Album Rating: 4.0

actually come to think of it... i think he does use a ride cymbal as a sort of "heavy crash" on st. anger in a few spots because of course he would (the main riff of the t/t comes to mind as an example) but that hardly counts

Album Rating: 3.4 | Sound Off

-- It's just whinging for the sake of it at this stage.--

It's Sputnik... especially when the big bands release something, they come out in droves.



--No, nostalgia should not be used as an excuse... blah blah blah--

It doesn't have to be used as an excuse. It's human nature, it is what it is regardless of how much you don't like it. It's the same thing that will allow us to react less severely to somthing a friend says or does, but get pissed off if a stranger does it -- familiarity, affinity, legacy/history, human nature. It's the same thing that will allow this to receive a positive reception while a 72 Seasons debut album by your local band wouldn't even register.



Edit: Alternately, it's that same affinity, legacy/history, etc that will cause others to become excessively critical of this while a debut album they'd look more for the positives. Human nature both ways.

I took Dr. Fisterbut's advice from the first comment and cherrypicked 3 non-singles... decent. I *almost* turned Chasing Light off early but the chorus saved it and it only got better from there. Maybe I won't have to force myself to get through the whole thing like I did with Hardwired.

Do I dare check out the 11 minute one?

Album Rating: 1.0

That album art gives me a headache.

Album Rating: 3.0

Lol what???

Album Rating: 3.4 | Sound Off

I'm not a huge fan of the eleven minute one but I do like it. The thing with that song, for me, is just after it starts to feel a bit monotonous they'll change it up again and drag you back. It would be nicer if they did that just before it felt monotonous, but what can you do...

I haven't heard of this band. I'll have to check it out.

Album Rating: 3.5

"Inamorata" is the most appropriately paced song on the album and it's the one that's 11 minutes long



also dont know how you could give this a 1/5 unless you're being incredibly cynical and ready to blindly shit on metallica

Agree with Willie Re: nostalgia. And sure, it can be exploited, but that doesn’t mean it’s always exploitative. That’s a ridiculous thought. And it’s not like it’s the only value in art that can be used disingenuously to exploit an audience or “excuse” “shit art”. Art is self-expression. You can’t possibly think that genuine sentimentality for pieces of the past - whatever form that may take - won’t leak into peoples art constantly. And calling someone’s form of self expression “shit art” is a lazy and borderline sociopathic (hyperbole of course, but I wanted a word that AGGRESSIVELY conveys THE DIRECT OPPOSITE OF BEING EMPATHETIC) critique. Saying you don’t like something is a lot different than calling someones self expression shit. There’s no “shit art” to excuse. You either like it or you don’t regardless of nostalgia factor. And if nostalgia is a reason you like it, well the entire point of art is to evoke thoughts and feelings so that’s perfectly valid. It is what it is.

Album Rating: 3.4 | Sound Off

@Celestinaught: I admire your ideals, and what you say makes sense, but it's not shilling for them when you genuinely feel a certain kind of way while listening. I can admit that I probably feel that kind of way because nostalgia elicits that response in me, but I can't change it... the only thing I can do is make it abundantly clear in my review, which I tried to do.

who tf has 80 minutes to listen to a band play recycled riffs, performing at maybe 60% of their peak (being generous)

Album Rating: 4.0

"just after it starts to feel a bit monotonous they'll change it up again and drag you back. It would be nicer if they did that just before it felt monotonous, but what can you do..."



this entire album in a nutshell lmao... the majority of these songs get way more interesting at about the 4-5 minute mark and its like why couldn't you do the entire song like that

After listening to more, yeah this is a big step up from Hardwired. It's not a classic but at least I'm not double facepalming and needing to take breaks to stay awake GOD WHAT A BORING ALBUM.

Album Rating: 3.0

"I can admit that I probably feel that kind of way because nostalgia elicits that response in me, but I can't change it..."



Nor should you. Regardless of Celestinaught seems to be suggesting, art (and the artists themselves) aren't (and shouldn't be) consumed in a vacuum. This release (which I've yet to hear) is the latest part of Metallica's vast, 40+ year oeuvre and their history... what they've pioneered, achieved ABSOLUTELY informs their current work and no album of theirs exists outside this greater context.



So whether it's nostalgia, a "dated" (or not) sound, or them reconciling what it is to be SO big, famous and old in a genre they've become the worldwide figurehead of, OF COURSE that plays into how their work is received... bias or no, it's impossible not to.

Album Rating: 2.5

1. 72 SEMENSTAINS

2. SHAGGERS FOLLOW

3. CREAMING POO-INSIDE

4. SUCK MY LIFE AWAY

5. YOU MUST SHIT!

6. FUX ANÆLTERNA

7. CROWN OF BARBED PENIS

8. GAPING SHITE

9. IF DARKNESS FUCKED MY MUM

10. TOO FAR GONE (UP MY BUM)

11. ROOM OF RIMMERS

12. INA-MOR-ANAL

Album Rating: 2.5

Last good album art was justice. You could say that's pretty fitting. You can differentiate good and bad albums just by art. Pretty honest job by them.

> 72 SEMENSTAINS

so you're the asshole who stole my gaming laptop

Album Rating: 3.0

"You can differentiate good and bad albums just by art."



Yes, because if 'Ride the Lightning''s electric chair crappily slapped on a sky backdrop, with amateur-level lightning strikes applied either side were released now, everyone would really be hailing it as a masterpiece of visual design.

Man if Inamorata is supposed to be a highlight I guess I'll skip this for now. The first ~50 seconds could be a fun intro for something but the sung parts are awful

Album Rating: 2.5

Just another entry in the Metallica catalog and nothing more. The mix is absolutely pathetic. The drums sound like absolute dogshit (especially the cymbals, dear god), the guitars are stale, and the bass is audible without providing any oomph. James' vocals are the best part of this record, as he's aged pretty well, however the lyricism is... passable at best. The last 3-4 songs were the only ones that were somewhat memorable for me. Most of the songs are a chore to get through, dragging on for way too long. Probably won't be revisiting this one again.