Album Rating: 3.0

preach

Album Rating: 3.5

Lol

suicide

ive already died :D

Album Rating: 4.0

read kirk's guitar world feature at the barnes n noble today... interesting tidbits:



- kirk's solos are completely improvised here, and plans to improvise them every time he plays these songs live too. if he had it his way, he would improvise the solos for all their songs live. doesn't know and doesn't care how the rest of the band feels about that, let alone the fans.



- they didn't really have any conscious motivation with what they wanted to do with this album, except to play nwobhm riffs. for whatever reason they were just really inspired to play that stuff and it seems the 72 seasons "theme" kinda followed it



- kirk says the bridge of the title track (the "piercing through / point of view" part) is one of the most complicated things they've ever written. never occured to me at all but listening closely the riff is rather off kilter



- also says the main riff of "you must burn" is one of the greatest riffs james ever wrote



- "crown of barbed wire" is made up of a bunch of riffs neither kirk or james were very fond of, but lars was super persistent that they sounded awesome and kinda forced the rest of the band to his point of view. guess that explains why its one of the most unique tracks here

Album Rating: 2.5

Yeah I've read his interviews as well.

Kirk's completely insane

Album Rating: 3.5

what a chad

Album Rating: 2.0

Kirk needs to fuckin retire already

Album Rating: 3.0

The length never really bothered me with metallica but it actually does on this specific album for some reason. Most these songs are way to long for how relatively simplistic they are. Cut 3 mins off 8-9 of these tracks it would help the album alot

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

james sounds purty gud here

Album Rating: 3.3

Honestly, this is my favorite James performance since the black album. He sounds so fired up and passionate here



Too bad I can't say that about the other guitarist...

Album Rating: 3.5

These days Kirk comes across as a free spirit, breaking free from the hold Lars and James have had over him forever. He’ll play the songs he’s told to on a nightly basis but he’s bored of the same old solos. Who wouldn’t be. I say gl to him trying to find new ways to enjoy his playing

Album Rating: 3.5

Way too much flak for Kirk. He’s a good guitarist and is obviously a major image or face for the band. He has plenty of awesome segments and leads throughout his career.



You guys are indirectly saying that James is 100% of the value of Metallica. That’s just silly, even if he is the king of metal.

Album Rating: 3.3

Wait, what are you talking about? Here's the thing... I'm a big fan of Kirk, and I agree that he gets too much shit. I just think his playing is lazy and weak HERE. On this album alone. I don't want people putting other words in my mouth. "You guys are indirectly saying that James is 100% of the value of Metallica" is immediately jumping to conclusions imo

Album Rating: 3.0

James is deff the driving force of the band nowdays yeah. Kirk doesn't even really seem like he cares. Rob is just there. And Lars helps write songs and does more simplistic drumming. James and Lars nowdays but mostly 90% James is the driving force now. But yeah Kirk is a incredible soloist/guitarist one of the best of all time just like james he just don't seem like he trys or cares as much as he should now

Album Rating: 1.0

Kirk is writing even shittier solos than he did on DM or Load/Reload some of which were actually tasty and worthy of being in a metallica song. He isn't trying anymore and it's obvious.



As for Lars, I know this won't happen but the band would be better off without him. James needs help and Lars' contributions to the songs are beyond lame. He also isn't trying and it's obvious. Some kickass drums could really help spruce these songs up and would also give james more to work with and it would help fire his creative juices. Otherwise the band will continue to sound stale and washed.

Album Rating: 1.0

oh and this album sucks

Someone shoot these guys behind the shed or something

Album Rating: 4.0

say what you want about lars's playing but he seems to be the member most enthusiastic about metallica by far these days. james sits down once a decade and writes some new songs, but lars has his hands in just about everything going on from their website to their boxsets to their tours to the setlists etc etc and who knows what else behind the scenes.



james, kirk and rob seem like they play the shows and go home (not that there's anything wrong with that). metallica is a band to them and a business to lars

Album Rating: 1.0

"but lars has his hands in just about everything going on from their website to their boxsets to their tours to the setlists etc etc and who knows what else behind the scenes."



I keep hearing this kind of stuff as if that's what's important about being a drummer in a metal band. if lars were writing at least half decent drum parts then him having his hands all over the business stuff would be fine, but he isn't and it isn't. business is precisely what managers are for so that the band can concentrate on the music, and lord knows these guys can afford a hundred managers and then some.



plus, metallica has put out dozens of terrible eps and live albums and not to mention that horrible some kind of monster movie. if lars was the one behind all of this then his business strategy is markedly transparent: saturate the market - the fans will buy anything. This doesn't make him some kind of business guru, just a money hound.

Album Rating: 2.5

The solos on this are certified crap. The more I listen the more they bring the whole album experience down.