Album Rating: 4.0

Most moshable dad rock record ever.

Album Rating: 2.5

that's AC/DC

Album Rating: 3.5

Load and Reload are the closest they get to dad rock, not this so much.

a bit inconsisent but when it shines it reaaally does

Album Rating: 3.5

You have to give respect for this being one of the most successful reinvention albums ever, after this they ran out of songs and retreated to blues rock jams

True, but tbh they probably would have turned out better in the long run if they just progressed from AJFA and kept down that route. Progtallica or something

Oh yeah, nice av

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

I just wish they threw the thrashers a bone on this one, just one or two fast songs would've been fine. (And no, not "The Struggle Within" fast, I mean "Battery" fast.)

Album Rating: 3.5

Thanks cw, this one feels more comfortable



On an artistic level I agree, I prefer their earlier albums but in terms of sales/getting on the radio this album was huge for them and they must have really wanted that

Album Rating: 4.0

''I just wish they threw the thrashers a bone on this one, just one or two fast songs would've been fine. (And no, not "The Struggle Within" fast, I mean "Battery" fast.)''



Agreed. Megadeth did that with Cryptic Writings with the song ''The Disintegrators''. That song thrashes hard m/

Yeah agreed guys, though I'm glad you brought this up

"in terms of sales/getting on the radio this album was huge for them and they must have really wanted that"

I still think they could've followed it up more suitably than Load, like maybe find a midway between this and their older material or something

Album Rating: 4.0

Basically something like Death Magnetic

Yeah, but from a critical standpoint they were already screwed by the time of its release, plus with all the production issues and stuff

i think i would have grown tired of chugging the E string for 10 years too , the stylistic change wasnt surprising

Album Rating: 3.5

''I just wish they threw the thrashers a bone on this one, just one or two fast songs would've been fine. (And no, not "The Struggle Within" fast, I mean "Battery" fast.)''



This would hurt the cohesiveness of the album imo.

Not necessarily, it could've been tastefully done, other bands have pulled it off

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

"We wanted to take four different songs from each of the different eras prior to Cryptic Writings... what we did was go back to the Rust in Peace era and take four very heavy songs - we did "FFF," "Vortex," "She Wolf" and "The Disintegrators" - then we went to the Youthanasia period, which was the most recent period, and did four very melodic songs - "Trust," "Use the Man," "I'll Get Even," and "Almost Honest" - and then we went back to Countdown to Extinction, which was the definitive fork in the road, where we went from being just another speed/thrash metal/heavy metal/hard rock band, to trying to accomplish something with proactive lyrics, with melody - that's where you get songs like "Mastermind," "Sin," "A Secret Place," and "Have Cool, Will Travel." (Mustaine)



Can you imagine if instead of Load and Reload, the followup(s) to TBA built on a similar approach of "let's get a few songs from everything we've done", and did a few Ride-Justice type songs, a few TBA type songs, and a few songs with a Load/Reload type ssound?

Album Rating: 3.5

I see what you mean. Cryptic Writings sucks though

ugh im glad they did what they truly wanted, otherwise it would have been heartless thrash that wouldnt mesh with the production from Bob Rock

Album Rating: 4.0

Cryptic Writings is decent

Album Rating: 3.5

I don't believe it was enough for Metallica to remain the biggest metal band on the planet - I think their mission was to become the biggest band on the planet. Nirvana got in the way of that dream a little bit but for one album Metallica were absolutely huge and infiltrated the mainstream, they had to scratch that itch



I worshipped this album at the time and there's still a lot to like here