Metallica - Death Magnetic [Review]

Album: Death Magnetic

Band: Metallica

Genre: Heavy Metal(lica)


Released: September 12, 2008

Producer: Rick Rubin

Label: Warner Bros Records


The first time I heard "Death Magnetic" I felt like it was a really good....Metallica cover band trying to write Metallica music.

I would like to say something before I go on with the review, the only reason I'll be comparing "Death Magnetic" to previous albums, is because alot of people claim that its a true come back for Metallica, dont get me wrong its a much much better release, but saying its their THRASH come back, thats something completely different.

The album starts off with "That Was Just Your Life", it opens up with a simple pulse like a heart beat if you may, building up to clashes from Lars, and a sting like riff, which all results in a frantic charge up for a thrashy Hetfield to start yelling words into the mic.

"That Was Just Your Life" does give hope for the forty something year old thrashers. The solo is a welcome back for Kirk, who has alot of fun shredding some speedy metal licks one after the other.

Robert Trujillo plays some groovy bass lines on "Death Magnetic" like on "End Of The Line"

There is alot of old school Metallica in "Death Magnetic" and the band does indeed execute some of their classic thrash formulas once again (once again..nothing new here), that where abandoned and left for dead on previous releases.

But does the thrash live up to the power of the golden albums from back in the days of "Alcoholica"? (hmmm, James Hetfield went to rehab during the recording sessions for St.Anger)

Producer Bob Rock is responsible for all releases since "The Black Album" all the way to "St.Anger" but an online petition signed by more then 20,000 Metallica fans, pushed the band to recruit "Reign In Blood"'s producer Rick Rubin to add the final touches to "Death Magnetic"

Rubin told the band to write the unwritten half of "Master Of Puppets", with all do respect for Rubin..but, Come ON! I know that he means well, but such a proposition is ludicrous... Metallica where a pissed off thrash metal band when they released "Master Of Puppets" and the anger and fury that was locked up in them back then, SHINED and thats why the aggression is real and original on the almighty "Master Of Puppets", but when you put four 40 something year olds together, who sued Napster for illegal downloading back in 2000 (and most of us know how that back fired badly !) you will NEVER get the same result.

That doesnt mean Rick didnt help make this a better album, although there has been a great amount of complains about the sound quality being compressed. (mainly because the album was targeted at iTunes and MP3 consumers, HAHA!) all fingers where pointed at sound engineer Ted Jensen, who said he "wasn't proud to be associated with the project"

The album cries for the glory days, with snuck in ingredients of the hard rock era Metallica.

Honestly I dont see a better time for the Tallica to release such an album, with all the new bands bringing back Thrash, its the perfect time to remind everyone that "Hey, You know we used to do that too!, we'r still cool huh?".

But I hate it when someone tells me this is a return to form for Metallica, It...Is...NOT!. All the years of making simpler hard rock music, took its toll on their pissed off speed metal side, the band ends up sounding like they are desperately trying to recapture their glory days, but ends up making this album more of a tribute to the old Metallica.

"The Day That Never Comes" really is a great way to start promoting the album, its got ingredients from all past Metallica releases, and yes a "Fade To Black" like opener, which I want you to keep in mind for a minute.

While "The Unforgiven III" wasnt really necessary to do *punches himself in the balls* (Why wont you forgive him already!). The previous 2 where enough and sounded constant, but the third one was really not needed, the way "The Day That Never Comes" plays out at first,... to me could pass more as the third installment of James' lost voyage, then the song itself.

The band throws in an instrumental in the album this time again, "Suicide and Redemption" marking almost 10 minutes. Which is the first time for an instrumental since "And Justice For All...."

"The Judas Kiss" is pretty ripping at times, kick ass chorus (BOW DOWN!), melting fast solo, but the verses are boring.

While "All Nightmare Long" is a perfect high speed car chase song, makes you wanna push the fucking pedal to the metal indeed.

This is the first time Robert Trujillo is contributing to the Bass lines (besides performing live since joining Metallica) on St.Anger producer Bob Rock handled bass duties (which we all watched on "Some Kind Of Monster")

The lyrics on the album are very predictable at times, generic, "What dont kill ya, makes ya Mooee Straaaounguhh!) James might consider becoming a country singer when he's older, apparently he's starting to hint it more then just "Mama Said"

"Death Magnetic" is a polished, thrashier modern hard rock album. the release does have alot of speed, the solos are back, bass is audible, drums could be the weak link at times, but Lars still hits some awesome combos.

All in all, Death Magnetic is a much better release then 2003's screw up, and does have alot of energy similar to which was on old school Metallica releases. But Metallica is at a different place in their life today, and if they're music is like they say comes from the heart then the aggression level is on a whole other scale, then when they first began their journey. Its so logical *smacks you*

I am not one of the haters of the post Black Album releases (yes I consider the Black Album still in the league) in fact alot of songs from the hard rock Metallica, are totally Rock N' Roll.

But if you loved Metallica for their thrash (dont forget that back with the rise of the "Big Four" in Thrash Metal, this was a sound heard for the FIRST time), you have every right to bash the living mother fucking shit out of every release after ...And Justice, because Metallica wanted to be "true", acted loyal, said so much things to gain their fans love, until they decided to go in a different path (Did you watch the video for One?..Exactly !)

Metallica tried alot of colors in the music industry (while some where just down right embarrassing) they still managed to stay in the spotlight, as much as S&M gets a good bash from old school fans, I still enjoyed it (even if it felt like the concert was over done at times) "No Leaf Clover" is a great balance between the orchestra and the band.

They started off as a Thrash metal band (and acted like one), but transitioned into something completely different, my opinion about the whole Metallica issue is that, they should've called it a day as Metallica after releasing "And Justice For All" and adopt a whole new gimmick for releasing the rest of their catalog. I think they should've went on under the name "The Che'Yeahs" (just imagine how many more times James could get away with it, they would've probably ended up releasing an exclusive iTunes medley, with a bonus DVD)

Hate em or love em, Metallica helped pave the way for today's metal, and the amount of people that owe James and Kirk for being the reason they picked up a guitar are countless, so as long as they are making music, I'll be one to listen to it, and learn from what they do, and offcourse have a few laughs at some of their stupidity.

I give Death Magnetic a 7.8/10


Songs I really liked: The Judas Kiss, and All Nightmare Long.


Here's a live video for the latest single from "Death Magnetic" for the song "Broken, Beat, and Scarred"