Newsted
Metal

Release Date: 2013 | Tracklist

Maybe it was the millions of dollars thrown on his feet that made the alienation more tolerable, or maybe it was the gratitude for being a part of his favorite band, but whatever the reasons, we know now Newsted was never actually happy with Metallica’s “3+1 members” attitude. When he left the band and joined Canadian pop superstars (yeah right) Voivod, it was clear that Newsted would finally only settle for the whole group experience; he was a headbanger as much as a professional. From Doomsday for the Deceiver and his little attributes in songs like My Friend of Misery, to his aid towards Sepultura in Hatred Aside, there was everywhere an implication that Newsted might not have been a wonder kid, but he surely was much more talented than Metallica let him show.

Now, more than 11 years after his departure from the aforementioned metal mammoths, Newsted releases his first material in years, under the name “Newsted” and in the form of a power trio. Paradoxically, for someone who has proudly declared his preference towards thrash metal, this EP (“Metal”) sounds much closer to Newsted’s earliest roots than to any of that 80’s hellfire that thrash was. In Metal, he shows his love for the sludgy heaviness Sabbath mastered, just as well as his love for the rawness and higher tempos Motorhead cherished. And yes, there is also a little Metallica in there, because there is still a little Metallica in Newsted and a lot of Motorhead and Sabbath in Metallica. Maybe it’s because of the common influences, maybe it’s because of Newsted’s voice, which sounds as if Lemmy swallowed Hetfield, or maybe it’s because of the vulgar, uncalculated riffs, the shocking beat-downs and the sadistic directness that he pulls out of his bag of tricks. Whatever the case might be, Newsted as a band, probably coincidentally, sound like they could share the stage with bands like High on Fire. Even better, they sound as if they could blast ‘em off, that’s the amount of energy and explosiveness “Metal” releases.

Newsted sounds really happy to be part of a band that can actually be called a band, creating music that can more effectively be delivered live. But lest we forget, he is also a professional. This entire rawness doesn’t prevent him from writing actual songs. And this is where being a talented good-old thrasher really pays off; he is able to make a catchy vocal melody out of three single notes. As a result, with the exception of Godsnake which is only average and maybe one or two instances where the repetitiveness might get a little out of hand, Metal features great material that sticks to your head. Not only that, but it also leaves you hungry for more. Oh well, it was about time Newsted set free his more creative side, and there is definitely more to come from him. Metal proves that we have every reason to expect nothing but the best.

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3.4 great

Rank: #0 for 2013