Artist Page: Metallica

Back to the Roots, Metallica play fast and heavy like in the old days. Most songs are long and songwriting based around riffs. James (singer/rhythm guitar) is at his top form, bass and lead guitars are quite good too, and the drummer sounds like crap. Luckily, all songs are at least decent with the instrumental being probably the weakest one.

Ah... they're back. This album contains elements that are reminiscent of "Master of Puppets" and "...and Justice for All", such as long songs and more musical complexity thant what Metallica have offered since the black album, and added to this is some of the raw energy of "St. Anger".

"Death Magnetic" is a very varied album with some songs veing almost Slayer-like while others are groovy and others again very melodic, and others again contain riffs that remind me of the Exodus of the 80s. Best of all, Kirk's shreddy solos are back, which I've certainly missed for many years. "Death Magnetic" certainly is the best Metallica since "...and Justice for All".

Undoubtedly, a classic of the genre. A must have for any Thrash metal fan.

While all of Metallicas first four albums were really good, they were all pretty different. If you ask me, this is the one that stands out the most, as the production is much different and the material is even more different than what Metallica fans might be used to. First of all, as you can see on the track length on all of the songs, Metallica kind of "progged" it all up a bit. And if you ask me, this is a very good thing. I feel that the songs on this albums are much stronger than the songs on the previous Metallica albums.

To begin with, Blackened might be one of the strongest songs Metallica has written to date. The intro to the opener ... -> show full review

There must be something wrong with me, because I actually like this album. I was blown away when I heard it the first time and immediately bought it. The production is terrible, to be sure, and it is perhaps a bit strange that Metallica jump the Nu Metal wave years after it had died out. But apart from the lack of soloes and the terrible production, the music itself is very energetic and explosive... pure anger.

It's an essential release in the sense that Metallica are returning to the aggression of the pre-Black Album Days, thus the first step away from the tired-old-man-biker-rock style of the Load and Reload albums.

I wlaways praise "...And Justice for All" and "Master of Puppets", but I tend to forget this one, and shame on me, because "Ride the Lightning" is one killer album which, like the two others, stands the test of time. Certainly up there as one of the best thrash metal releases.

One of the finest thrash releases ever. Stands the test of time.

I don't know where to start about this album..It's absolutely unique..Never has a symbiosis between a symphony orchestra and a Metal band been created that really worked, but here it does! Thanks to the genious of Michael Kamen, the director of the San Francisco Philharmonic, who did a titan's job writing all the arrangements for band and orchestra, this is the first example of successfully combining Metal and Symphony Orchestra. Forget Deep Purple and the London Philharmonic, where the band and the orchestra just play different tracks. Forget other attempts where the orchestra just acts as "sweetener" for the music. Here the band and orchestra play an equal part, filling eachother with beautiful contrapoint, and layer upon layer of magnificent music. One of my all-time favorite albums!

If you're looking for the progressive moments, focus on the Battery intro & structure, the title track, The Thing that Should Not Be, Welcome Home (Sanitarium) and of course, the fantastic Orion.