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Metallica: Death Magnetic mini review - 9/13/2008 10:48:00 AM
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Rufas2000
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BTW: if you feel that a Metallica review doesn't belong on a Christian website, feel free to keep your thoughts to yourself. There are plenty of threads to discuss that subject and I look forward to reading your thoughts in those. But this thread isn't a debate on the appropriateness of secular music. OTOH if you want to comment on the Christian appropriateness of the lyrics on this CD (and only this Metallica CD) no problem. That's a legit topic in a music review on a Christian website.
I've noticed many here on the forum are Metallifans. I not so much but I did decide to get the new CD as it is being hailed as a return to form for the venerable band. So I spent my $14.88 at Walmart and snagged it. Other places had it cheaper but the gas would have ate the savings and then some, besides the guy went to the back to get it for me. Those discounts may or may not go away after today (the "opening week discounts big box stores offer as loss leaders). A Friday release is uncharted territory in music (Tuesday being the day new CDs and DVDs are released).
Price concerns aside I can describe the CD best in two ways. First it is the closest Metallica will ever get to the "classic era" of Lightning / Puppets / Justice again. Consider this, at their current release pace the next album would be out in 2013. Age is already taking a toll on the band, five more years isn't going to bring back Hetfield's voice or Hammett's lightning fast guitar abilities. So for the second this to me sounds like a cross between the "black album" and Justice as far as sound goes.
For the positive, I'm pleasantly surprised Metallica recreated their classic sound to the extent they did. The songs are aggressive, the production certainly is not polished but it is nowhere near "St. Anger" either and the songs are long (only two clock in at under 7 minutes) and have some of the tempo changes and other stuff associated with Metallica, albeit at a somewhat slower pace overall than before. I personally think it sounds enough like classic Metallica to satisfy fans of that era but you won't be throwing away Puppets, be assured of that.
The negative: keep in mind this review is aimed at the classic Metallifan as I feel the CD was aimed at that group as well. I don't think Hammett can solo like he used to, I've read that as far back as the "black album" he was looking to do stuff with less technical compexity so he could reproduce it in concert. So while there are solos, they aren't as plentiful or complex as before but fret not, there is plenty of interesting guitar stuff going on. As far as Hetfield's vocals lets just say that they are inspirational. Inspirational in the sense that they tell us all that no matter how lacking your singing abilities are you can still be lead vocalist of a major band.  Seriously, they do sound a bit ragged at times but they do the job. I don't think Hetfield's vocals were ever a selling point for the band.
As far as the songs go the highlight is "The Day That Never Comes". This is a classic style "Metalliballad" that can hold its own with "One" and "Fade To Black". It is reminiscent of both. "My Apocolypse" is a short (5 minutes) blast of a closer and "All Nightmare Long" flat out rocks. I think Metallica is better at writing songs than they were during their peak metal period but they don't have as many tools at their disposal talent wise. For baseball fans think of it this way, they are the aging pitcher who has lost a few MPH off their fastball but compensate with experience and cleverness.
I invite other people to add to this review as I've only heard the whole CD once and again, I'm not really a Metallifan (but somehow still have 4 of their CDs) so the perspective of a Metallifanatic would be helpful. But if you're itching for new Metallimusic like they use to do it or if you just want some good aggressive metal this is a very good choice. Welcome back Metallica even if it ends up being your last trip around the block.
< Message edited by Rufas2000 -- 9/13/2008 10:54:02 AM >
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RE: Metallica: Death Magnetic mini review - 9/13/2008 11:06:15 AM
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Leslie_JnJs_mom
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I may have heard that their new album is awful. I asked my son who is also a huge Metallica fan and he said it was not near as good as their old stuff.
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RE: Metallica: Death Magnetic mini review - 9/13/2008 11:15:44 AM
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Rufas2000
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quote:
I may have heard that their new album is awful. I asked my son who is also a huge Metallica fan and he said it was not near as good as their old stuff.
Its gotten mixed reviews. If he is using the older stuff as the benchmark it won't hold up. I didn't expect it to be Master of Puppets 2 (which for me isn't a bad thing anyway) so as a slab of fresh metal in the vein of classic Metallica it was pretty good.
Thanks for the feedback, hope he didn't buy it since he doesn't like it.
BTW: one other issue is that I suspect it'll sound fairly bad on Ipods and as compressed MP3 files. They volume levels on the CD are too high. Thats why there is distortion (and not the good kind) when "The Day That Never Comes" plays on XM. Ipods and compressed MP3 files increase distortion and I think that's what XM uses (Eddie Trunk says new tracks are delivered via email). Its not as bad played directly from the CD on a home stereo system but it's still a minor issue.
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RE: Metallica: Death Magnetic mini review - 9/13/2008 4:10:19 PM
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Leslie_JnJs_mom
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I was on a discussion board that brought up the new Metallica CD. There was a person here and there that said it was ok. So when I picked up Jack I asked him if he heard it. He said he did and I assumed it was off the radio. He does have an Ipod though so I will let him know is stinks even more on an Ipod.
I do like the old Metallica better myself.
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RE: Metallica: Death Magnetic mini review - 9/13/2008 4:16:34 PM
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iluvatar
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I've heard the one tune on the radio and I am not impressed. FWIW, I never cared for Kirk Hammet's soloing at any point. Lots of noodling, lots of whammy bar, little point or direction.
-Dan.
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Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones.
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RE: Metallica: Death Magnetic mini review - 9/13/2008 6:33:40 PM
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Rufas2000
Posts: 1329
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quote:
He said he did and I assumed it was off the radio. He does have an Ipod though so I will let him know is stinks even more on an Ipod.
If he heard it on the radio then he probably heard the problem (if he thinks its a problem). I'm thinking it'll be improved if he plays the actual CD on a home stereo instead of a compressed MP3 file. This is just a suspicion based on hearing the tracks previously on XM from DirecTV then hearing them from the CD itself.
This is a problem with much of modern music. Our musician friends (fellow posters) can describe it better than I but in general the issue is that in search of a louder CD the volume levels are set way too high. This causes the music to have very little dynamic range (the difference between the softest and loudest sounds) and in some cases distortion. This CD has that distortion. Its not my playback equipment either as turning it up does not cause the distortion to increase much, it only makes the distortion there already more apparent. Not to mention my other CDs do not distort. Another metal CD that sounded terrible because of this issue was Blind Guardian's "A Twist in the Myth". That one was worse because of other issues that may or may not have been related.
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RE: Metallica: Death Magnetic mini review - 9/14/2008 4:05:56 PM
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Leslie_JnJs_mom
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Jack has that problem with some of the songs on his I pod. Funny thing is on his home stereo he says they are fine but when he plugs the tape thing into the car for his I pod the same songs sound horrible.
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<------- Jessica and I had so much fun with grandma!
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RE: Metallica: Death Magnetic mini review - 9/15/2008 7:59:41 AM
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PHmosh1
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I bought the new album on Saturday, and I am listening to it all the way through for the second time right now. I actually really like it. It's definitely not exactly like their older stuff, but they are a totally different band now in totally different places in their lives.
I found the songs' sound to be reminiscent of ...And Justice For All, which I think is a good thing. I love that album! At the same time it is much less produced and polished thanks to Rick Rubin. Again I think this is a good thing.
If people were looking for the next Master of Puppets they will be sorely disappointed. I think the fans that have grown with Metallica will appreciate the new effort after a few listens, though.
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RE: Metallica: Death Magnetic mini review - 10/6/2008 1:11:27 AM
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I_Walk_Alone
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3 words.
Absolutely Hated It.
Seriously, I heard the songs on the radio and online with my fiancee (who was a big Metalica fan) and even she said turn that **** off. I haven't bought any Metallica since 1992 and it looks like that streak will just get longer as they continue to forget how to write.
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RE: Metallica: Death Magnetic mini review - 10/7/2008 1:52:32 PM
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SeaJa
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Haven't heard it, but I'm willing to bet that it sounds just like all of their other stuff. I have this thing that I notice, but others apparently don't-that bands like Metallica, Creed, Korn and others can be recognized and pointed out so easily because it ALL sounds the same!! Take any Metallica song, now listen to another one-sound the same? Same voice, same riffs, same tones, same everything. Some bands are just naturally like this. Yes, they are original from other bands that are out, but they can't seem to be original to themselves....Just saying...
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RE: Metallica: Death Magnetic mini review - 10/7/2008 5:17:14 PM
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Mark328
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Just taking a few minutes here to share my thoughts on Death Magnetic...
Death Magnetic is the best album they've done since Master of Puppets! The songs are very well written, and I'm glad to hear Kirk Hammett's wailing solos once again! Great stuff here!
As far as the distortion problems with the album, I only hear it on my discman when the volume is low. Otherwise, it sounds great on my car stereo, my iPod, CD boombox and home stereo!
If you've had doubts about Metallica since the Black Album, you really need to give this one a spin. Really great album!!
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