the same egotistical demands... (probably for a private confessional booth & communion wafers & wine, hehehehehe!!!)

 

[Metal Thrashing Mark]

That night when cliff died,when I heard the interview with Scott Ian,my first words was Metallica is finished.
Master of Puppets was there last great album IMO.
the next 2 albums were so-so,I was never a Flotsom & Jetson fan anyway.
and after that ....well I don't have to tell you the rest you probably figuerd that one out.
I don't go around bashing Metallica,there not my style anymore,they went to a more commerical audience and thats what they like.

 

[Larf03]

I think testament is a very constant band