Metallica
72 Seasons


2.0
poor

Review

by Halez USER (80 Reviews)
April 15th, 2023 | 23 replies


Release Date: 04/14/2023 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Full speed or nothing? I guess this is nothing

7 years. An eternity in the music industry, but seemingly just another Tuesday for certified metal legends Metallica, and yet somehow shorter than the wait between Death Magnetic and Hardwired… to Self-Destruct was. They’ve made their legacy, but the turn-of-the-century hasn’t been kind to them; while they’re undoubtedly still successful financially, the same can’t be said creatively. It seems as if the blowback from St. Anger scared Metallica into trying way too hard to recreate the feel of their glory days with a modernized sheen instead of continuing in the weird off-kilter direction their influences took them. Sure, Lulu existed, but that was more of a Lou Reed album with Metallica as merely background artists.

This album further shows how creatively bankrupt Metallica truly are as a band. The opener, “72 Seasons”, opens near-identically to the start of “Hardwired” off their previous album, except with a driving bass guitar instead of an immediate shot to the gut. Nothing here is truly terribly performed, but every single song carries an aura of “I’ve heard this before, done better, by the same band.” It feels like the most uninspired summation of the band’s entire career sans St. Anger in a sense, if you will. Lead single “Lux æterna” sounds like a B-side that could’ve been from Kill ‘Em All but again, with the modernized production values of modern Metallica. Much of this feels like a cross between The Black Album and their previous two releases. “Inamorata” sort of feels like a sequel to “My Friend of Misery”, 30 years too late and way, WAY too long. Almost nothing else here is memorable enough to merit a mention.

Speaking of modernized production, this sounds literally identical to the way Hardwired… to Self-Destruct was, to the point where one wouldn’t be remiss if they thought this album was literally recorded during the same exact SESSIONS. There is zero distinct difference sound-wise, and that album at least had a few choruses that weren’t painfully flat and uninspired. Lyrically, this album carries a far more personal bent from Hetfield, which is worthy of a commendation, but it’s all moot when all the hooks fall flat and every song bar the lead single sounds like it was extended an extra 3+ minutes beyond its welcome. No Metallica, you do not need to completely fill the CDs every single chance you get, especially if you’re this creatively bereft.

I’m aware it’s likely so they can keep touring and not run only old material, but I wouldn’t have been angry if Death Magnetic closed off their career, because sonically, lyrically, and musically it felt like a more worthy send-off. Maybe this is more consistent than Hardwired, but it lacks any of the high points like “Spit Out the Bone” and replaces it with uninspired, mid-tempo, flat sounding heavy metal that does nothing new. They don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but it legitimately just sounds like Metallica doesn’t care anymore, and that’s the biggest crime this album commits.



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user ratings (561)
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good
other reviews of this album
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Comments:Add a Comment 
veninblazer
April 15th 2023


16923 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

Genuinely surprised I had this much to say about this album tbh

Drbebop
April 15th 2023


333 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

More like Shitallica haha

DocSportello
April 15th 2023


3471 Comments


needs 67 more reviews

ToSmokMuzyki
April 15th 2023


12450 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

id write a review but i rly dont want to listen to this again

veninblazer
April 16th 2023


16923 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

don't blame ya. this is so uninspired

Koris
Staff Reviewer
April 16th 2023


21965 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

"id write a review but i rly dont want to listen to this again"



Honestly, I'm kinda in the same boat. I was initially going to write a review, but I feel like I'd struggle to get through all 77 minutes of this again



Nice review venin! Pos'd

pizzamachine
April 16th 2023


27671 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Sputallica

dogdaysunrise1
April 16th 2023


73 Comments


Proper and honest review! Well done! It truly is a lot like Hardwired, unfortunately in the sense that there are about 3-4 really good songs and the rest is so so. Strangely enough the world goes nuts about it. Overkill and Megadeth both did better this year, but they don't get the hype these boys do.

veninblazer
April 16th 2023


16923 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

Yeah, and I'm like the one fan on planet earth who will legitimately go to bat for St. Anger because maybe it had its issues, but it was daring, different, and honest with itself. This just reads like Aging Band Trying To Stay Relevant.

Willie
Moderator
April 16th 2023


20311 Comments

Album Rating: 3.4 | Sound Off

--They don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but it legitimately just sounds like Metallica doesn’t care anymore--

I genuinely think James still cares. I think he's the driving force for getting them back in the studio the last two times, at least, but he can't make them make an effort. Anyway, this is a good well-written review.

veninblazer
April 16th 2023


16923 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

@Willie: I mean considering the most interesting part about the recent releases is James' lyrical content that seems pretty fair. The rest of the band seems to be going through the motions. Especially Lars and Kirk.

Willie
Moderator
April 16th 2023


20311 Comments

Album Rating: 3.4 | Sound Off

Clearly, Lars and Kirk are making a minimal effort. I think they'd be perfectly content with being a nostalgia act. Do some random touring, hit the big festivals and then go home. James seems to be the only one that still has some creative juices, even if they're not the same creative juices he had in his twenties. He also doesn't have the buy-in from his supporting cast anymore. Imagine 72 Seasons with a better drummer and a guitar player looking to make his mark with the solos. It couldn't fix everything, but it could be enough to bring up the average, if nothing else.

FowlKrietzsche
Contributing Reviewer
April 16th 2023


1930 Comments

Album Rating: 1.5

I completely agree Willie, James is still a capable rhythm guitarist. I've always said I would kill to see what he could write if he was paired up with Dave Lombardo, but that'll never happen. Some of the riffs on here are extremely sick.

veninblazer
April 16th 2023


16923 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

I might just be tiring of this style in general but I really can't see anything with hooks THIS flat breaking like a 3 on my scale. Lux is fine but I didn't even really like all of Kill 'Em All to begin with. I think the fact that song ended up being a highlight despite my issues with it is telling.

Side note: if anyone wants to hear that song AS IF it was on Kill 'Em All, this nails it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qONdZg95Vi8

Willie
Moderator
April 16th 2023


20311 Comments

Album Rating: 3.4 | Sound Off

I love State of Mercury, especially the Justice version of other songs. I'm particularly fond of Sad But True on Justice. Personally, I like the hooks, but to each their own.

Metaltillidie
April 16th 2023


17 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Overkill say's hey "Metallica" hold my Beer!

veninblazer
April 16th 2023


16923 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

The "callbacks" here actually run deeper than I described, jesus. Sleepwalk My Life Away is essentially just Enter Sandman 2.

TheSonomaDude
April 16th 2023


9206 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

how? sounds nothing like enter sandman tf, has an entirely different vibe.

veninblazer
April 16th 2023


16923 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

That verse riff is basically Enter Sandman / King Nothing combined.

ballsohard22
April 23rd 2023


377 Comments

Album Rating: 1.0

Horrible album.



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