Reviews (page 9 of 14)
I enjoy rock but I did not favor this album, but I understand its footprint it had for other artist.
3 estrelas
As a bass player, I wanted to hate this album, and while I do think the album sounds very thin, there's some really cool guitar parts on here.
The lack of bass kills most enjoyment I get from this otherwise amazing album
Couple of good hits on this album - most songs sound the same, unfortunately.
Noniin räimettä taas sitten. Onhan tämä "kalssikko" mutta soudit on kyl parjattuja eikä turhaan. Bassoo ei juurikaan kuulu. Tykkään ekoista kolmesta M -levystä enemmän kun tästä mutta avausraita on kyl stydi! Menee kolmoseen kyllä, mutta ajan saatossa ei tätä niin paljoo oo jaksanut fiilistellä. Kyllä Puppetsi on Puppetsi. 3/5
Jotain tuntuu että jää Metallicasta aina puuttumaan. Meneehän se mut ei ihan kuitenkaan.
Meh, the Black album is better. One is really the only standout here.
Lots of guitar riffs. Lots of them. Feels like metal equivalent of a jam band. Still rocks
It rocked. I don't much get the HELL YEAH BROTHERRRR feeling that’s satisfied with simple melodies so long as they're built of power chords. So it dragged by the end. Bet a live show would set me straight.
The anti-Amy Winehouse: all substance, no soul. The album screams truth from a concrete bunker. Admirable, but not loveable. "One" is a banger though
I just had another Metallica album 2 days ago. 😵💫 This one not quite as grating.
Just noise and aggression for the most part.
Oh dear. Another "Classic Metal" album. Not really different from hundreds of other heavy guitar rock LPs from soundalike. Uninspired, turgid, poorly produced. I was counting the minutes until it ended.
3.5 Stars (and that half star is mostly because of One)
One is iconic, and I enjoyed the increased politicization in focus. Riddled between the Grammy controversy and fucking over their new bass player, it wouldn't be a good Metallica album without controversy
un poco casposete, pero par de temazos
2.5… I’ll round up
It's trying to make a statement too much. Too much anger in their sound, not enough refinement and what you would call a "work in progress". I did like some of the ideas in the songs but they weren't executed with expertise and therefore lacked attention grabbing skills. I'm not a big fan of metallica
I like my metal well mixed, this ain't it. Jason deserved better, the songs are allright, however due to it not having bass at all it can be a tiring experience. Highlights: The first 2 minutes of One, the acoustic bits of To Live Is to Die. Had potential to be rated higher, but listening with a headache isnt good.
Not really my thing. I like tracks on other albums.
This album sounded like any of the previous metal albums on this list. Rate a 3 just to acknowledge their accomplishment.
This record still has some of what made Metallica great in the early years and on Masters of Puppets, but they are starting to wain and you can tell they are moving away from the thrash metal. The mix on this record sucks, no low end at all. It seems like that is a well documented nit that has been picked though.
And I thought The Cure was dark. 3 stars.
It felt repetitive to me
Heavy metal isn’t my thing but I could see the appeal
Way better than the black album. Still not that great though.
I used to play this on continuous loop in high school. This album was my introduction to Metallica. Going back and listening to this hits different now. It's not their best album at all. It often sounds unpolished and directionless. I get the feeling that it's almost as if they were coming to the end of their song ideas and were denying that something needed to change. Additionally, they sound like they were on the verge of becoming a parody of themselves. I know hardcore metal fans feel like the next album was the beginning of their downfall. But, at least they found a new direction and started to sound more polished.
Ugh. Is this the album where Lars was a giant tool and demanded his drums sound like shit and to delete the bass parts out of existence? (it is!) This is one of the worst mixed albums I have ever heard if not the worst. I don’t care how groovy, metal, in the pocket, whatever this album is, it sounds like shit. I am not a fan to begin with but this was an incredibly painful hour. Even the remastered version is ass. I don’t get it. I guess the songs are okay. The parts where they are not just three minutes into the same chord grooving and when James is not singing I like most of it. I’m sure if Josh Homme made these I’d think they’re great, but this is just not my brand of big muff distorted chugs. One stands out as a genuinely good song, shout out guitar hero three. Definitely sounds a lot like Kyuss at times, a band I enjoy, but Kyuss has well mixed albums. I’m torn between a 2 and a 3. It really isn’t so bad that it deserves a 2 and I fully understand the appeal. Just know this is the lightest three possible.
This album could've had a much better listening experience if they actually tried to produce it well. It sounded sooooo flat. I'm not a huge Metallica fan, but I guess I understand the attraction a little bit. They played in Nashville this weekend, but I didn't regret not going to see them. I only regret not seeing Limp Bitzkit and Pantera as the openers. I'm giving this a weak 3. I don't even really like One.
I do like these songs for the most part, mostly as background music though. One rules and Kirk's guitar solos are crazy on this album, but damn this mix is still terrible. Justice for Jason! 3/5 wouldv'e been 4 if the mix didn't sound like it was created for tin cans only
Almost confused by how few thoughts I have about this album. I'm almost comically incapable of taking most metal seriously, though, and a meedley guitar solo while Hetfield yells about pulling the shortest straw is genuinely funny. Is this album good? Probably. I didn't mind listening to it or anything.
tiene un par de temones y son los reyes. pero me es imposible que no me cueste.
Goes pretty hard but man the production and mixing on this one is just bad. This could have hit so much harder if the bass was mixed higher. It's so treble-y. I really like the technical playing on this one though. It's more interesting than some of their other stuff. I feel like I should like this more than I do but I've never really been into thrash and I think I've been spoiled by KG's thrash metal since it's way more psych and much less... conservative sounding.
No bad songs but each one out stays it's welcome, low 3
Great playing obviously, just can't stand his voice at all
I like Metallica, but I dare say they suffer from the same syndrome as the Red Hot or AC/DC All songs sound the same
Pretty solid metal, had its highs and lows but enjoyed all around. Liked the high energy it brought but it’s also my first Metallica album and definitely was different from their more popular songs
Quite a bit more 'progressive' than I'd expect from Metallica - multiple genre and tone shifts within songs that last a minimum of 6 minutes. The songwriting and guitar work are still great, though some of the production is a little too tinny for my taste. Best Tracks: - ...And Justice For All - One - The Frayed Ends Of Sanity Worst Tracks: - To Live Is To Die Rating: 6/10
Based on a first listen, I enjoyed this more than the black album. It's still a 3 for me based on personal taste, but it's definitely a higher 3.
haha no bass
It’s good lots of instruments is nice but got tiring after a while
I respect the hell out of what this band is for people but I just cannot bring myself to care about this kind of music. All love to true masters of their genre, not for me.
No bass. :(
I think I have to be in the mood to listen to Metallica. At the start I wasn't a fan so I stopped and met up with some friends. I got some news that made me really angry and I loved every track I listened to after it.
Not the biggest of Metallica fans, and this album isn't the best. Honestly only saved from a 2* by One.
3 These fuckers really made a song out of the witch’s castle guard chant from the Wizard of Oz. Anway, Metallica is a band I used to not be able to stand, primarily for their general “jugjug JUG, jugjug JUG” sound, but it’s grown on me a bit as I’ve gotten older. Still, this album reminded me of what I didn’t like about them when I was younger - while the jugjug sound is fine, it’s really all this has going on. Like, every song here sounds more or less the same, and most go on wayyyyy too long. Even the band themselves admitted that they overdid it a bit on the length, which is why they no longer play any of these songs live except for One. Speaking of One, best song on the album by far. I would say that’s by default given it’s the only one (npi) that sounds drastically different, but that feels like it would undermine how good the opening actually is. It really is a beautiful song… so it’s such a shame they change it up halfway through just to do the same jugjug thing they do on EVERY other song here. (Admittedly, I fail the introduction of that section every time in Guitar Hero, so I probably have some unresolved conflict there). I also feel like the general sameness of this album is largely due to the production. It’s no St. Anger by any means, but I challenge you to listen for the bass on any one song. Don’t hear it? That’s because, despite having a full-fledged bassist in the lineup to replace Cliff, they pretty much muted all of his parts. Or more specifically, at James’ and Lars’ request, “Take the bass down so you can just hear it, and then once you've done that, take it down a further three dBs.” No idea why they were such dicks to Jason Newsted, or why they didn’t just fire him if they didn’t enjoy his performance, but they kept him around to “play” on their next three studio albums as well, so it doesn’t seem to be for a lack of effort. I talked a lot of shit, but for the most part, I think this album is fine. Metallica has grown on me enough that I still found this decent despite its flaws, but as someone still working to explore their discography, I feel like I can confidently say that this one isn’t my favorite.
"It's not the band I hate, it's their fans" -Sloan 3.5 Minus points for the worst band name in rock history.
You know what. Metallica is overrated. 3.5
3/5 love metallica but many songs (besides one) just sounded like generic metal music to me
Not the best album, but a kicker nonetheless.
Will never be a Metallica superfan. But I think I get their appeal. There’s a handful of songs here that are propulsive and catchy. But I’ll never seek them out to listen. 3/5
Oké
Does anyone know where the bass went? Do we need to call a search party?
Loved this album! Classic Metallica-just gets me moving! Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: yes Favourite Song: The Shortest Straw
Ist mir gegenüber dem grandiosen Vorgänger zu überambitioniert. Außerdem ist der Klang merkwürdig topfig.
Actually not too bad. Just the solo guitar riffs are too long. Please, don't do that. It's - maybe - for live performances.
I liked the guitar at the end of To Live is To Die and I quite liked the sound of Eye of the Beholder. Not a bad album, just don't really need the rest I think. Some of the songs had some good driving sounds, but how much will that hold up on a casual listen? 2.5/5 stars.
Enjoyed this album, especially a couple of the songs. Not my usual taste or an album I would listen to on repeat.
it was ok, not a huge metal guy but the soft guitar bit was nice
Not great kinda boring
太有金属了
3.2 - Some very good music and enjoyed it, but there is something a bit arrogant about this album, not sure why though
I liked Blackened when it slowed down about half way through. This feels like the Quake II video game sound track. The title track is alright. I'm sure this was pretty epic when it was released. I avoided Metallica and metal in general when I was finding my own music tastes in high school <%large_number%> years ago. I think I've listened to this album before though. One isn't bad either or Harvester of Sorrow and Frayed Ends of Sanity So far I'm at a 3 overall, not my super favorite but I can understand the appeal.
I'm well familiar with this one. Jason Newsted's debut with the band after Cliff Burton's death. It's also a family divider. I'm giving it 3 stars while the wife is screaming to give it a negative 2.
A solid album, but it's hard to avoid comparing it to their Black Album, and by that comparison it just feels woefully average.
I’m weird, I don’t really like heavy Metallica, I prefer the later years, but I do LOVE One
Proggiest Metallica album (but barely proggy). Few bangers, some not bangers. Wish there was bass.
While this is a really good album with a couple really great tracks, it was never a complete play thru for me. It is sandwiched in between 3 hands down 5 bangers within their catalogue, IMO. Since I feel like there is more than one star between this one (no pun intended) and the three staples that surround it, I’m rounding down here. 3.5/5
Man this was a tough one to rate. Obviously a landmark album that moved the band into stadium land, but geez…these guys needed to understand how to serve the song. Their abilities are clearly there, but you don’t need to pack all your tricks into every single song just to make overblown 8-minute facemelters. And while I would normally make this an easy 4, I’m purposely rating down for the egregious mixing that completely removed the bass from the mix. Not a great welcome to the band for newbie Jason Newstead, and a really thin result that takes away the bottom end punch that their sound requires.
Down with this, but not my favorite outing from the band. Some cuts could have easily been made here. But yes, it doth rock.
Not my type of music at all, but I can still tell it kicks a good amount of ass.
Power chords Beefheart / Queen Virtuoso musicianship Not a fan of the vocal Good luck to them
3/7/25. Very good songs. Some classics on here but just couldn’t get into all of them.
I’ve realized Metallica is a little to heavy for my taste… but if I’m every angry I know what to listen too.
Good guitar, annoying vocals. Some songs were decent but there weren’t any songs I loved. Favorite songs were: The shortest straw - I thought he was saying soda straw the whole time, I kind of like it better that way To Live Is To Die - enjoyed the mellow parts, I’m a sucker for acoustic guitar 6/10
Not their best… 3/5
Aburridillo y todo
5/10
5/10. Not their best Metalica album but One is still really good.
This album, to me, signals the decline of the bands songwriting. One last hurrah before mediocrity and mainstream commercial success rob the band of what made them great. If it weren’t for the horrible mixing on this album I’d probably give it a 4.
That's a lotta Metallica in one sitting. Back to back Metallica albums :|
I think that the critisism it gets is a bit overtop and really has some good songs, including One and To Live Is to Die. But didnt love the overall sound in comparision to some other Metallica albums that I have listened to in the past. Mixing was not as good and really lacked on the bass.
Where's the bass???
Classic, but black one is better
Not bad 5/10
música de mi papá. lowk me dio mucho stress
The title track and "One" are some of the best metallica songs. I'm just happy this site finally recommended one of their good records and not one of the bad live ones. I will never think anything of theirs can beat master of puppets or die the lightning but for those two songs alone this is a decent record.
There's no denying "One" is a masterpiece but other than that this album is kind of just emo if they smoked PCP instead of cloves. I can only take ao much. Maybe it's the TikTok but I don't need these little symphonies with double kick drums.
Good album! Maybe would relisten
didnt expect this one. this is the one with no bass right? thats why i was turned off from it before i think. tried it a couple times but it hasnt stuck yet. Excited to try it again though I liked it more than I expected. Mix is flat and its a little long, but got great riffs and chugs and i like the compositions.
I am sure I have nothing new to say about this album or about Metallica in general. It's intense, fast, and I would guess, divisive. If you like this type of rock (stadium metal? divorced dad-core?) you'll probably like this album? I'm not the biggest fan of the genre......yet, I will say that Spotify auto-playing Disturbed's "Down with the Sickness" made that song sound oddly lifeless and dull in comparison.
Not my style of music, can still appreciate the musical talent though
Liked it more than I thought I would!
Never cared for Metallica
ONE ...!!!...!!!
Average metallica album I think
One of my girlfriend’s favorites but I never really got into them. This is one of their better efforts
Randomly saw these guys play last year, and they still sounded as immediate as they do here. Most importantly, Hetfield can pull off leather pants in his 60s, which is really an inspiration. (This probably deserves more than three stars. My Napster-era youth was prejudicial.)
I have to be in the right mood for this kind of music… and today was one of those days. It’s a real ass kicker. The back half of “One” might be the ass kickiest thing they ever did. James and Lars (mostly James) lay down a very tight rhythm section. Having said that, it will never not sound weird to have the bass guitar turned down so low that you can’t hear it (or it’s not there at all). The biggest drawback here is it’s just too long. It’s exhausting to listen to this for over an hour where most of the songs sound pretty samey. Maybe the reason Master of Puppets is the superior album is because it clocks in at a lean 54 minutes. Standouts: “Eye of the Beholder”, “One”
Average. Not as good as Iron Maiden.
Not bad not my style
Much more tollerable than the last one
...And it’s more thrash metal. Seriously. I had hoped for something better than the second album that I rolled on 1001, S&M, and to be fair, I got it. This is a better album than the 2-hour live escapade of S&M. But only really because it’s an hour shorter and it’s in-studio. All of the thrash metal I’ve been exposed to is just that, thrashing metal. Nothing to write home about. Lyrics seemed to be derived from that One line, “darkness imprisoning me”, and other such similar unserious themes of gothic sentiment. There’s the spectacular intro to One that precedes perhaps an above-average song, and most of To Live Is to Die is fairly enjoyable. But that is all that I can say besides for the remaining hour of chug-chug-chug guitars that I’m subjected to here. Maybe if it was shorter? Maybe if I was played it at a young age so it had some sort of personal nostalgic value? I don’t know. And I apologise. But this is all Metallica does for me, from what I have heard. And that is: not much.
Day 80 - Jan 11th or 12th, 2024 KIRK IS GAY, ROBERTS GAY, LARS IS GAY, BUT THE GAYEST IS JAMESSSSSSSS. wait wrong album. 3/5
Blackened- love the riffs on this one, drums are pretty solid, vocals and lyrics are fine chorus is pretty fun though, structure is the weakest part of this track, song goes on probably two minutes long. Pretty strong opening track though. And justice for all- why is this song 9 minutes long? It’s pretty solid and enjoyable for most of it but stretches of the track are t building anything and just kind of fill the space, not that any of it is particularly bad just not necessary. Lyrics clearly want to feel important and intelligent but I find it hard to buy into from the song (not that I disagree that the justice system is fucked), and it’s a bit painfully on the nose. Although still unsurprisingly relevant today. Eye of the beholder - great riffs and drum work on this one vocal performance is good but the lyrics kinda suck. Again lyrics feel quite performative too on the nose without actually saying a lot of interesting stuff. One - This is a classic, yes the production and mixing are bad, yes the drums are a bit off but who cares. This song is great it completely overruled the shortcomings of this album on this one. The Metallica stars aligned for this one the intro is haunting and a perfect mood setter, the guitars shred on this one, the drums are punchy and driving and the lyrics are awesome. The Shortest Straw- just another pretty good classic Metallica song not a lot of details her to give. It didn’t really leave a lasting impression. Harvester of souls is pretty awesome, one of the strongest guitar performances on the album. The Frayed Ends Of Sanity is similarly pretty good and another strong song to hold up the second half of the album and stop the whole thing from dragging. To Live Is To Die is pretty cool with its acoustic guitar intro and embellishments. The riffs are great and the drum work is pretty tight. Vocals are better on this one. …Dyers Eve is fine nothing special though, a not as climactic or anthem if as you’d expect. Mixing and production: drums are too high in the mix, guitar sound weak at points. Bass is non existent in the mix and the whole mix is tinny and shrill. Pretty terrible overall, which this album is infamous for. Outside of a couple of tracks this album is a pretty middling Metallica album the mix just takes it from a pretty good/ok album to a disappointment. I would definitely return to a good handful of the songs on here but I wouldn’t listen to this whole album in one sitting again in a hurry. Also a lot of the tracks are overindulgent in their length. 2.5/5
Not really worth paying for, but worth a stream or two
Actually assumed this record was earlier than some of the others. Not really familiar with this one. Except of course for One, which I always liked. This was older brother music growing up for sure. More of a heavy metal sound throughout. 'One' still rocks - love the melodic guitar and changing key signatures. Starts sounding pretty repetitive around track 7. Skipped that one Solid album for what it is. Not my fav 2.8/5
Not my jam but gotta give respect to some of the rhythm and novelty here.
Jao opet 😁 a šta reći, Metalika ko Metalika, moj (ne baš) dobar drugar. I'm not loving it, ali bilo je i gorih stvari u projektu, tako da ću ovo malo ocijeniti s nostalgijom. 3/5, 5/10.
Too hard core for me.
I didn't enjoy this one as much as their titled album. Songs felt a bit too long and I kept looking to see how much I had left.
A little fun, a little boring, a little repetitive, a little long.
Got me up the side of a mountain. Felt pumped listening to this. Not my go-to for music, but good in this circumstance
Favs: Blackened, Eye of the Beholder, Harvester of Sorrow Enjoyed it just not my type of music
Relentless. Complicated. Joyless. One of those things where I can appreciate how perfect it is, but I can't love it. Is this what goes on in the heads of lapsed Christian Scientists? Is metal the counter reformation to the punk reformation? Can I please listen to the stooges now?
Not my fav Metallica album. One is great, but a lot of the commentary very on the nose. Still good though.
Heavy metal. Very fast. Political. Very thin sound due to strange recording setup, doesn’t improve record. Think I might prefer most recent album.
potato chips
Absolutely fucked the production
So little movement or variety. I felt little to no emotion. Sure it sounds hard, but it wasn't interesting
not my favorite of them
Undeniably entertaining listen. I don’t know if it’s just me but i wish the mixing had a more heavy sound? For an album that’s trying so hard to sound heavy and badass, it kind of sounds flat. And I know everyone shits on Lars’ drumming, but it really does get old after an hour straight of it.
The coca- cola of metal music. One is the standout song here with the other pieces not being terrible or great. They sound quite alike. The album sounds harsh due to the absence of bass. Probably won't revisit. Putting this one down as a benchmark for the other metallica still to come.
3.5, banger after banger, just needs more screaming
i enjoyed head banging to this while banging my head against the wall on work problems. i'm into the prog metal vibe of this one, though i'm not sure if that is shared among most of their stuff. i'm not a big metallica guy but would re-listen in the right mood
I know the song One from, you know being alive and hearing it on the radio. It's a killer song to be honest. I didn't think I would like this album, but I actually really enjoyed it. It was far more melodic than I expected on an album, almost pushing into prog rock on some tracks. I also felt like I was invincible getting so much shit done while listening to this.
Ez for first time listening rap, i think? Gud
"Eye of the beholder" zur Playlist hinzugefügt. Ansonsten etwas gemischte Gefühle. Finds teilweise gut, teilweise aber gar nicht mein Ding.
hell yeah
Second Metallica album on this list. Doesn't hit the heights of Master of Puppets. God awful production. Starts off strong with Blackened, weak until One, continues to not quite hit the mark
I’m not really in love with this album but I thought it was neat. Some songs were for sure head-bangers but some songs were not as interesting to me. I really liked the songs that have variation in them. Those songs were very engaging, and the build up and grandness of those songs were really good too. However, some songs felt too long. Singing also sounded the same on each song.
This was a beast to get through. It's heavy and thick and I feel weighed down after. I need some silence after this. I know that's exactly what Metallica is going for so they accomplish it well but it's just not a genre for me. One is a great song, though. 5.25/10 (2.625/5)
I love the guitar. The guitar is my favorite instrument. So from a guitar standpoint, I loved this album. But the rest I wasn’t too crazy about.
Good, but so damn long. I would like it a lot if I liked metal.
This sounds very odd, particularly on headphones. Drums are very "forward" and centred. Where is the bass? The guitar is evenly split on both channels but "wide". It sounds quite unnatural. It's quite well played but I found my attention drifting. 3/5 but a 3/5 I have no desire to own. It's not unpleasant but not that engaging either.
Going into this, I have always felt that this was the weakest album of the Metallica golden age, but lets see. I have to agree that the bass is almost inaudible and the mix is pretty dry. but the intro on And Justice For All is excellent guitar work. Eye Of The Beholder has a nice gallop intro and is pretty consistent. One is a real landmark of a song. Harvester Of Sorrow reminds me a lot of Pantera's Walk. Dyers Eve is fun.
What could have been another decent/great album by Metallica let down by a terrible mix and songs that stay too long. One is still an amazing song all things considered 3.5*
Not really my type of music but I expected it to be way worse
Good for when you want loud, shouty music. But they need to shorten those songs.
They have some real good guitar solos. The best songs are One and To Live Is To Die.
Another stark reminder why I don't listen to Metallica anymore. I love stumbling upon "One" from time to time, a classic in metal music forever. But the idea to listen to the whole album in one sitting is quite a grueling task. It's just incredibly boring and repetitive record, and I'm honestly surprised I was able to like it many moons ago. Metallica is so relentless in what they are doing, that you're either ride the lightning, or you're being dragged behind. And like with Master of Puppets I gave that album 5 stars, moatly for the nice memories, I'll have to balance it out with 3 for this record, because current me just can't take it at all. From now on, one song at a time, then couple months of break. Repeat forever.
Great album - there are so many classics on here. It is, however, the weakest album of the big four by Metallica. Removing the bass from the mix was such a dick move!
i grew up in the napster/st. anger era so i've never known a world where these guys were anything but corndogs. coolest thing they ever did was help raise the alarm on the west memphis three, but it took the dixie chicks to find the real killers.
Honestly, listening to this first thing in the morning, slightly hungover, kickstarted my day. Definitely something to actively listen to, but made a good background for me in my pyjamas in the bathroom dyeing my hair bright orange. Songs I knew before: 1 (which is One)
Great band and such incredible intricate brilliance. but this album has dated for me. I think the sonic Tour de Force of the ‘Black Album’ will never be surpassed.
Rocks hard
One the best Metallica song, but this album not as strong as I remember it
Not my style but liked a little
Metallica definitely jams. I love their sound but I wouldn’t say any of these songs are my favorites of theirs and so I settled on a three. Also, this was a very aggressive way to go to work at 6 am this weekend. When I pulled up to the parking garage and rolled down my window to open the gate with this album blaring, the security guard gave me a look that was just “damn, white people are crazy” and I couldn’t really argue with him.
Two things I love about this album number 1 is “One” - amazing song. Number 2 is the guitar style which had to be the inspiration for the power rangers music. Otherwise, I wasn’t a huge fan. 9 songs at 65 mins is long and especially long for individual songs. Those 2 things carry it pretty far though. High 2 or low 3.
I fully understand the draw of Metallica, but it’s just not for me. But, a bunch of the Metallica songs I know are on this album and I really did like this album even if I did have to take a couple breaks so the length wouldn’t drag on. Definitely have to be in a mood for this one, but if you are it slaps. Still wild that they were featured in Fortnite for like two months.
If I'm going to listen to metal, I want it to be Metallica. I'm still not crazy about the genre, but it wasn't hard to listen to. The songs mostly sounded the same. I guess that's good if you like Metallica, but it got pretty repetitive for me. Music like this just reminds me of a highschool weight room.
One of their weaker albums.
Is it just me....same same same
The masters of machine gun rock do it again
4 albums so far from Metallica on this challenge and whilst I like like them, I don’t think their sound/albums are different enough to warrant multiple entries. It’s not their fault, sometimes this list is shit. 3 stars
Exhausting listen. Quite tickled to catch some clear foreshadowing of The Black Album here Lars Ulrich is a magnificent drummer btw.
Overall, my favorite Metallica album. I'm not the biggest fan of theirs, but this is always a solid listen!
7/10. Great playing, some truly terrible vocals, and middling lyrics (with One being a standout high point)
So boring at times. Just goes on and on.
Picks up a lot this album towards the end. I wouldn’t like to listen to this album on a Sunday morning. ‘One’ by far the stand out song. From then onwards enjoyed each track. Lars Ulrich’s snare sounds insipid throughout however. Lacks bite. Also, there is no need for Lars Drumming under the classical guitars in the intro “To Live Is to Die” I feel it detracts from the playing.
5/10. Had some great guitar moments but overall not my thing.
It’s hard to give this an average score, but the Metallica fan in me knows it wouldn’t be right to grade it higher. This is an album of grief, written and produced at a time where the machine couldn’t stop or more accurately, not allowed to. Lyrical content is dark, the riffs are heavy, but the production is messy. Composition and arrangement is chaotic. Bring on the Black album…
Yep, that was Metallica, just like it says on the tin
No estoy particularmente en un estado para escuchar metal. No es el mejor disco de Metallica. Excepto One no estoy disfrutando mucho de las otras canciones.
Usually not my cup of tea, but I tend to enjoy older Metallica. 3.5/5
I like Metallica but I think this is by far not as good as the S&M or Metallica albums.
a falta de baixo audível nesse álbum me deixa meio triste das ideia, galera do metallica era arrombada demais. ainda assim não é ruim, mas tá bem distante das pedrada da era cliff burton
Some of the best Metallica melodies, progressions and ideas are here. One might very well be the best metal song of all time. A LOT of conceptually great things are happening here. But that mixing... it's downright illegal, there are so many songs here that sound great in concept but in practice fall rather flat due to lack of depth (o7 bass) and proper rawness from the guitars that would give them some real punch. Works well enough for the prettier, more whimsical moments and passages - not so much for the headbangers.
Not all but some
I got excited when this showed up on my page in the morning. It used to be my favorite Metallica album in high school. Unfortunately it doesn’t hit quite like it used to do back then. Naturally, there’s One which still slaps but the rest of the album lacks in quality a bit. Firstly, it’s way too long. The tracks go on and on (yes, even One) repeating the same riffs over and over again. There are some tracks where this is particularly annoying when I felt like there’s nothing interesting in those riffs, just droning noise. It becomes tiring at some point and I felt like skipping a few tracks in the middle. Still, the good parts are very good, the title track, to live is to die and my new favorite The Frayed Ends of Sanity (a few tweaks here and there make it very interesting, too bad they didn’t apply it to other tracks). You can definitely feel that the key creative mind behind the band is now gone, which kinda justifies the drop in quality. Overall it’s still a positive review, but nothing more than 3/5.
Meh.
Not the best Metallica album. Half album loses the innovation and becomes very boring
First listen was on a run and the riffs were a bit slow and didn't fit well. Working and driving were much more suitable for the rhythms. Some songs feel like a collection of riffs with some abrupt transitions but others are very well written.
this is fine, I be headbanging 3/5
It was metal, it wad Metallica. But the songs were too long.
Ok
Good and very mature Metallica album. Not their best in my opinion.
For many Metallica purists, ...And Justice for All is the last true Metallica album before the band's infamous "sellout." Released in 1988, it builds upon the foundations of their previous three albums, showcasing a band on the ascendancy while retaining the raw energy that defined their early work. The combination of complex song structures, thematic depth, and powerful instrumentation solidified Metallica as the biggest of the "Big Four" of thrash metal. You can't discuss this album without highlighting the impact of "One." At its peak, you couldn't turn on MTV without seeing its haunting music video—a striking contrast to the song's harrowing subject matter. "One" hinted at the sonic evolution Metallica would explore, even if few understood its implications at the time. Thanks in part to this single, ...And Justice for All sold an estimated 15 million copies worldwide—an astounding feat, especially given the album's genre and overall intensity. Ridiculously titled tracks like "Harvester of Sorrow," "The Shortest Straw," and "Blackened" have become staples of Metallica's live shows, showcasing the trademark duelling guitars of James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett in a ferocious blend of melody and aggression. However, with just nine tracks spanning over an hour, the ambitious songwriting can lead to an exhausting listen—one might even accuse the band of overindulgence at times. The title track, while powerful, can feel excessively lengthy, and "To Live Is to Die" stretches the limits of patience with its instrumental sections. Even "The Frayed Ends of Sanity" meanders a bit too long. Listening to the album decades later, it's hard to ignore some glaring production flaws. New bassist Jason Newsted's contributions are nearly inaudible, leaving fans yearning for Cliff Burton's rich bass lines. Some drum sounds are so overproduced that it feels as if Lars Ulrich is banging on beer cans—or worse, recorded inside them. Hetfield's powerful voice, while spirited, can feel rough around the edges—adding to the album's raw feel that may deter those who aren't fans of the genre. It may be heresy to some, but Metallica truly perfected their sound on The Black Album. While there was a push for mainstream success, it resulted in a more streamlined collection of songs with varied themes and energies. I am even prepared to admit I didn't mind Load and Reload, but St. Anger is where I draw the line. Metallica enjoyed an incredible run with their first five albums, each holding a special place for fans for different reasons. ...And Justice for All captures late '80s Metallica at their peak—doing what they did best before infighting and corporate pressures took hold. Despite its flaws, it remains a significant chapter in Metallica's storied legacy. Did/Do I own this release? Someone copied it on tape, but I only had 7 and a half songs. Does this release belong on the list? There are arguments for each of the first five albums; I personally feel The Black Album or Master of Puppets are more representative releases. Would this release make my personal list? While I enjoy it, there are other albums by the band that I prefer. Will I be listening to it again? Occasionally.
Yeah Metal(lica)! One is an amazing track.
Miljaar da zijn lange nummers. Het ding is dat ik mijn dagelijkse album altijd beluister in de vroege uurtjes op het werk. En dit te horen krijgen op een nuchtere maag, terwijl ik mijn granola op m'n gemakje moet eten is een vreemde ervaring. Nu, One vind ik fantastisch. De rest is oké, maar klinkt allemaal wat hetzelfde imo. 3.1
It’s good but not my cup of tea especially while working :)
Didn't like it but +1 for a long song
Amazing instrumentals, Personally think everything else was a little underwhelming.
The instrumentation is so intricate, but that’s kind of overshadowed by the plodding mix. And where’s the bass yo? The sound is so flat at points, it’s kind of painful to listen to. Although One was firmly implanted in my brain for a transatlantic flight, its not exactly the song you want in your head when you’re trying to sleep on a red eye. Not their best album for sure, but certainly not their worst.
Take away the ten minute instrumental and we'd have another star.
Sounds like two 30 minute songs broken up by 'One'. But hey, even if most of the album blends together, it's still good. Like a nice smoothie.
Fine Metallica album. A little repetitive.
65 straight minutes of metallica in full meathead "censorship = politics, politics = bad" mode is frankly exhausting to take in, but the musicianship is largely excellent. 3.5/5
3+ one
There's really just one trick here, and it's fine.
I liked this, but it’s also a lot. I mean A LOT. I felt exhausted when this ended after an hour and 5 minutes. This felt at times like overindulgence on Metallica’s part
metallica do not know how to make prog (or at least forgot on this record), which fortunately for them has never rly been a barrier to Making Prog. One sticks out like a sore thumb for having the musical Coherency of the band's previous epics, elsewhere these tracks are not rly beating the riff salad allegations but the riffs are at least usually fun. kirk ofc also has great showings thruout. idk i love prog and prog metal and kinda sloppy prog and this is fine but even grading on the curve that is my general lack of fandom for this band, its hard to find this very exciting, or aesthetically coherent, or even much of a Career Culmination when it feels mostly like the same tracklisting formula as lightning and puppets but left out in the sun a bit too long. also is metallica the most famous/acclaimed band to have multiple albums known for Bad Production? much less production that is bad in Different Ways from the other albums with Bad Production?
I should probably give this one another listen, I wasn't really giving it that much attention for parts of it. It was generally fine, definitely some talented instrument playing happening. The music itself was not really my thing but I didn't dislike it either.
...And Metallica For All Whether you want it or not
Maybe I was too harsh on Metallica, it's simply built differently than Slayer. More creative musically, but less fierce. Makes sense, you can't expect a brute to fight aesthetically pleasing, they will swing their club and try to hit as hard as they can. Today I was able to appreciate this album more, To Live Is to Die is something Slayer could never make.
more bearable than 90% of the stuff the latest weeks but I cba I only liked the slow part in To Live Is To Die
Tres estrellas porque aunque es el disco que trae One, el resto me pareció increíblemente repetitivo y hasta algo aburrido. Y que algo tan intenso y ruidoso aburra, no es muy buena señal.
Good album ruined by its production, obviously no bass at all but the drums don't sound great either, which is frustrating considering this is Lars Ulrich's best work. Some of the songs are the bands best
Sounds like Ben Folds.
Don't like metal all that much
never been my genre but i did enjoy it
It’s just metallic it’s good
Still feels authentic at least as far as Metallica goes
I listened to the remastered version, but the production is still lacking (the drums sound especially odd). Songs are kinda samey and overlong. Highlights: "Blackened" (interesting how it fades up and then blasts off), "One", "Harvester of Sorrow" (cool beginning riff) Notable: "The Frayed Ends of Sanity" (the "oreo" chant at the beginning makes me LOL), "To Live Is to Die" (started out as a quiet, mellow instrumental--a breather from all the heaviness--but then it quickly got heavy again)
whatever ok
Ok, but aside from “One,” not as good as I was hoping for. My best takeaway was the reminder that we can rightly call Metallica an 80s band. Not sure why that amuses me, but it does.
Well done, but I didn’t want to listen to it again when it was over. Maybe that will change with time.
2,5
Chug chug chug. Ultimately, I think the band has better albums, but there are definitely some great standout tracks on this record.
all the songs kinda sound the same.
Notable for losing the Grammy to one of the more mediocre Jethro Tull albums. Which was an unfair situation for Metallica, but also extremely funny.
I’ve probably seen the video for One a hundred times. I have heard other songs on this album though the years on occasion, but definitely not a thrash metal guy. Fine to listen to this as part of the 1001 albums project, but for sure not putting it into my rotation. As many other reviewers have pointed out, this is all guitars and drums. Where is the bass in the mix? I understand that this is a quintessential album for the genre and Metallica is a group of technically gifted musicians, so I am going to rate it higher than my “do I like it” score: 3.5⭐️ (rounding up to 4 for overall rating; my personal “like” score is 2.5)
Finally, I thought, when I saw Metallica show up... This is the band that I've seen live more than any other mayor act, and always had a great time! Albums... that is not where their strength lies... I adore the song "One" as it is just raw as shit, and bangs you from left to right to up to down. Rest of the album I could have easily skipped... but that is my opinion. 3*** just because of One
One is for the record books. Enjoyed this album like I like the most of their work, just fine and had a good time.
If Lars hadn't been so weird about the bass, this would be one of the greatest metal albums of all time. Thanks lars. The drums sound absolutely awful too, I HATE that tinny snare sound. What is it with Lars and shitty snare sounds??!!?? Also how many time signature changes do you want? YES!
And Justice for All is the first album that Metallica made since Cliff Burton passed away in 1986, and is the first album that Jason Newstead plays on. So in this time Metallica was going through a big change, and they went all in on that fact, this album is very different from the first 3 albums, and in my opinion, it isn’t as good as the first 3 albums. This albums mix is very dry and flat sounding, and doesn’t have any bass because they turned it down for some odd reason and I really like bass, my ears are happy when bass. But without this album The Black Album wouldn’t exist. Metallica tried out a different sound, with a different Bassist, and this sound and vibe would be upgraded in The Black Album (which is my second favorite Metallica album, at least atm.)
In my imagination Metallica has this giant sound that fills all crevices of a room. This whole album is thin, tinny. The drums sound like they were constructed out of tin. The shredding on the guitar sounds distant and tenuous. I'm not a fan of Metallica on the best of days, but I can appreciate their musicianship. Everyone correctly observes that "One" is a timeless classic of the genre, but the rest of the album is certainly not helped by the engineering here. Millions of edgy teens cut their teeth on the disaffected shredding of Metallica over the years. I wasn't one of them. This album is kind of boring to me. Solos that don't contribute musically to the piece but exist for the sake of demonstrating your chops aren't my thing. There's a *lot* of that here. I can't shake the feeling that Hetfield and crew feel their work is Really Important™.
“One” wails. The rest is serviceable.
Spennende, one er en banger men resten var ganske ait 3.5
Credit where credit is due: this is a great metal album. It's not exactly my cup of tea and I'm not sure I'll ever love Metallica, but there are some fucking dynamic achievements on this thing. "One" is particularly astounding. I remember the original mix as tinny and undercooked. The remaster is better, I guess, but you still can't hear the bass. Maybe on purpose given the passing of Cliff Burton. Still not really feeling the lyricism. Highlights: One, Harvester of Sorrow
Frayed Ends of Sanity is dumb. The rest is good music to listen to while running.
There was a good guitar solo somewhere I'm confident was a guest player because it was too good
Pretty good
This Metallica album was a decent one, it was great to head bang to these songs Top tracks: One
surprised by how much i liked this but then again not really
eu acho que Metallica nunca vai ser pra mim
Fine. Does this list need all of these Metallica albums? Seems like this album doesn’t need to be here.
According to my son, this and Master of Puppets are battling for the top spot in his Metallica rankings. I might put this one a bit higher myself. I’ve been pleased with early Metallica, though not much of a metal fan I do like the guitar interplay on these, and the production isn’t as glossy as the later songs I’ve heard. Probably not going to revisit anytime soon but I wouldn’t be hesitant to play it again.
Metallica is never really my thing
This one is a bit too heavy metal for me. Not as emotionally connected but I love the drum
Not in my top 3 Metallica. But ok
METAL (as Peterson would say). It’s not my bag but I can appreciate the ferocity of the guitars and unrelenting intensity of the drums. It feels like it represents engineering as a sound. All those precise lines of data compiled into a harsh, precise sound.
3/5 This album is very loud and repetitive, and long. Way too long. It's an enjoyable listen at times, but it could be a lot, lot shorter and hence sweeter without losing any of its quality. I would definitely return to a 25-30 minute version of this album. When the instrumental does change up, it's fantastic. The guitar solos are often very middling, neither interesting or annoying, and the vocals and lyrics generally are good. Blackened 3/5 ...And Justice For All 4/5 Eye Of The Beholder 2.5/5 One 2.5/5 The Shortest Straw 1.5/5 (LEAST FAV) Harvester Of Sorrow 4/5 The Frayed Ends Of Sanity 2.5/5 To Live Is To Die 4.5/5 (FAV) Dyers Eve 4/5
Some killer, some filler: The Metallica Story.
metallica's best album, starts and ends very strong
Can’t help but head band a bit to most of these. Especially One ‘tis a banger of the head variety
Mothafuckin Lars Ulrich. Mid Metal Album. Doesn’t have something really that stands out. Not super fast. Not super heavy. Kinda shitty production. One is the only thing saving it from a 2
Metal.
Loved it and rocked it, didn't quite break through to 4
One is awesome but rest is meh
I wish we knew exactly what Jason played. Otherwise, it's great! Drags on longer than it needs to, but then it wouldn't be a Metallica album, would it?
I like some of their other stuff better. Maybe I’ll give it another try.
Metallica is one of my favorite bands, but I’ve always felt like this is their most overrated album. Generally speaking, this album doesn’t do anything new and different. Everything on here feels like a rinse and repeat from their previous two albums, but with a harsher sound and worse production. Even One, which is an all time great Metallica song, feels like what would come out if Fade to Black and Sanitarium were put together in a blender. Say what you will about the Black album, but at least they did something different and stepped up their game on production. Sure, pure thrash Metallica is awesome, but had they made another album like Justice, it would have started to feel stale. Now that I’ve gotten the criticisms out of the way, this is still a great full throttle Metallica thrash album. Also, tons of credit to them for being to pull this album off after a period of enormous loss.
I don’t like metal. The instrumentalists are very good and talented. There was one song that I really liked the beat of until the singing started.
Songs unfortunately are too long and too similar to one another. Vocals are pretty much the same throughout the album as well. It's what you'd expect: metal yelling with heavy drums and guitar. Best songs are "One" and "To Live Is to Die". Would rather listen to Led Zeppelin.
Nifty riffs, I can appreciate that as a guitarist, even though I'm not the biggest Metallica fan. All-time tone on songs like One, despite the relatively thin percussion sound. Songs could be, um, shorter. By more than half in some cases. As a result, by "The Shortest Straw", I begin getting what doctors might label "Metallica fatigue". Also, not sure why they decided not to fix the mixing on the remaster, perhaps sentiment? Lyrically a touch angsty for my tastes (also, "doth" on "The Shortest Straw"?? Maybe that's a bit of a nitpick) -- had I found this album years ago, perhaps I'd appreciate it a bit better. Regardless, I find at least one thing to like about most every piece on this album.
Definitely interesting… my first Metallica album so I’m not used to it but I’m definitely trying to lean into it. I think I like “…And Justice For All.” I also like the opening to “One.” However, I did fall asleep listening to this one.
I don't hear this one talked about as much as their other 80s releases, aside from people mentioning that the bass is "barely" present. Compared to other Metallica albums, I find it a bit too samey without enough variance on the instrumental side; hammering home that skeletal thrash metal formula for a majority of this album. I do enjoy the opening to the song 'One', which was a much-needed switch-up at that point in the album - though at times it does just feel like a reworked version of 'Fade to Black'. Lyrically, the political undertones stick out more than on their other albums - which I appreciate. Overall wasn't crazy about this one - but I can't say I hated it either - still some kickass riffs to admire here.
One is a HOF track, these guys go hard
While undoubtedly technically impressive, the frequent tempo changes and constant jumps from riff to riff make it difficult to latch on to anything. The lack of melodic variety only heightens this quality. Listened to: driving to Cape Cod. Favorite tracks: One
06/24/24 S Tier—————————5 A Tier—————————4 One To Live Is To Die Dyers Eve B Tier—————————3 The Shortest Straw And Justice For All Eye of the Beholder Blackened The Frayed Ends of Sanity Harvester of Sorrow C Tier—————————2 D Tier—————————1
I love some good protest music, and even though this doesn't fit the historical mold for political protest music, it does still absolutely scratch that itch for me. Unfortunately the sound of Metallica gets pretty worn out for me as the album goes on. They really only have the one setting, and that's fast, loud, and rockin'. Which is fun for a while, but I need something varied, even just a little bit, to keep me engaged.
3/5 decent i just dont like metallica all that much
It was better than I expected. 3/5
My 17 years old male friends 15 years ago were so obsessed with this, quoting it, doing random solos on random objects, headbangs, taking it very seriously as the highest form of art. For me it was just silly.
Not my style but I can see how someone who likes this kind of music would enjoy the album.
Fun music. Favourite track: One.
As a folk duo, these guys are terrible! Great promise as a metal band though
Fun throwback
Just not music I'd ever listen to, really. Nothing wrong, I just can't connect for some reason.
Not the best Metallica. Oh well. I’ll move on.
This was good. But in context, it was only ever just good. Maybe even very good. But it’s surrounded by greatness.
put 3 stars but idrk what i'm comparing it to yet. i liked it but the songs were just a little too long for me and it was more metal than what i'm used to(duh)
To quote Todd in the Shadows: "I'M A LONELY LITTLE BOY AND I WANT TO BE LOVED. I'M A LONELY LITTLE GUY AND I NEED A HUG AGGHHHUGHAHWWW" One is great though.
I wasnt a Metallica fan back in the day. It's because Chris Owens and his bratty friends all wore Metallica & Slayer shirts everyday to high school. Metallica also looked extremely sweaty and sloppy in their Hit Parader and Circus photos. 😂🤘🏻 So needless to say I never listened to this when it came out. The video for One was all over MTV and you couldn't ignore hearing it. It was a breakthrough. Pounding drums and awesome sound, but for the casual listener not much of that is contained in the rest of the songs here. But I truly appreciate the talent these guys have, Lars makes some incredible beats on this album. I will also say my neck is kind of sore today from head banging yesterday. Looking forward to the rest of the Metallica albums in the countdown.
The production value of Justice is garbage and the blame falls squarely on Lars Ulrich and his ego. One became an iconic song and I’ve always had a fondness for Harvester of Sorrow. Jason Newstead was the best decision Metallica ever made, it’s a shame he is almost non existent on this album.
'One' is obviously a masterpiece, and this album does have a smattering of other quality singles. But I don't think it's Metallica's best effort by far, and controversially I think Death Magnetic is more interesting
Mediocre Progressive Metal.
Bass?
Was just okay. Fun to listen to, though. 3/5
Not really a fan of Metallica
why us so mad bro?
I like Metallica. Reload was the album that got me into drumming aged 13 or something. I then moved onto The Black Album / Load, but never really went that far back, except for the hits. This is the first time I've heard this record before, but after a few listens, I wouldn't rate it as one of my favourites. There's loads of energy, and Lars is on top form here, but maybe I'm a little Metallica-fatigued at this point; I don't know. Favourite tracks: One, Harvester of Sorrow, To Live Is To Die.
Despite the thin sound, the musicality is quite good. It does sound strangely manufactured and inauthentic, but the riffs are good. I do wish the bass sound came through. Metallica is a “safe” metal band overall and it shows on this record.
Classic heavy album full of bangers
First album without OG bassist Cliff, missing those bass lines!
Good but after a while they sound too much alike
ekki slæmt. full langt og einhæft, en við því er svo sem að búast af þungarokki. 3,5.
i dont like this very much but lulu is my favorite metallica album so maybe my opinion is invalid. 6/10
Hollow sounding
Decent, but, not their most rocking
I really love the guitar sound, but Hetfield's voice doesn't really do it for me - it's kind of one note the whole time.
Listened—not a big fan and it just didn’t grab my attention.
Classic album with some incredible songs but the era wasn't very good to this genre in terms of the mix. Wish the album had a more balanced sonic range, would get another star out of me for sure
Someone got a double bass pedal for their birthday.
Really enjoyed listening to this whilst in a run. Not listened to it for years and years - was better than I remembered.
Great band.
Morose melodies and headbanging guitar riffs
All of these songs sounded the same.
Not bad
Pretty solid, I was highkey grinding my philosophy essay when I was listening to this and I put this at way higher volume than I usually listen to music and it did a good job of tuning out everything else. Feel like it was the perfect type/amount of noise. I’d prolly not enjoy it when listening regularly, who knew that metal would be good homework music for me. Homework music: 10/10, usual listening opinion: like a 6.5/10
Definitely was too long in places
Didn't actually listen but this stupid website won't give me more albums unless I say I did
Old Metallica…some of the songs I have always liked, some not so much..
I'm told this is a classic metal album. To me it was somewhat repetitious. "Harvester of Sorrow", "The Frayed Ends of Sanity" and "To Live Is to Die" are my favorite tracks.
This album demonstrates the skill of an excellent band and a drummer struggling to keep up. I found it actually quite a hard listen and even though sounds like "One" and "... Justice for all" deserve they're places in rock and or metal fame the rest of the album is a bit derivative and the drums are an annoying distraction with their miss beats and clumsy fills. Not lars finest moment and not Metallicas powerful sound they're known for.
Good
Why did I like this at 15