New Metallica is out today

[Kawidude]

Metallica's new album, St. Anger, was originally scheduled for release on Tuesday of next week. I guess in an effort to thwart internet piracy, they decided to release it today instead.

I know there are some mixed thoughts about Metallica on this board, but I went and picked up the new album today at lunch. I'll admit I have been disappointed with their last few albums, but St. Anger is nothing like those. All I can say is they have definitely rediscovered the ferocious attitude that made them great in the early years. I only got a chance to listen to a few tracks, but I think a lot of people will be surprised at how heavy it is. My wife became a 'tallica fan when she started listening to the "kinder, gentler Metallica." I have a feeling she may very well hate this album.

The production value, at times, sounds a little thin to me. Almost like it was recorded in someone's garage...but I'm not a professional audio tech or anything.

Even though the last few albums sucked, they have definitely evolved into a pretty cool sound. I tried to continue disliking Metallica (Lars is reason enough) but I gave this album a chance and it hasn't disappointed yet.

The other cool thing is that when I opened up the CD there were two CD's in the package. One is the standard album and the other is a CD with each song performed during their rehearsals. Pretty cool. Anyway, if you pick up the album, let us know what you think. :aj:

 

[BigBore]

Went down to Fred Meyer's (northwesterners will know what I'm talking about) on my lunch break today. Sure enough, there they were.....dozens of copies of St. Anger lined up on the rack. I grabbed one, headed to the checkout. The cashier said they had just put them out on the rack about 10 minute beforehand.

Out in the parking lot I popped the cd in my truck stereo.....

Before I get to my initial impressions, lemme say: I've been so anxious and psyched for this record....you just have no clue. I love everything Metallica has done (most of Load/Re-Load too), and their beef with Napster was just fine by me. Basically, I have no axe to grind with the band. They are my favorite band, period.

So, where was I.......Ok, so Frantic starts to roll......so far so good, after the intro is done and the song starts really cranking...huh? What the *&#$ is this? The riff is cool, but damn, was this album produced in 2003 or 1983? So, my intitial impressions of St. Anger are this:

-Tinny, pinging drums. Lar's snare pings and crashes more than the cymbals.
-Muddy, extremely distorted guitars. Leave the drop tuning to Slipknot, guys.
-Lazy vocals, James struggling to hit some easy notes (mostly because he's trying to scream). Even his country-ish twang on some of the Load songs is *much* better than most all the vocals on St. Anger.

There are some riffs and parts of songs that sounded pretty awesome, and yes, there are some moments on the record that are pure thrash, but they don't last long. Will it grow on me? Maybe.....all their other records (even the good Load stuff) didn't have to grow on me.

 

[Senior KX Rider]

:yeehaw: :yeehaw:
















NOT ;)

 

[Kawidude]

I listened to the album again last night and realized that I didn't hear a single Kirk Hammett solo. It sounds like he's MIA, even though he's listed on the album credits.

 

[KineticPoet]

Just picked this album up at the Kazaa store...

Dear god, please make the ringing snare stop. I will not be purchasing this crap Anger album. I cannot for the life of me believe that Lars was dumb enough to do an entire album with the snare damper off. It's practically all you can hear. It drowns out the bass, there are no guitar solos, is Kirk even on this damn thing?

 

[Kawidude]

Did you know that the new bass player, Rob Trujillo, didn't even play bass on this album? The producer, Bob Rock, played all the bass on the whole album. I don't understand the deal with Kirk. How much fun could it be just doubling everything James is playing? I'm looking forward to the first Guitar World interview with them so I can hopefully learn about why they made some of these choices.

 

[Racer#213]

i got it today, i LOVE IT! nice and hard like it should be. the DVD is a good addition. i've listened to it ALL day.

 

[MONKEYMOUSE]

Suck's give me the old Metallica any day!

 

[Racer#213]

Yea but you can't compare anything with the old stuff. I mean that has to be some the best rock EVER. Kill'em all was a great cd. havn't quite got the other ones yet though. but trust me, I WILL!

 

[MONKEYMOUSE]

Yeah your 100% correct Racer

 

[Camstyn]

I bought it yesterday, figured I should at least check it out.. I don't regret buying it, at least now I know, but I thought it was awful. I'm very disappointed, I'm glad I bought Ride the Lightning at the same time because at least I had something good to listen to on the way home. :uh:

 

[smb_racing]

they sold out, sorry to say it, but St. Anger is horrible, rehab must not have been kind for James :uh:

 

[dave186]

i made sure to download some songs before i went and bought, and well, i didnt buy it.

 

[squeaky]

Originally posted by smb_racing
they sold out, sorry to say it, but St. Anger is horrible, rehab must not have been kind for James :uh:

That's exactly what my boyfriend said. He won't even buy the CD and neither will I.

I've only heard the title track...that's enough. James sounds whiny rather than angry. I don't even want to hear the rest of the CD, it'll distort my image of them!

 

[LoriKTM]

Saw the video for St. Anger on Headbangers Ball last weekend.  (Yeah!  Headbangers ball is BACK, and no more Ricky Rachtman-- they got Rob Zombie to host!  :aj:  )

We thought the same thing about the production-- damn snare is wound  waaay too tight , and the guitars are just BURIED in the mix.  James' vocals are too up front, but that's pretty typical any more.  We gave them the benefit of the doubt on the mix at first, but heard it on the radio the other day and it sounded the same way-- cheap.  We've done better, more balanced production in our basement.   :think:

Final judgement will be reserved after I hear another song.  "St. Anger" did nothing for me. 

"Master of Puppets" and "...and Justice for All." are still (and probably always will be) my favorite Metallica albums.

 

[biglou]

HBB Rules! :aj: It's almost always something I haven't heard before, or in a long, long time. Or something that's really scary-Like the band with the girl singer that sounded like the lead singer for Napalm Death. Kinda like a continuous lion roar. Scary woman... :scream:

 

[Racer#213]

I like Frantic, Invisible Kid, My world, some kind of monster, and shoot me again. St. Anger isn't bad.

I didn't really like it when i baught it, but to me the more you listen to it, the more it grows on you. My friend didns't like it at all when i baught it, but after an hour of listening to it, he said he liked it now.

Lori- how can you forget about Whiplash?

 

[BigBore]

After giving it a few spins, its OK. Nothing really that great, but OK. I love the main riff & guitar tone used in Frantic. I'd have to say the weakest songs on the album are Invisible Kid, Sweet Amber, and Purify. There are some elements within those particular tracks that I like, but on a whole they suck the most. I really like the first 3 minutes of the title track (passed that the song just repeats itself pretty much), after that I skip to Some Kind of Monster. Dirty Window has kind of an industrial vibe to the riff that I dig. My World is good ("I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE QUESTION IS!!"), Shoot Me Again is OK.

My overall favorite pics are Frantic, Some Kind of Monster, Unnamed Feeling, and All Within My Hands.

So now that they've got this whole "lets make an under-produced, garage band-like record" vibe outta their systems, maybe we'll hear something more impressive on the next CD. Hopefully by then Lars will remember what drums are supposed to sound like, James Hetfield will sing like James Hetfied, and they'll invite Kirk back in the band.

 

[Green Horn]

Originally posted by BigBore
I love everything Metallica has done (most of Load/Re-Load too), and their beef with Napster was just fine by me. Basically, I have no axe to grind with the band. They are my favorite band, period.
[...snip...]
Even his country-ish twang on some of the Load songs is *much* better than most all the vocals on St. Anger.
[...snip...]
Will it grow on me? Maybe.....all their other records (even the good Load stuff) didn't have to grow on me.

That prettty much sums up everything I've been thinking about it. :thumb:

I haven't bought the CD yet and I don't know if I really want it that bad. The only reason would be to put it with the collection. :)

 

[motometal]

I honestly don't think it would get Jack for attention if they didn't have the name Metallica going for them.  The snare sounds like crap. 

I actually think the vocals are the best part, on recent albums he has gotten so "stylized" with his voice it's annoying, at least up until this album.  He can't sing a line without a "wahh" or "ahhh" at the end of the line.  Kinda like what happened to Def Leppard...listen to "on through the night" some time, then listen to a newer album.  He falls off of every note when he sings, just doing weird stuff with his voice.

I'ts truly sad how many "local" bands out there could put out an album that would totally walk all over the new metallica album, but they don't have any connections in the industry...

 

[Rooster]

MetallicA faded to black a long time ago......time to let go...... :p

 

[Jaybird]

I'm waiting for the release of "Metallica does Pat Boone" (and other assorted show tunes).

 

[LoriKTM]

Originally posted by Racer#213

Lori- how can you forget about Whiplash?

Kill Em All and Ride the Lightning are also both VERY good Metallica albums, but for me, Puppets & Justice are the epitome of Metallica-- excellent production, great songs, and tight playing.  

 

Maybe for their NEXT album, they'll get a clue and keep Bob Rock far, far away!! That man has single-handedly ruined their style.

 

 

[Danman]

Kill Em All and Ride the Lightning are also both VERY good Metallica albums, but for me, Puppets & Justice are the epitome of Metallica-- excellent production, great songs, and tight playing.

Well said. I can't speak for the new album because I've only heard one song off it and I've only heard that once. I have an open mind about it though. You can't expect a band that has been around for longer than 10 years to make the same album over and over again. If they did would you want to listen to it? I think change is good.

 

[roosteater]

It sucks. End of story. What a damned disappointment.