Came across this interesting piece from the New York Times archives. Written in 1988 on the eve of AJFA
https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/10/magazine/heavy-metal-weighty-words.htmlI was 8 at the time and learning violin and piano. Wouldn't pick up an electric guitar until 1991 and didn't hear Metallica until a couple of years after that, arriving to the Black Album party a bit late. Soon after getting into the Black Album I remember buying AJFA and just really not digging it much at all. Probably listened to it two or three times and it gathered dust since. Now, nearly thirty years later I literally cannot get enough of AJFA. I think it might be Metallica at their very best. Such a great band and impressive that they've been cranking out big riffs for decades.
Comments
My head said brake, but my heart cried never.
It's funny. I'm not really a big metal fan at all. But Metallica has gripped me for a long time. I'm almost ashamed to admit that I've never explored the genre properly. I couldn't even recognise a single number by Megadeth for example. It's almost as if I feel that Metallica gives me all I need or want from this kind of music.
Hailing from the West Midlands myself, I was really interested to learn of Lars Ulrich's link with Diamondhead and his prolonged stay in Stourbridge before Metallica. Silly really but I feel a sense of local pride to imagine that Stourbridge and the Black Country played a part in the rise of Metallica.
For me Pantera are the best metal band of all time, Far Beyond Driven and Trendkill are great heavy albums - the biggest thing for me is the songs and riffs have groove backed up by a heavy rhythm section working well together. I think that might be my issue with Metallica, it's cliche to say but Lars' drumming really let's the side down!
I was also 15 in 88 but had started pretty young so had vague memories from aftermath of nwobhm. RTL is onebrhe best metal albums ever. MOP ain't far behind but i lost interest in 91.
the West Midlands played a major part in the birth of heavy metal/hard rock, birthing power players like Sabbath, Judas Priest and to a certain extent, Led Zeppelin.
Having said that I think Load/reload is my favourite Metallica period..I mean ok..its not remotely "metal" but some of the most interesting song writing and vocals in their career.
Im not a big fan of thrash generally though so I dont idolize their earlier more thrashy stuff.
These day I like bits of everything up to reload, but the output since then has been pretty patchy at best.
Did you see them in Colbert a couple of weeks ago. Emgs renoved and they sounded much better
It's a game of opinions really, I think they peaked through the whole period 90-99 including Garage Inc. which sounds amazing. Right up to I Disappear, since then I agree it's diminishing returns, although Hardwired is a very very good album. Death Magnetic also has some great songs mired by terrible production and lack of QC, St Anger is its own thing
I'll always love em, and I think live they still are fuckin great, all them Metallica Mondays were great. I can't wait to see them when gigs open up again, I get the feeling it's only a matter of time before a lot of their back catalogue becomes unplayable by Lars and Kirk.
My head said brake, but my heart cried never.
One of the first records I bought as a teenager was Garage Inc. and I'm still loving that '90s era of Metallica. Anything with Bob Rock as a producer sounds effing great (bar the obvious St. Anger snare drum), I wish they would get him back into the producers seat and kick their arses.
I recently watched some recent footage and was surprised how good they still sounded at played. Ok, Kirks playing can be a bit messy but I'm sure he can undo that with some solid practicing.
My head said brake, but my heart cried never.