Metallica: 'Death Magnetic' A review

When you discuss Metallica you inevitably wind up on one side of a single argument. Was the self-titled (black) album the downfall of the band and the beginning of a 15 year creative lull?  Or was it an evolution that made the band accessible to the world and brought Metal out of the shadows?

Personally, I loved the black album (though it seemed a bit dated and cheesy on a recent listen). I find nothing objectionable in crafting a song with a run time of five minutes or less, or introducing melody and structure to an otherwise pounding anthem. Cutting their damn hair wasn't the worst thing in the world either.

But at the turn of the century Metallica seemed to fall apart. First was the ill-advised attack on Napster, then the less than amicable departure of their bassist and a truly God awful album in St. Anger. (who the hell told them to do an album with no guitar solos?). In addition Some Kind of Monster, a documentary of this period,  exposed the fragile and often whiny relationships within the band - not to mention Lars comes off on camera as a pompous, selfish jag.

With all this in mind, I still picked up their ninth album Death Magnetic, the day it hit the shelves.

It's largely a return to the long winded thrash metal of their youth, but with a notable difference. They learned a lot in  their 15 years riding the radio charts, and incorporated just enough of that flavor into the album to keep your attention glued to the music. Nine minute efforts don't seem quite so strenuous when there is something to actually listen to.

My consistent complaints with the album can be summed up rather quickly. The bass is almost non-existent on most tracks (a mixing issue?), James' vocals are strangely awkward in spots, the songs are just too long (really, there isno reason for anything to tread past the seven minute mark. Tighten it up) and the lyrics are still stuck in the doom and gloom of the '80's Metallica.

[Of those complaints a)most fans would kick my ass for listing song length as a complaint. They're wrong, but they'd still kick my ass. b) what  do we expect from their lyrics? Balladic histories of their kids first day of kindergarten? They're just fulfilling expectations, which after all, is their job.]

Here's my take on the ten tracks.

That was Just your Life - a rousing introduction to the album and, as the first track, a stern warning that the old school Metallica is back. Not my favorite tune. What saves it for me is what happens (first) between 2:23 and 2:43 minutes in. When I heard that riff and that 'sound' I felt a smile cross my lips. "That," I thought."is damn wicked'.

The End of the Line - a longer version of what sounds like it could've been a Load/Reload track. Entertaining.

Broken, Beat, and Scarred - The guitar is back! The whole mesh of post-black meets thrash is very evident here.

The Day that Never Comes - oh, some great hangbanging here!

All Nightmare Long -  to me it sounds like a bad song from '90's Metallica

Cyanide an interesting 'sound', rather metal-radio friendly at its core

The Unforgiven III - slow, solid  tune.  'how can I blame you/when it's me I can't forgive'

The Judas Kiss - every time I hear it I think 'eh, it's just ok' - but it's the song that continually plays in my head when I think of this album.

Suicide & Redemption - instrumental. very good, but far too long. It should have edited down to a more compact and powerful length

My Apocalypse - bookending the album, this song also tries to permanently imprint on you the idea that the classic Metallica is back. I think the lyrics are just downright stupid 'tyrant awaken my apocalypse/demon awaken my apocalypse/heaven awaken my apocalypse/suffer forever my apocalypse'. Yeah, sure James. You're a forty-something millionaire. Deal with it.

3.25 out of 4, 81 out of 100

Tags: Metallica, Death Magnetic