Metallica - The 'Black' Album (Metallica - Metallica)

Member Name: s-gilly

Product:	Metallica - Metallica
Date:	20/07/09 (12 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Bits of everything to love about Metallica

Disadvantages: Some songs sound the same

The self titled album 'Metallica', dubbed 'the Black' album by fans for its almost completely black album art is the fifth studio album from heavy metal/ thrash giants Metallica. The album itself has sold over 15 million copies in the US alone and has released 6 singles. Many fans consider this to be the end of Metallica reign as thrash metal kings and instead some see them as sell outs because this fifth album is more listener friendly and appealed to the media a lot more than the others which Metallica had originally stayed away from. I think this is just people who do not appreciate Metallica's talent and the fact that they don't go with the flow which is one reason that I love this band.
Metallica's previous four albums have been considered thrash metal where as they now stray into the genre of heavy metal. This album marks a turning point in my eyes for Metallica for being less raw power and more just creating songs with more personal feelings behind them. The album cover features only a coiled snake in the bottom right and the band's logo in the top left corner (yes, very plain I know but still I think it's good).
The album also contains what some would see as Metallica's most well known songs and being released the year before I was born and my dad being a huge fan, I've grew up listening to this album. So if you are new to Metallica or the metal genre entirely then I would definitely recommend this be one of the first albums you should hear.

Lead vocals/ guitar: James Hetfield
Drums: Lars Ulrich
Bass: Jason Newsted
Lead guitar: Kirk Hammet

Former members: Cliff Burton (RIP)

Enter Sandman- 5:31
The opening track of this album begins with a distorted melodic tune but quickly goes into a heavy tune with Lars adding an amazing drum beat into the background. After about a minute of the tune building into something immensely heavy Hetfield comes in and we immediately hear the change in his voice. I think that this is truly where James' vocals peak in ability. Half way through there is an amazing solo that leaves you wanting more. The vocals in this track are truly amazing with Hetfield adding an echo effect towards the end of the song and as it slowly fades out it leaves you wanting to listen to the rest of the album.
Enter Sandman is probably Metallica's most well known song (it is also used in every live album and DVD by Metallica since 1991) and the lyrics deal with nightmares. I think this song caught my attention so much because it is a major change from the extremely complex tracks from previous albums as this track has pretty much just one riff.

Sad but True- 5:23
Sad but True immediately opens into the riff that is used through most of the song though changed in places and is great for head banging to as the drums backing it are very audible. When I first heard this track I couldn't get enough, the lyrics are just so interesting and even addictive. Hetfield sings about schizophrenia from the stand point of an evil personality that almost completely takes over this person's mind. Just like Enter Sandman the middle of the song changes slightly to a slower version of the original riff and then the main solo comes in. James also screams at bit at the end as well.

Holier Than Thou- 3:48
Okay, this track begins which such an amazingly heavy riff and the drums in the back just make it stronger that I just have to say that this is where the album really picks up in terms of heavy metal. The lyrics are relatively hard to get behind because sometimes Hetfield just ploughs out words that can sometimes become hard to catch but either way they really go with the feel of the song. The solo comes in at 2:40 and once finished the song just some how seems to get heavier and to great effect to. Over all I'd say this track is really under appreciated.

The Unforgiven- 6:26
The Unforgiven is usually seen as the ballad of this album and was also released as a single but it is distinctly different from Metallica's other ballads because it uses heavier verses and a slow melodic chorus where as other ballads such as Fade to Black or One it is vice versa. The lyrics follow a man's life in which he lives very cautiously and later in life regrets the decisions he has made. The song has spawned to sequels though don't necessarily follow each other and are only really sequels in theme and name. The song itself follows a nice melodic tune that is really easy to listen to.

Wherever I May Roam- 6:45
I've recently listened to this track through and just think it's great to chant along to. It opens with and electric sitar and Jason Newsted can also be heard with a 12 string electric bass. The main riff for this track is just utterly addictive and the lyrics are easily understood. In my other reviews I comment a lot about how deep Hetfield's lyrics are but sadly I think this song doesn't bring this out too much. There is also a truly amazing solo within this track.

Don't Tread on Me- 4:01
Now I've said that a few tracks are immensely heavy off this album already but this truly is and the lyrics are just incredibly powerful, I mean just look at the title. It says it all to me really. There is also an amazing solo in there somewhere. As with most of the album I think it the drums that really stand out and plus with this song there is a verse that goes on over a mini solo which I think is just great.

Through the Never- 4:03
Okay okay, at the risk of contradicting myself again, I think this has to be the heaviest track off this album but even if its not it is by far my favourite. Now I'm not to sure what the lyrics mean but I think it's just kind of about human nature and meaning of life stuff, but either way they just keep coming which is what makes them so effective.

Nothing Else Matters- 6:29
Now this is the true ballad of this album and is a welcome relief after Through the Never. James really shows his talents in this. His voice is just truly magnificent along with the acoustic guitar and the lyrics just really take you away to a calm, happy place.
Hetfield originally wrote this for an ex-girlfriend and wasn't going to show it to any one but when Lars heard it he insisted that it should be released and is now played in many live sets and now considered to be dedicated to the audience. I think this is one of Metallica's finer sides that really show how versatile the band is especially how they've put this in amongst all of these heavy metal tracks.

Of Wolf and Man- 4:17
This song is really under rated in my mind probably because straight after all that acoustic guitar you get a massive pounding in you ears from Ulrich's drums. The pounding beat continues through the song with out much change but I personally think it's great. The lyrics describe, near as I can figure, the life of a werewolf which is a massive change in theme from that of Metallica's previous material.

The God That Failed- 5:05
The lyrics in this describe something more personal to James than most of the album. They talk about the subject of James' mother's death and her Christian Science beliefs which she stuck to through out her battle with cancer which eventually killed her. Just another thing that makes Metallica so strong is the many hardships they can overcome and in turn draw upon for inspiration. About the song itself, strong lyrics backed by a powerful beat but it doesn't stand out like some of the other tracks from this album.

My Friend of Misery- 6:51
I think that the only thing to really comment on with this song is the depth in Hetfield's voice but it really just sounds like the track before it. But not a bad song to listen to on its own.

The Struggle Within- 3:53
I love this one. It opens with a great sounding drum beat accompanied by a really addictive melodic tune and I could listen to the entire track like this but it soon unleashes a beast as the guitars go wild and Hetfield finishes this epic album in an epic way. The pace doesn't falter at all and the lyrics just continue to fly in. If there is a head banger's track within this finely wrapped master piece, it's this one.

This album is truly epic in many ways. Its just the way everything sounded, Hetfield's reigning voice along with the pure thrash sound of his guitar, the machine gun drums of Ulrich, that raw power of Newstead's bass, all wrapped around Hammett's unbelievable guitar solos. Also a great purchase for anyone just getting into Metallica as you'll hear a lot of these tracks from now on. And for any one who thinks that Metallica became sell-out after this album, think again, just because they went to more mainstream media doesn't mean they got worse, this album contains everything I love about Metallica. And now my closing statement- Metallica didn't go mainstream, mainstream went Metallica.

Review taken from my account on Ciao

Summary: Truly epic