The Black Album (Metallica - Metallica)

Member Name: Frankingsteins

Product:	Metallica - Metallica
Date:	01/06/04 (338 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent tracks, Diverse sound, Great lyrics and musicianship

Disadvantages: The band's peak of creativity was behind them, Some early tracks are a little uninspired

There has long been a debate over which Metallica album represents the American quartet at their most inspired and technically sophisticated, but there is little doubt that their self-titled fourth album brought their brand of heavy metal music firmly into the limelight. Commonly referred to as The Black Album by both the band and their fans, this epic release saw a radical change from their thrash metal roots but was still met with almost unanimous appraisal by metal fans. Twelve solid, rigorously executed tracks represent the last time the band could firmly be described as the greatest rock band on the planet.


BACKGROUN& #68;


Metallica?s debut album, the thrashy but a little uninspired ?Kill ?Em All,? was released in 1983 and followed by increasingly successful albums in 1984 and 1986 that mixed heavy metal riffs with classical influences and high guitars, the meaningful lyrics also grabbing the attention of a generation of metal fans worldwide. In 1986 the band?s bass player, Cliff Burton, died in a bus accident that saw the other band members narrowly escaping with their lives, and that tragedy changed the course of their music forever.

In 1988 they returned to the studio with new bass player Jason Newsted, creating the album ??And Justice For All.? Thanks to their first music video for the epic track ?One,? this album was a huge success but was widely regarded as far less impressive than their earlier classics. Metallica needed to change, and in 1990 they were given the opportunity by famous album producer Bob Rock. The band were a little apprehensive at first about the changes involved, but soon realised that this was exactly the approach they needed to stay creative and interested. It would also sell really well to the corporate rock loving populace.


S&
#84;YLE


There were predictable claims by many that the band had ?sold out? with this album, the slogan that will always be applied to a band that achieve popularity after already developing a strong fan base. The heaviness, aggression and reflection of their earlier albums was not toned down or lost however, it was merely the structure of the tracks that was tailored to a more precise format, removing what was considered unnecessary in terms of extensive rhythm changes and progression.

The major difference is in the length of tracks: the eight minute epics from ?Master of Puppets? and ?Justice? have been eradicated, the longest tracks coming in at under seven minutes. Many of the guitar, drum and bass riffs are also more traditional in their approach than the experimental nature of the recent albums, but no instrument or band member has lost their edge or creativity. Guitar solos are still a presence in all tracks, but these are kept under control and not permitted to permeate the tracks for longer than necessary


TRACKS


1. ENTER SANDMAN

Metallica?s major hit and surely one of the most well-known heavy metal tracks ever produced, the catchy lyrics and memorable driving guitar riffs make this instantly recognisable and James Hetfield?s vocals are arguably at their peak here. This track concerns nightmares and innocent fears and as such doesn?t have the potential to alienate listeners with themes of injustice or the immorality of warfare common to the band?s earlier work. Five minutes thirty one seconds was obviously decided as the perfect length for this track, allowing time for the welcome ?encore? after four and a half minutes, and even at this early point it?s easy to see the incredibly successful formula the band and Bob Rock have got together for this record
.

?Sleep with one eye open,
Gripping your pillow tight?
Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
Off to never never land?

2. SAD BUT TRUE

The heaviest song on the album, this is a slow monster of a track with deceptive pauses in between some of the verses, and is one of my favourites. Metallica?s catchiest riff and drum beat compliments James? vocals which are again at their peak, and my only problem with the track is that it does drag on at the end, despite only being five and a half minutes long. The solo isn?t too impressive as, along with most of the tracks, it is included mainly to help break the song up.

?I?m your truth, telling lies
I?m your reasoned alibis
I?m inside, open your eyes:
I?m you.
Sad but true.?

3. HOLIER THAN THOU

A fast-paced rock track, this has all the elements of the best tracks on here but somehow falls short of becoming a classic. The drumming is very hard and aggressive, and the guitar solo is actually quite good, but the verses sound a little forced at this early stage of the album. I still love it though, and it?s got a good bass solo that lasts a few seconds.

?Who are you, where you been, where you from?
Gossip is burning on the tip of your tongue.
You lie so much you believe yourself,
Judge not lest ye be judged yourself.?

4. THE UNFORGIVEN

My favourite track on the album, this combines the band?s melodic and melancholy elements with their heavy playing to create what I consider one of the finest songs in existence. The instruments and especially the vocals take on a very eerie, haunting quality in the verses that create the best atmosphere on the a
lbum, and this is the first Metallica track to feature James Hetfield singing lightly in the chorus, something that surprised me but also impressed me. Not uplifting in any sense, and certainly less of a headbanger than the majority of the album, but this is the way great metal songs sound and the band should forever be hailed as Gods among men for its inclusion on this album. The lyrics follow a great story as well.

?Throughout his life the same,
He?s battled constantly.
This fight he cannot win,
The tired man they see no longer cares.

The old man then prepares
To die regretfully.
That old man here is me.?

5. WHEREVER I MAY ROAM

One of the most popular tracks on this album, this has never ?worked? for me in the way that the others do, possibly due to the very un-Metallica-like repetitiveness of the chorus. The riff is great and there?s an interesting high guitar introduction before the speed of the song kicks in, and it?s easy to see why this was released as one of the singles. Lars? drums are put to great use keeping the rhythm throughout, and the guitars and vocals are as great as ever.

?But I?ll take my time anywhere,
Free to speak my mind anywhere,
And I?ll never mind anywhere,
Anywhere I may roam.
Where I lay my head is home.?

6. DON?T TREAD ON ME

A strangely patriotic track, especially after the very critical nature of their previous album, this opens with a metal rendition of what is apparently a tune from the film ?West Side Story? before the main song begins. The riff is quite basic here, returning to the simpler style of the first few tracks, but again it?s not a track I?m too fond of; it?s probably my
least favourite on here. The guitars are the definite highlight of the song throughout, but James? vocals aren?t very impressive and neither are the drums or bass. At only four minutes it?s obviously aimed at providing a quick and cheap thrill to the listener, so for this it can be forgiven. It?s certainly not a bad track, just not too good, and the main solo sounds a little too much like a screaming cat.

?So be it,
Threaten no more,
To secure peace is to prepare for war.
Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail,
Once you provoke her, rattling on her tail.?

7. THROUGH THE NEVER

All the things I disliked about the previous track have been remedied here, making this an excellent and highly enjoyable piece of fast paced rock. The lyrics are a welcome change also, concerning the vastness of the universe and the limitation of human understanding of the cosmos, but obviously the main appeal comes from the instruments and vocals. All of these are on top form, and this remains of the under-appreciated gems of this album. It?s not about atmosphere, this one?s concerned with getting those heads and air guitars going.

?Gazing up to the breeze of the heavens
On a quest, meaning, reason,
Came to be, how it begun.
All alone in the family of the Sun,
Curiosity teasing everyone,
On our home third stone from the Sun.?

8. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS

Possibly the best-loved track off this album and second in terms of recognition only to ?Enter Sandman,? this is the band?s classic ballad and first love song. Subdued, soft and contemplative, it isn?t completely my kind of music but still has excellent guitar work in the background as well as an impressive am
ount of backing orchestration and instrumentation added in the production process to increase its scale. Where many bands will follow the formula of an acoustic half breaking into a cheesy piece of electric guitar-driven metal power ballad, Metallica keep the style of this throughout, only raising in key during the choruses. James? vocals are fantastic, while Kirk?s guitar playing is my favourite aspect of the song, something that is unfortunately lost in the more popular ?S&M? version of the song released a number of years later. It seems impossible not to consider any track off this album ?definitive.?

?Trust I seek and I find in you,
Every day for us something new.
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters.?

9. OF WOLF AND MAN

After the previous track fades out, this kicks in with a return to form and another speedy track that?s very catchy and enjoyable: how could it fail to impress when it described a werewolf?s night out so well? This track seemed to be something of an unrealised classic until the band went on the road and received an incredible reaction from the crowd, ensuring its place in their live catalogue for the next ten years. Again quite straightforward, but still very different from the rest and with arguably the best lyrics of the album, this also features a quieter section in which James describes his change with almost spoken-word lyrics:

?I feel the change,
Back to a better day? (Shape shift)
Hair stands on the back of my neck? (Move swift)
In wildness is the preservation of the world-
So seek the wolf in thyself!?

10. THE GOD THAT FAILED

Beginning what I consider to be the incredible final part of the album, ?The God
That Failed? is my second-favourite track after ?The Unforgiven.? As with the next track, this grants Jason some great opportunities to bring his previously subliminal bass work to the forefront, and the guitar riff sounds very dark and foreboding in a hark back to some of the band?s earlier albums. Quite slow in pace, this is a rare chance for every band member to shine and it sounds incredible, although there are signs that it doesn?t have the same mass appeal as the simpler tracks. The best chorus on the album and a really interesting style that keeps me gripped in a way the other tracks, despite their great sound, don?t always manage. A metal classic.

?I see faith in your eyes,
Never you hear the discouraging lies.
I hear faith in your cries.
Broken is the promise, betrayal,
The healing hand held back by the deepened nail

Follow the God that failed?

11. MY FRIEND OF MISERY

A brilliant bass intro leads the listener into this epic track, very slow but retaining a similar style to the previous track in terms of guitar work. The best section of the track is also one of the album?s greatest moments, as a quiet bass section with dark orchestration leads into the best guitar solo of the album. It may seem strange to place so much emphasis on a guitar solo, but the skill and sound of this ensures that those who have listened from the start will not switch off the album any time soon; it reminds me of the music common to contemporary computer games, such as those on the Sega MegaDrive, which makes this the ultimate album to listen to while playing Sonic the Hedgehog. Tried and tested. If the first half of this track were a little more interesting, it would be my favourite on the album.

?You just stood there screaming,
Fearin
g no one was listening to you.
They say the empty can rattles the most,
The sound of your own voice must soothe you.?

12. THE STRUGGLE WITHIN

Some very unconventional, army parade-style drumming starts this track, and the high guitars that overlay this make it an immediate winner. The fastest track on the album, this has a fairly simple riff and drum beat but features a lot in the way of progression throughout its very modest length of under four minutes. The solo is enjoyable, and the brief riff that follows it is perhaps the single heaviest portion of the album: unfortunately, lasting for only a few seconds it represents the ultimate tease. This is a fantastic track to go out on, confirming that the album doesn?t let up in its hour-long entirety.

?What the hell,
What is it you think you?re gonna find?
Hypocrite,
Boredom sets into the boring mind.?


DESIGN


The predominantly black cover has a specific purpose in its design, unlike the similar record sleeve seen in the earlier spoof rockumentary film ?This is Spinal Tap?: where Tap?s provisional cover for ?Smell the Glove? was considered too obscene and replaced at the last minute with a dismal, featureless sleeve, Metallica?s Black Album reflected the band?s desire for buyers to concentrate on the music rather than the appearance.

The booklet inside the CD, and presumably the earlier vinyl equivalent, reflects the band?s belief that they have created ?their classic,? with simple black lyrics printed on a glossy gold card and monochromatic photos of the band?s faces in black and gold on the final page.

When listening to an album, I tend to have the album cover in my head all the time (unless the track I?m listening to has
a particularly memorable music video), and in this instance it does help me personally to concentrate on some of the deeper riffs and orchestration in specific tracks. The black also gives the album more of a dark atmosphere that suits it perfectly.

The small snake design in the corner of the cover temporarily became a symbol synonymous with the band, and while its purpose is not entirely clear (the patriotic lyrics of ?Don?t Tread on Me? do make several rattlesnake references however) it does look great, especially against the ominous blackness.

At least that?s what the band say, perhaps Lars? original idea of greased-up nudes didn?t clear with Universal.


VERDICT


This is a classic album and one of my all-time favourites, although the inherent changes in style that make it so successful also prevent it from achieving the high status of some of their earlier work in my opinion. Considering the disappointment of their 1988 release without Cliff?s influence however, it was clear that the old Metallica would never produce a classic album in that style again, so I completely applaud the direction they took with this release. It?s punchy, diverse and never overlong, unlike this review. My apologies.

Metallica?s style has abruptly changed from blues-inspired hard rock to aggressive metal in the last few years and as such, many people seem obsessed with letting this reflect on their earlier work. This is something that never enters my consciousness when listening to the band?s albums, apart from the mention just then obviously, and neither do the tedious claims that the band have ?sold out.?

On one occasion, ex-bassist Jason Newsted confirmed that Metallica did indeed sell out: ?every venue, every night.?

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