KILL 'EM ALL ALBUM REVIEW

 

Metallica: Kill ‘Em All 

Review By MetalManiaCometh, August 26th, 2020

For the past few days I was mulling over what I should cover next and the very obvious answer I had was picking Metallica’s highly influential debut, “Kill ‘Em All”. For an album that has had so much coverage and multiple different takes from multiple different people; it puts me off a little to come up with something that will stand on its own against the back drop of voices but I hope to try my best. Coming slap dab in the middle of summer 1983, Metallica came out of the gates running with an album that many would call one of the greatest metal albums of all time, some expressing that it is the greatest. Now I do think it’s one of the greatest and it’s influence is widespread but I’m not one to think it is the best, let alone the best thrash metal debut, but I do believe it is a tremendous album and an album that helped pave the way for the genre as a whole.

To begin, if there is a way to describe what “Kill ‘Em All” is, it is in all of its 80s glory a “raw, furious thrasher”. Fueled by NWOBHM and classic metal / rock with a dash of punk aggression, all the contents are mixed together in a caldron of sonic proportions only to great the dish named, thrash metal. Ok yeah I know that there is some contention and debate on “who REALLY put out the first thrash metal album” but what really matters is that this album, along with Slayer’s debut a few months later, was what put thrash on the map. The album is unpolished, distorted, and raw but still retains a charm to it. Matter of fact, as I re-listen to it in full today here in 2020, I notice how well it still sounds and how much it holds up. The guitars are nice and loud, the drums back a punch but not overbearing, the bass is loud enough to be heard but at places I do wish it was higher in the mix, and Hetfields shrieky, angsty vocals is in central focus here, but just like the drums in the production it isn’t over shadowing the instrumentation. So yeah, besides the bass being a tad bit low in places, the overall production is pretty great for a debut and packs a bunch of sound.

For the better part of “Kill ‘Em All”, Metallica’s focus is on NWOBHM influenced riffs but sped up ten times faster. “Hit The Lights” is the perfect representation for my statement, as it has a clear Iron Maiden influence with its galloping rhythm but with the tempo dial turned up a notch. If slowed down a little, I could see “Hit The Lights” ending up on one of Iron Maiden’s early albums honestly. The majority of the album is like a literal speed rollercoaster; speeding down the tracks more than they slowly go up them. Besides “Hit The Lights”; “Whiplash”, “Motorbreath”, “Phantom Lord”, “Metal Militia” all offer that same energy as the riffs and solos spill out in a quick pace but there is some variety here that isn’t all just quick riffing as Metallica does offer some mid-paced performances. “Jump In The Fire”, “No Remorse”, and “Seek & Destroy” all fit that mid-paced bill with influences ranging from Motörhead to Diamond Head sprouting from the seems; giving us the listeners some breathing room. Hell if you were to really slow down “Seek & Destroy”, I could see that as something Black Sabbath could have written. Metallica also adds little moments between songs where a melodic break or a melodic solo happens which I feel adds more to the song than being a straight forward speed thrasher.

A nice outlier from “Kill ‘Em All” is the late Cliff Burton’s bass solo in “(Anesthesia)- Pulling Teeth”. It is very experimental and totally different from everything else on the album that I couldn’t not stop and talk about it individually. I really love that buildup towards the 2 minute mark, then the rest of the instruments kicking in but not overtaking the bass. It’s a stand out in Cliff’s short career and definitely a standout here. Back to the album as a whole, I will say that it isn’t the most technical or complex in nature. The riffing follows a basic path and pattern, not verging much off from the well placed solos and the occasional melodic break or melodic solo that I’ve mentioned. Some think that “Kill ‘Em All’s” simplicity here is a negative but I don’t share those views. It’s easy for someone now to say “well look at all these albums that have come out since then, this is piss easy compared to them” but just look at when this came out, this album was very much different from what was going on and helped set a standard for the upcoming thrash genre. Even then, “Kill ‘Em All” may not be as complex or technically impressive, it sure as hell is a lot more memorable as a whole compared to a plethora of albums. So yeah, just because something is simple doesn’t make it bad, moving on.

Getting to our lineup, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Cliff Burton, and Lars Ulrich all preform fantastically, for the most part. James’s performance here is very much different from how he sings on later albums as he is much more raw here. He’s just full of screeches and shrieks as he more so yells at you than he does sing at you. He does have some more melodic singing like he’d utilize on later albums, such as in “No Remorse” and “Seek & Destroy” but for the most part stays pretty powerful and raw in “Kill ‘Em All”. James is also on rhythm guitar and his skill is excellent here as he keeps up with Kirk’s impeccable leads. Cliff Burton is fantastic here as his bass lines really help shape the songs and give the music a extra dimension. Fun fact, Cliff’s only writing credit here is“(Anesthesia)- Pulling Teeth” as he would join the band shortly before the recording of the debut. Never less, his performance here is a stand out in the genre and he’d only get better with his next release.

Kirk Hammett is a monster on the lead guitar and his early solo work is something that is hard for a lot of musicians to match now. What else makes Kirk’s solos top notch here and in early Metallica albums is how catchy those verses are. You just listen to the onslaught in “Seek & Destroy” or the beginning of “No Remorse” and not tell me that doesn’t want to make you shack head with the rhythm. Then there’s Lars Ulrich who gets the job down remaining consistent throughout. The drumming is not really complicated here on “Kill ‘Em All” nor has Lars ever been a standout drummer for me but he does do a great job on the studio albums, at least the early ones, but the less said about his...live performances, the better.

I guess the last thing I should mention is the elephant in the room; good ol’ Davey Mustainey. It would be disservice not to talk about Dave’s contributions for Metallica as he did greatly help shape their sound early on. You know his distinct style of writing when you hear “Jump In The Fire”, “The Four Horsemen”, “Metal Militia” and “Phantom Lord” as those songs have a little more, technicality to it? More meat and bones to the riffing I suppose? I mean you just listen to that melodic solo and the slow melodic break in “Phantom Lord” and you know that Dave’s sweaty fingers were all over it. In the end, I’m glad that Dave was fired from the band as it gave us some of the best riff writing and solos in the genre over in the Megadeth camp.

So after all of this long winded rambling, what is my final verdict on “Kill ‘Em All”? Well I personally think this a fantastic record and a fantastic debut. The album is memorable from beginning to end as Metallica handles catchiness and aggressive speed in tandem as if they were from different sides of the same coin. Their stance on the metal way of life and the lyrical subject matter is something the thrash genre still writes about, even after almost 40 years since this album released. Sure, there are some stuff that could be fixed or changed, like upping Cliff’s bass in the mix or cutting some time down in “No Remorse” but as a whole, “Kill ‘Em All” just fucking slays. It’s simple (for the most part) in its writing but difficult in its execution and Metallica definitely executes. I may not hold “Kill ‘Em All” as my favorite thrash debut, that title belongs to “Feel The Fire”, but the exceptional skills and memorability at play are something many can’t say they can repeat and with how successful and influential “Kill ‘Em All” became, it deserves every bit of it.

Metallica- Kill 'Em All
Label: Blackened Recordings ‎– BLCKND003RD-1
Format: Remastered Vinyl 12" Limited Edition
Country: US
Released: 15 Apr 2016

1. Hit The Lights                          (0:00​)
2. The Four Horsemen                  (4:15​)
3. Motorbreath                              (11:27​)
4. Jump In The Fire                      (14:35​)
5. (Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth    (19:17​)
6. Whiplash                                  (23:32​)
7. Phantom Lord                          (27:40​)
8. No Remorse                             (32:40​)
9. Seek & Destroy                       (39:06​)
10. Metal Militia                         (46:02​)

***Disclaimer*** 

I do not own any copyright for any of this material!

Copyright belongs to Metallica and Blackened Recordings! 

Purchase your remastered copy today!

METALLICA - KILL 'EM ALL FULL ALBUM 

( Poor Quality )

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ON THE PROWL ALBUM REVIEW

 

While Loudness' first record with American singer Michael Vescera two years earlier had a commercial touch but still included a few good and especially new tracks, On the Prowl is a disgraceful effort and might even be the worst release in Loudness' long career. The reason for my harsh rating is very simple: On the Prowl only consists of three new tracks while the other songs are re-recorded Loudness tracks with a few new arrangements and different lyrics. 

 Both the new songs and the revamped tracks are unimpressive. The three new tracks don't have any memorable parts and sound like exchangeable hard rock music that already sounded dated back in the early nineties and that could have been released by a weaker Bon Jovi, Dokken or Whitesnake copy a decade earlier. The new tracks don't have the vivid spirit of the original tunes and changing the lyrics is a slap in the face of original singer Minoru Niihara. Ironically enough, Loudness actually released a decent and heavy track called ''Slap in the Face'' a few months after On the Prowl saw the light of day but Michael Vescera suddenly left the band in the middle of a tour to join Yngwie Malmsteen and slapped his band mates in the face as well. Loudness simply was on a losing streak in the late eighties and early nineties and it would only be in the new millennium after their reunion with original singer Minoru Niihara that the band would get some positive momentum back. 

 On the Prowl only had the purpose to increase sales figures and make the band more popular outside Japan. However, heavy metal and hard rock were already declining in the early nineties and On the Prowl didn't receive much attention or praise while the band's fans of old date obviously disliked Soldier of Fortune and were rightfully furious about On the Prowl. In hindsight, we could say that releasing On the Prowl was probably Loudness' worst idea in a career that approaches nearly four decades by now. The fact that the band has released numerous greatest hits compilations, re-recorded some of its material several times in its career and has also released numerous live albums featuring classic material makes On the Prowl even more forgettable and useless. 

 This release is only interesting if you are into commercial hard rock and glam rock of the eighties and if you have never heard of Loudness before. Die-hard fans will obviously buy anything Loudness has released for the sake of completing their collections. Any other fan of the band should ignore this disgraceful release. The only good aspects about this album are the facts that the songs still sound acceptable due to the excellent source material and that the album cover is one of the most beautiful and detailed ones in Loudness' career.

***Disclaimer*** 

I do not own any copyright for any of this material!

Copyright belongs to Loudness and Atco  Recordings! 

Purchase your remastered copy today!

1. Down 'n' Dirty 04:36   

2. Playing Games 03:47   

3. Love Toys         04:02   

4. Never Again         05:01   

5. Deadly Player         04:47   

6. Take It or Leave It 04:31   

7. Girl                          04:20   

8. Long Distance     04:15   

9. In the Mirror         03:34   

10. Sleepless Night 04:39   

11. Find a Way         07:31   

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Thunder in the East Album Review

 

Thunder in the East Album Review

This was the record that finally put the Japanese metal pioneers Loudness on the map for the Western metal world thanks to an emblematic cover artwork, a simple but very effective album title and songs that are now entirely performed in English. Thank God, the band didn't abandon their already quite unique sound to appeal to a larger mainstream public and this record still delivers everything one likes about the band. Some tracks maybe have some more radio potential than before but this doesn't mean that they are not technically impressive or original. 

 The first track "Crazy Nights" already proves that the band takes no prisoners and still focuses on gripping Hard Rock and Heavy Metal riffs plus a catchy chorus. I think that this kind of song has a big feeling of rebellious freedom inside and could play in any traditional metal pub. You really have the image of some black dressed and long haired Japanese rockers in their wild youth in a metal club that are having some drinks with their friends and flirting with some female metal maniacs when you listen to the first tracks on this strong release. It has a somewhat nostalgic feeling nowadays but this world of pure passion is still alive and these songs perfectly explain why I am so much into the metal genre. I have lived this kind of nights in some metal clubs and they are memorable and crazy indeed. 

 The truly impressive songs though come later. The Japanese always had a talent for great romantic love songs. The one in here is the rocker "We Could Be Together" that features a cool love message crowned by an epic radio rock orientated chorus. To use the idea of the metal pub again, this is the moment where the guys get on the dancing stage to impress the shyly smiling women in one corner. Another half ballad comes in the end with the chilling album closer "Never Change Your Mind". This is the moment just before the pub closes its doors and when only the troughest guys have remained conscious. The metal guy is holding the beuatiful lady in his arms and they walk or even ride away through the sunrise just like in a stereotypical movie. By the way, the lyrics of this track are also truly beautiful. It's about a guy that watches his girlfriend change and become a fashion victim for him and he looks at her from head too toe and says that he loves her the way she is and that she shouldn't change a thing at all. Now, many people claim that metal heads can't be romantic but I actually think it's the opposite. I feel very touched by this track. 

 The band still reserved us a lovely surprises in form of two bonus tracks added to the original issue. "Gotta Fight" is another straight rocker in the key of the opening tracks to the original release but sounds a little bit edgier and wilder and impresses with a variable vocal performance. The final "Odin" is a rare gem and pretty unknown little masterpiece. It features some atmospheric keyboards that could also fit to a New Wave track and a truly epic and impressive atmosphere crowned by dreamy vocals. Yes, this track is commercial and could have become a hit at the time but the eighties had plenty of appealing commercial music and this description really isn't meant as a negative point. This track only proves how open-minded Loudness are. What Judas Priest and Iron Maiden are to the Western world, Loudness and X Japan are to the Eastern world. It's as simple as that. It's a shame that Loudness still don't and probably will never get the attention they would have deserved for a long time. This is a perfect album closer and great track to peacefully fall asleep to. Anybody that doesn't know these two tracks yet should go and change this right now. 

 In the end, we have another impressive and varied Loudness record in here that feels a little bit more commercially orientated than the thrashier and more progressive tunes of the past but this little change feels quite fresh and Loudness still sound the way they should. I prefer "The Birthday Eve" and especially "Disillusion" to this album but not by far as this one really comes close. As this release is a landmark for the Eastern metal culture, any true rock and metal fan should know this record and try to make it her or his own.

Track List  :

1. Crazy Nights

2. Like Hell

3. Heavy Chains

4. Get Away

5. We Could Be Together

6. Run for Your Life

7. Clockwork Toy

8. No Way Out

9. The Lines Are Down

10. Never Change Your Mind

***Disclaimer*** 

I do not own any copyright for any of this material!

Copyright belongs to Loudness  and Columbia Recordings! 

Purchase your remastered copy today!

Loudness - Thunder in the East Full Album 

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SOLDIER OF FORTUNE ALBUM REVIEW

Many Loudness fans consider the Mike Vescera era albums pointless and faceless, which is not true in any way. "Soldier of Fortune", the first album with Vescera, is a shred fest from beginning to end. Lets start out with the vocals. Mike Vescera gives the performance of his life here. Every song he sings, from the title track all the way to "Demon Disease", is filled with power and emotion. Even the ballads are great with his voice at the helm. 

There is not one bad thing I can say about his voice. Akira Takasaki's guitar work on this album is godly. No, beyond godly, its simply awe inspiring. Akira is known around the world as one of the greatest guitarists to ever come out of the east, and he surely proves it on this album. Every song's lead is amazing, every riff and melody is played with technique and taste in mind, it's just something you have to hear to believe. His guitar playing alone is the reason every metal head should have this album. The rhythm section is great as always. Masayoshi Yamashita does a great job on the bass, as his basslines are clearly audible and actually stand out with the music. If you want to hear a great bassline, check out "Faces in the Fire", as its the best bass performance he's ever done, next to the live bass solo on "8186 Live". Munetaka Higuchi's drum work is great on this album as well. He adds power to songs like "Faces in the Fire" and the title track with his ferocious drumming. All the songs are great. Though one complaint is that there are alot of ballads on this album, but since the ballads are great it doesn't really hurt the album too much. 

The song writing is excellent, and the compositions are great too. Mike Vescera's excellent voice, Akira's inspiring guitar work, a super solid rhythm section, and great song writing make this one of Loudness's best albums. You can still find this relatively cheap on the internet, so if you have a love for great metal and insane guitar work, then by all means by this album! My overall grade for this album is

 an A +.

Track List :

1. Soldier of Fortune

2. You Shook Me

3. Danger of Love

4. 25 Days from Home

5. Red Light Shooter

6. Running for Cover

7. Lost Without Your Love

8. Faces in the Fire

9. Long After Midnight

10. Demon Disease

 ***Disclaimer*** 

I do not own any copyright for any of this material!

Copyright belongs to Loudness and Colombia Recordings! 

Purchase your remastered copy today!

Loudness - Soldier Of Fortune Full Album

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METALLICA -METALLICA ALBUM REVIEW

Metallica - Metallica: Controversial since 1991 

By BlackMetal213, April 26th, 2016

Oh, man. I’m really selling out here! Just like what many people believe Metallica did upon releasing this album. After releasing “…And Justice for All” three years prior in 1988, which is often considered to be the band’s finest album in terms of technicality and musical precision, Metallica released their self-titled album “Metallica” in 1991. Also known as “The Black Album”, this record is seen as the band’s first major turning point and their “sell-out” album. Personally, I’m not a fan of this album and I can see why so many people believe this. I think this is an over-produced album and it’s pretty generic, considering Metallica went from playing a fairly unique brand of thrash metal to a standard 1990s groove oriented heavy metal. This was actually my first metal album period and back when I was 12 or 13, I really dug it. In fact, I’d like this album until I was about 14 years old. After I heard “Master of Puppets” and “Ride the Lightning” and then “Death Magnetic” as it had just come out, I was exposed to Metallica’s thrash sound, and this album just fell short of anything else, aside from “Load”, “Reload”, and “St. Anger”. But I digress. This album is just a generic heavy metal album, but is it terrible? Is it offensive? Not really.

This album has some decent guitar riffs. Some are just downright groovy and catchy. The only problem I have with this is how damn poppy this album really is. If “pop metal” is a real thing, this album definitely falls into that category. The songs on this album differ greatly from the 9-minute epic tracks of old in favor of shorter songs that generally stay between 4 and 5 minutes long with a few exceptions. Song length doesn’t really matter, as plenty of the tracks on “Kill ‘Em All” are short, but those songs are more instrumentally proficient and contain cool, thrashy riffs. These songs are just boring most of the time. I guess the younger me thought this was the heaviest thing on the planet but after I grew up, I realized this album was really just not as appealing as I once thought. “Enter Sandman” is the most overplayed and overrated song ever to come out of the heavy metal genre, with its standard cookie cutter riff and annoying wah solo. “Sad but True” is another big song from this album but it basically just rehashes what Pantera began doing on their “Cowboys from Hell” album the year prior to this album. There are some decent songs on this album, ironically the three I’d say I like the most are “The Unforgiven”, “Nothing Else Matters”, and the melancholic “My Friend of Misery”. Why is this ironic? Because the first two of these songs are the other bigger, more well-known tracks from this album. Also, these three songs are slower, more depressing pieces. Heavier songs like the groove metal numbers I mentioned before, as well as songs that border thrash metal such as “The Struggle Within” and “Through the Never” actually don’t do it for me this time around. Why? Because they sound like they try too hard to relive the glory years of Metallica but just disappoint more than anything.

The reason I picked “Nothing Else Matters”, “The Unforgiven”, and “My Friend of Misery” as my favorite songs from this album mainly has to do with how damn somber these songs are. “Nothing Else Matters” is played mostly on an acoustic guitar with the exceptions of a few riffs and the solo, which while not super impressive, remains one of the song’s highlights. This song has an evident classical influence as well not only with the acoustic guitars, but also the strings in the background. I could imagine the look on many Metallica fans’ faces when they first heard this song. It was probably one of confusion or disgust but to this day, I still listen to this number every now and then. “The Unforgiven” sticks out to me as well, and it’s fairly similar to this song, as it utilizes acoustic guitars as well, but it’s also a bit different at the same time. It focuses on heavier verses and softer, atmospheric choruses. To my ears, there is an evident western feel to this song and the solo is, like “Nothing Else Matters”, one of the album’s finest. Because let’s face it: most of the solos on this album are just subpar. The final song I’m going to talk about in detail is “My Friend of Misery”. Compared to the other two I just went over this song is a bit heavier. It opens with a melancholic bass riff and the riffs follow the same pattern. It doesn’t implement any acoustic guitars and it’s probably my least favorite of these three. However, the atmosphere it possesses is amazing and the lyrics are really deep. Dark Tranquillity from Sweden actually covered this song and managed to make it sound better, in my opinion anyway.

So, aside from these songs, the guitar here is just plain generic. I already covered how “Enter Sandman” and especially “Sad but True” rely on groove over anything but the riffs are just stupid repetitive and simplistic. The thing is, I don’t have a real problem with repetition or simplicity considering some of the other bands I listen to. For Metallica, though, when you compare these tunes to those of the 1980s, you’re going to be disappointed. “Wherever I May Roam” is another song many people love from this album and sure, I guess the western-style intro (similar to a heavier sounding “The Unforgiven”) sounds kind of cool, but the riffs in this song don’t change hardly at all and it contains another wah guitar solo from Mr. Hammett that just sounds generic and “meh”. The guitar work on this album pretty much laid the foundation for “Load” and “Reload” in that Metallica essentially dumbed down their music although not as much as they would five years later.

The production on this album is just…not good. Actually, it is good. Too good. This is one of the most overproduced albums in metal. The instruments have no organic feel to them and I like my metal to sound real. Let’s face it, everything is going to have some sort of flaw. That’s what makes it music and that’s what makes it good in its own way. This album has no dirt whatsoever and is more polished than an old school black army combat boot. The drums are far too loud in the mix. Lars is already an extremely overrated drummer so when you turn up his volume, you take away from the other instruments and are left with a huge “thump thump thump” sound. I wouldn’t mind the drums as much if they weren’t louder than the guitars. The bass is audible, which is nice, although I didn’t really mind the muted bass on the previous album like a lot of people did. Bob Rock is either seen as a legendary producer, or the reincarnation of Satan himself. I won’t say either of these fit my opinion, but I do think he took a lot away from this album by overproducing it so damn much.

James Hetfield provides a decent vocal performance here but I much prefer his more abrasive style on the band’s thrash albums. Not that he is an aggressive vocalist but he had much more power behind his voice on the first four records. I won’t say too much about his singing, though, as I believe he is one of the most overrated singers in heavy metal. His voice is decent but I’m just not one to fan boy over him.

So, what’s the verdict here? “Metallica” is a 1990s heavy metal album that really just sounded like most of what other bands were doing at the time. Megadeth also began releasing fairly commercial-sounding stuff around this time, beginning in 1992, but the songwriting on all of their 1990s efforts is so much better than Metallica managed to achieve with this album. Sure, I like about three of the songs on this album quite a bit. But is that enough for me to say this is a solid album? Is it even good? Not really. But, as I asked earlier, is it terrible or offensive? No, I wouldn’t go that far. It’s just a generic metal album that falls very short of those that came before it. So there you have it. One of the most famous, as well as infamous, albums in history. The highly commercial self-titled release from Metallica.

***Disclaimer*** 

I do not own any copyright for any of this material!

Copyright belongs to Metallica and Blackened Recordings! 

Purchase your remastered copy today!

Olaf Perez · Metallica - Black Album [Full Album HD]

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AND JUSTICE FOR ALL ALBUM REVIEW

 

Best thrash album of all time 

By terrr, December 7th, 2020

Metallica's legendary fourth album, entry point to thrash for many people through its amazing songs, the epitome of thrash metal, and a very good example for songwriting and structure. You guessed it, And Justice For All. Undoubtedly, Metallica's best album and also one of the best albums in thrash, rivalled only by a select few masterpieces. This time they're here to take off that green paint from the halls of justice and distribute it to all. I just wish they left it at this and called it a day after their renowned live performance in Seattle.

The only people you find calling this album shit with a shit rhetoric themselves are the people who think hating Metallica is cool while listening to the worst that thrash has output themselves. Because it's coool!

Metallica was a band that was not only thrash but above thrash, rivalled by almost none in this genre. This album only solidifies that position they used to have. It doesn't fall into any of the potential traps that plague nearly the entirety of the genre, whether it's generic, unoriginal songwriting or soulless, "look at how tough I can sound with my stupid high-pitch voice" kind of vocals. Not only that, but this also beholds some of the most emotional and meaningful pieces Metallica has ever written, namely "One," "Harvester of Sorrow" and "Dyers Eve."

The instrumentation is beyond this world, especially the guitars. The riffs are heavy, technically complex, very original and incredibly powerful. James Hetfield and Jason Newsted make wonders in songwriting here, especially when thrashing hard in Blackened and Dyers Eve. The guitars also sound incredible with a unique, low-end leaning tone, which should be an example for any modern band. Not only that, but most of the solos are also listenable and not random pentatonic garbage (or Dave's "look at how fast I can shred" stuff) unlike those in the records prior to this. The clean sections are unique and sound great thanks to their highly progressive elements. It's also great that you can hear the bass in those.

Regarding the foundational instruments, the drums and the bass, they're the only problematic parts of this record. There's the massive problem of the bass not being present, and on a smaller scale, the drums being a tad bit too loud. I can understand why they'd cut out the bass since their guitar tone here already sounds like it's supplemented with bass, but it still creates a major hole when listening to this, especially as a musician. It's just ironic there's no justice for the bass in a record that's named And Justice For All. The drumming on the other hand sounds tight and is Ulrich's finest. While chaotic just like Ulrich's previous efforts, it's chaotic in a good sense here. A highlight to the bone-crushing drums in Dyers Eve.

I cannot overstate how amazing Hetfield's vocals used to be. They were decent in Kill 'Em All, great in Ride The Lightning, an example for thrashers in Master Of Puppets and is a very good example for any musician in this record. The vocals are passionate, angry, perfectly placed in the mix, and sound amazing. He sounds pissed off at all times, and his calmer singing profound in One is also mesmerizing. His voice really sets the atmosphere for this record. It's almost perfect. His lyrics are also excellent, poetic and make good points regarding real issues that are still relevant. And no "just a rhyme without a reason" unlike the previous album.

The songwriting is great, the tones are amazing, and the sound is great. The bass is the only problem regarding the sound.

I often only talk about uniquely good or otherwise notable tracks in albums instead of going over all of them one-by-one, but this album is full of classics. Here goes.

The album begins with the hypnotizing, unique intro of Blackened instantly thrashes you up without mercy around thirty seconds in. With its powerful primary riff, fast verses, strong chorus, exciting bridge and one of the best solos Kirk Hammett has ever written, the opening track Blackened is the best song in this album and best Metallica song overall. The follow-up tracks And Justice For All and Eye of the Beholder are slow and not that energetic, but they're okay and very cool to listen to the first few times. "One" is a half-ballad that gets very heavy halfway into the song. Its clean sections are beautiful and well-written, choruses are powerful and the first two solos are great. It only gets better after it gets heavy. The Shortest Straw is a cool thrasher, nothing much to say about it. Harvester of Sorrow, one of the slower tracks here is a real banger, with its powerful clean sections that blend in perfectly with the rougher sounds, overall heaviness of the track and the emotional music. To Live Is To Die is Metallica's either best or second-best instrumental, rivalled strongly by Orion. Dyers Eve is the album's second highlight after Blackened, with its fast, powerful, unique with its double-kick drumming, which is something Lars never does again, and filled with anguish through Hetfield's voice. The album ends quite abruptly with this, but it's a powerful ending regardless.

It's amazing. It shouldn't even be a debate, this is Metallica's best album.

Highlights: Blackened, One, Harvester of Sorrow, Dyers Eve.

***Disclaimer*** 

I do not own any copyright for any of this material!

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Metallica - ......And Justice For All Full Album

Matute · Metallica-And Justice For All-[Full Album]

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RIDE THE LIGHTNING ALBUM REVIEW

After the success of "Kill 'Em All", Metallica released their second album a year later in 1984. While many would find their next album "Master of Puppets" the best album Metallica made, I found MOP a bit of a watered down version of RTL. It's not only Metallica's best album, but I consider this the best thrash metal album of all time. 

 While I enjoyed "Kill 'Em All", I did found some flaws on the album. RTL takes those flaws and improves them. The guitars have more power in them, the drums have more variety in the kicks and bangs, the bass is more clearer, and the vocals bring more emotions in the songs with more anger and dramatic shouts. Because of this, every single song off the album has their own style that makes them memorable. From the intro song "Fight Fire with Fire" with it's sweet acoustic guitar at the beginning and it's catchy chorus, to "Trapped Under Ice" and it's fast-paced guitars with dramatic lyrics about being trapped. There is a ton of variety in the album, and it's extremely difficult to find any flaws on each song. 

 One of my favorites from the album is "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "Fade to Black". The former starts off with a guitar riff that creates a power atmosphere, but it also brings an unknown feeling that you can't fully understand. Hetfield has one of his strongest vocal performances on this song. His voice is a shout of power, as if he's giving an epic speech. His vocals also match the lyrics of war, and is further executed with the loud bangs of the drums and the long, extreme guitar riffs. Every single second of this song is packed with power and might that empowers the listener on fighting. The latter song is a ballad that comes with a ton of emotional moments. It opens up with an acoustic guitar as well as another guitar playing a nice riff. However, it then cuts to the acoustic guitar playing a slow, depressed riff. 

The instruments are all playing in a slow tempo and create a sad atmosphere. Hetfield then sings about losing all hope. His vocals are more depressed, and fit well to the sad tone. The second part, however, is more upbeat. The acoustic guitar is replaced with a more fast, powerful guitar riff, with the rest of the instruments following suit by having a louder, faster, and more upbeat sound. Hetfield's vocals gain more power in this part as he sing about dying. 

The overall theme of the song is an interpretation of depression and death and remains one of Metallica's most power songs. The overall quality of this album is a masterpiece. If "Kill 'Em All" revolutionized their sound, then "Ride the Lightning" perfected it. This is the album that truly got Metallica going, and the band would later try to copy it in their future works. It remains a classic album by many today.

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MetallicaFan2816 · Metallica - Ride The Lightning 1984 (Full Album)

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