Reviews (page 11 of 14)
Well, I expected a bit more from this one. 'Enter Sandman' is amazing, such an iconic banger, but the rest of the album is a bit lacking. It's quite catchy, and not 'bad', but it just doesn't do enough for me.
not the best metallica album
Fine
Would probably be more into this if I hadn't just heard all the hits from it two days ago on S&M. It's fine, it's Metallica. I'm always impressed with how technically proficient these guys are on their instruments.
Heavy Metal Rock, 1991 -> 3
Opens strong with riffs galore and wah powered solos flying in from every corner. Runs out of steam by the end of the album as the growls never cease. A lot to like but shave off 4 songs and things improve.
A few good tracks but there's too much of the same to go higher than a 3
This era of Metal has always been the epitome of "I want to be a cool guy" music in my mind. When the spandex and leotards of Hair Metal stopped being cool, the cool guys wanted to be tough and flocked to Metallica. When Hip Hop became thoroughly mainstream, the dorks who were masquerading as tough guys suddenly tried to bite that and made the mistake of Nu Metal. This record, (aside from Limp Bizkit maybe), is the pinnacle of faux-cool-guy-music. I'm sure in its time this album was super cool. But, listening to it now, I only see PUG sunglasses, spiky hair gel, Tapout t-shirts, and my friend's weird dads that reeked of cigarettes and cheap beer. I don't dislike metal by any stretch. I love bands like Sabbath, Death, and a lot of death metal and hardcore of recent years - currently, I think the genre is in one of the best states it's ever been. This record has some solid performances (except for Lars) and good songwriting. However, the whole hour runtime just feels like a joke. They're playing characters, trying way too hard. It's pop music in black leather and chains pretending it isn't pop music. In conclusion, Lars sucks. 6/10
I tried listening to this before 8 am. That was my mistake.
Fine. Sandman and unforgiven. Feels pretty formulaic.
Ok, men gillar inte metal så mycket.
Just wrote a long review and lost it. Summary - my uncle listened to this in his nice car and it sounded great. Great production on this. Not into depressed rocking or spooky/death themes. Angry works (see RATM). Classic Rock generally is my kind of rock. Metallica is good gym music in spots. Throw a dumbell at someone in a heavy metal frenzy. I may have been wrong about Sitar on Screaming Trees, but there is for sure one here on Where I May Roam.
As a fan of the 1990s-2000s New York Yankees, Enter Sandman gets me fucking jacked up. 3 stars on the board right out of the gate. MARIANO RIVERA IS COMING TO TURN OUT THE LIGHTTTTSSSSSAAAAAHHHHHH Otherwise, their run-of-the-mill metal songs (85% of the album) just feel like noise to me. (One exception: I liked The Unforgiven as a nice change of pace from the DUNDUNDUNDUNDUNDUN guitar on pretty much every other song). For my metal money, I'll take a wailing Iron Maiden over a growling/snarling Metallica. At least Iron Maiden feels whimsically fascinated with the devil. Metallica just feels self-serious in a pathetic way. Stop trying to impress me with how tough you are Fun fact: Lars Ulrich's son is my wife's patient and she says he's a really nice guy [sorry for violating HIPAA but it's just braces]. I also just love that this fuckin METALHEAD lives in beautiful Marin County. Hey Lars!
Metallica definitely rocks but also kind of sucks (by my taste). The music is okay, though all kind of feels the same rhythmically. Hetfield’s singing grates on me big time, adding an extra grunting syllable to words, I don’t get it.
Very generic and mainstream
-I’ll preface this by saying I don’t think I’ll ever really be able to get THAT into heavy metal, especially the more mainstream / ever so slightly corny stuff like Megadeath (sorry) -this has some great highlights though. Enter Sandman absolutely fucks, and the other songs are pretty consistently good across the board even if not many of them spoke to me -Favorites are Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters, and My Friend of Misery
I mean, it's Metallica... I'm not in high school and I wasn't born yet in the '80s so they don't really do anything for me. It's fine, and I did like some of the songs back when I was in high school (Unforgiven, Sandman, etc.), but I'd never listen to it now. It gets a 3.
Metallica good.
6/10
Heard this album before and again today but I still am really ehhhh on Metallica.
3/5 Listenable; more melodic that I had expected.
Favs were nothing else matters, of wolf and man, and struggle within
This is the third Metallica album that has popped up for me in my first 20 days. The first two were beyond awful, sounding more like a cliched attempt to spoof Spinal Tap itself rather than a good-faith attempt to make interesting music. This album's actually pretty good. It has some standard heavy metal numbers, but it also has a lot of variety, and it held my attention. I'd listen to it again.
Very good singles and deep-cuts, but God, Metallica is overrated af. I love The Unforgiven and Sad But True, but Nothing Else Matters sucks tbh.
In retrospect, listening to this while answering Slack messages was probably not the best environment for this album
Iconic album, but I can't really get past the gravelly screechy style of vocals for this genre. Most songs sound similar to me...I considered whether I should give up on the album early, but I think I need to stick to listening through the full albums.
Great instrumentation. Could not take any of the vocals seriously. Nothing else matters saved it from a 2 star
Sandman is cool, the rest is Metallica at their mediocre best.
Iconic tracks. Was never that into Metallica during my long haired days but there are some of their songs on their earlier albums I really like. This one doesn't have any standouts for me and can be a bit one-pace for large periods. 2.5
Not bad. Not for me. I like Metallica in smaller doses. After 5 songs I'm tired of it
Kind of boring overall
I'm shocked that I didn't hate this.
esta ok
Wow. It was alright, but nothing too great. Enter Sandman was easily. the highlight. I am so sick of rock man :'}. Dear 1001 Album Generator gods, STOP GIVING ME ROCK ALBUMS. Anyway, tomorrows the last day of 2024, lets hope its a good one. 3/5
Haven't listened to "my favorite" Metallica album in years. Don't quite know if it exactly holds up. I'll admit it lost my attention mid way through. But the speedy songs at the end were pretty solid and got me back in, it's still really good honestly 6.5/10 . Solid riffs
Starts off with a great classic song but then feels like a very one tone album. They have a fast song and a slow song and the guitars always chug in the same rhythm and it's all very samey.
Turns out I know more Metallica than I thought I did
It is very difficult to not give this a 5. I listened to it twice. The first time was at work in the background and it was a wonderful tardis that too my back to the old days. The second time was in the dark, with headphones, after a few, and I was bored to tears by Holier Than Thou. With 33 years of history with this record being my gateway into metal, I have hear way to many higher quality performances and would rather be listening to any of those. I will never forget how important this record is. But some members of the rhythm sections should not be in charge of the mix, and more creative in their job.
Enter night.
Not a fan but appreciate Enter Sandman, especially as someone who lived in NYC when Mariano Rivera was the Yankees' superstar closer and would walk on to this song.
Has more creativity and ideas than many metal albums I will rate higher than it, so I have to commend it for that, it just doesn't have songwriting or production good enough to match, guitar should be louder. B
Not my kind of music.
A couple of classics, but a bit slow
HI ITS DAVE AND FUCKO IN THE MORNING HERE ON TRIPLE M THAT WAS THE FOOEYS WITH THE BEST OF YOU TO KICK OFF YOUR MORNING ON THE JOBSITE TODAYS TOPIC OF DISCUSSION - HOW EARLY IS TOO EARLY TO GET DRUNK CALL IN AND LET US KNOW NEXT UP IS METALLICA WITH NOTHING ELSE MATTERS, ONE OF THREE METALLICA SONGS WE PLAY EVERY FUCKING DAY
A couple good singles, even a good album at times but it fails to come together 6/10 Fav tracks - Sad but True, The Unforgiven, the God that failed
First listen. Heard the big hits before. The rest was kind of just ok. Regardless not a bad album.
Najlepsza piosenka: Enter sandman Fajna solówka w połowie my friend of mistery. Cudowny cudowny teskt do Sad but True Ogólnei dobra muzyka, ale trochę zbyt mało fun dla mnie w tym momencie, słaby dzień na hard rock. 6/10 na dzisiaj
First heard of and saw this lot as a support band in 83. Really didn't rate them. They have however come on in leaps and bounds since then. Either that or I have mellowed in my opinions. I have seen them since at a fans only gig in the dome where they were quite reasonable. This album, known as the black album, is quite a decent one. Kicking off with probably their best known song Enter Sandman. Other than that there are two bright spots, Sad But True and Nothing Else Matters. The rest was mediocre. It's worth a high 3, but doesn't quite rate a 4.
When this album came out, I disliked it immediately. Mainly due to the fact that Enter Sandman was being played NON-STOP on every medium available to assault my ears. Granted, it's a good song, but overexposure caused me to really dislike this whole album. I was big into Metallica and especially thought their Cliff Burton works (Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, Matser of Puppets) were brilliant and probably their best work. I did like And Justice for All a lot as well, and thought it was their most polished piece of work, and they finally got attention from MTV with their video for the song "One". When the Black Album came out, it was non stop hype. I bought the CD the first day it was available and listened to it all. I was impressed with a couple of tunes, but overall I hated it compared to their older works. Over time, I've listened to this album more and more and have grown to appreciate all of it. It's not their best, nor is it ground breaking in anything other than putting a heavy metal band in the mainstream media's eyes. Can't Miss Tracks: Sad But True Wherever I May Roam Of Wolf and Man Nothing Else Matters 3.25/5 which translates to a 3/5 on this scale.
There are some classics in here, but it also feels a bit samey and cringy. You can see why this appeals to 12 year olds
The Unforgiven, Nothing Else Matters ...aún así ...
Best thing about this is that VT uses Sandman before every home game. Wherever I may Roam is great, but there are too many ballads and slow songs here. Not my Metallica of old. I get it, bands evolve but they evolved off my turntable.
Good Stuff
Metallica slow down (mostly) and simplify, trading their thrash metal sound for more of a big hard rock sound with greater mass appeal and more introspective lyrics. Some solid riffs and still plenty of intensity, just a different type of intensity that's subtler and more internal. It’s a good album but I also find it to get a bit boring, as there’s not as much variety (riff/tempo/rhythm changes that existed in previous Metallica albums) to hold my attention completely. Perhaps it was influential to metal bands to show they could have a broader, non-thrashy approach. Sometimes the results are strong but also sometimes unimpactful. It just doesn’t rip as hard as their earlier stuff.
Being in the middle of raising teen boys, I was familiar with this band. Although it wasn't my kind of music, I can enjoy it now, especially since it is not their earlier loud and obnoxious music. This album is tamed in comparison and listenable.
Not really my thing but totally fine. Some catchy enough bits and pieces and I imagine that if I spent more time with it I’d probably get into it a bit more.
The first half is actually pretty strong...I surprisingly found myself enjoying it. Metallica can write surprisingly catchy tunes. 3.5/5
Fine. Not a particularly big fan of Metallica.
It’s a long album and while I like Metallica, too much of it is pretty brutal. If it had been about 30 minutes shorter, I could have gotten behind it. I like it, but will only take in the highlights.
Enter Sandman That is all
I think I liked this one more than '...And Justice for All', but like many of Metallica's albums and due to its hour-plus runtime, my mind was numbed by the time I got to those last four songs. I think I was more conscious of that mind-numbing here though - I sort of enjoyed it. But all my general problems with Metallica, like my impartialness towards Hetfield's vocals, and the very cut-and-dry sound palate, are all present here - but they're sort of well masked behind the elements of this band's music that I DO enjoy. The ballads are still the highlights, obviously 'Nothing Else Matters' is great but I also really liked 'The Unforgiven' with its criticisms of oppressive religious organizations' stifling of free thought. The story behind this song is quite sad as well. The harder moments are solid too - I was never a big 'Enter Sandman' enjoyer myself but I get the song's appeal. The best moment for me was the entirety of 'My Friend of Misery', it came at a point in the album where I was already sort of tired - but it felt like an electric shock with just how varied, sharp, and twisted the guitar tones were alongside that ever-changing song structure. The wall of guitars of 'Hollier Than Thou' and Hammett's noisy solo on 'That God That Failed' are two other highlights that stuck with me. Once again, it's the album's length that got me. Some genuinely good music here nevertheless, and maybe I'm finally growing more accustomed to Metallica's music - 4 albums in.
I can't overstate how uninterested I am in listening to Metallica for an hour, but here we are. "Enter Sandman" is a banger but its lyrics really take me out, which is generally true of Metallica songs. Thankfully Hetfield is difficult to understand most of the time. "Don't Tread on Me" is straight-up corny. "Nothing Else Matters" surprised me with its sincerity and relatively gentle arrangement. I really like the sonic embellishments in the latter half of "My Friend of Misery" and how the guitar textures layer over each other. The guitar solos are some of my favorite parts, which is unusual for me when I'm listening to metal. I liked it fine, so I shouldn't be so snide. I probably won't revisit in full again, but I do have to admit that this is great driving music. However, it is certainly redundant and could use some paring down. Highlights: Enter Sandman, Wherever I May Roam, Nothing Else Matters, My Friend of Misery
I really liked Metallica in my teenage years, but after a few listens, it feels kind of meh. Enter Sandman, Sad But True, The Unforgiven, and of course, the overplayed Nothing Else Matters are hits, but the rest of the album feels pretty bland.
Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matter zijn top tier, maar rest van t album viel tegen.
A couple famous songs and nothing else notable
The hits were good, the extras were definitely extra. I get now why everyone says this isn't a great album. It's not, but it does have a few bangers.
Not my speed but it was fine.
Yeah! Fine in a certain mood. Couldn't make it through it while working though.
First metallica listen I had a few standouts most of the same stuff I expected from a later metallica album. Need to listen to the other albums to judge.
Might be a grower but liked Master of Puppets better
Album had incredible sound and production for being made in the early 90s. Some great tracks but overall not my vibe
Catching up. Fun but a bit samey.
Enter Sandman aside I do always feel Metallica brought the riffs but not the songs
The sandman has entered, he was a charming guest. Next to that, wherever I may roam was a standout. Pretty awesome headbangin rhythms as to be expected 🤘
Pretty fine hard rock, basic heavy metal. The singles are overplayed, and the deep cuts are a mixed bag, but I can’t argue with its essential status. C
Thought it was well done but I’m just not a fan of the music really
Ubiquitous album when it came out, that shit was on the radio. About when teenage me had turned his back on not only Metallica but leather and rivets metal in general. Those songs are all very familiar still and for a brief moment, between Sad But True and The Unforgiven, I had a good time with them - a better time even, possibly, than today me had while going into ...And Justice For All (#262) just a week ago. But pfffft. Typing this as I go along and I just paused Of Wolf And Men - I'm past bored already. I think I'm gonna stick with my expectations of how I'd rate these. This may be the objectively better=more rounded album out of the two, but I - just like at 17 - simply don't care for it. It's great for a bout of Kirk Hammett appreciation, I'll give it that.
Can appreciate it's good but just not really my thing
The last listenable Metallica. Still, I'd sooner put on / recommend Ride the lightning or Masters of Puppets
Enter sandman can't fault it. And ofcourse Nothing Else Matters. Other tracks didnt grab me but pretty much all of them had cool solos. 2nd last track was very Satriani-esque.
I like the earlier stuff better but this this at my 90’s heart strings.
Hadn’t given this album a listen in 15+ years. Starts off really strong but the last few songs are the weakest on the album and so it fizzles out with four rather samey tracks. Dare I say that the spoke. Word style in the middle of ‘Of Wolf and Man’ is quite Mustaine-esq…
Not bad some good songs but pretty samey
OHH I REMEMBER THIS ONE. It was AGES ago so I’ll be a coward and rate it three. The world knows you deserve better. Sos
Going from Nothing Else Matters to Of Wolf and Men is like the juxtaposition of my two moods. I usually don’t like this kind of music but this shit bangs… 3.5/5
2nd time listening 6/10
Heavy Metal not my bag but these are better than most and couple of excellent tracks on here
probably *the* classic of its genre and so influential
This was pretty good. Not really my jam, but good for what it is.
They only did two good albums and this isn't one of them. Having made those two great albums, they decided they should make a popular album... and that undeniably worked. I was just the right age for this when it came out (17) and having discovered Metallica in my teen years was keenly looking forward to the new album, and yeah I liked it at the time, it got a lot of plays. Listening to it now I really don't like much of it, seems a real retrograde step for the band. It's just soft and easy, and the longer tougher songs are a bit boring and aimless, and what's with all the redneck shit on 'Don't tread on me'? The production is horrible, sounds like an old cassette. This signalled the beginning of Metallica's decay into irrelevance and global success. Which seems to have gone just fine, but I never bought or listened to another thing of theirs after this really. I grew up I suppose. Saw them live at Reading in 2003. They were shit. Shout out to Kirk though, flawless widdly-woo guitar on this.
Not my cup of tea but I get it
mane ion wanna listen to this shit this album is making realize how awesome nu-metal is i wish this was nu-metal. if linkin park made this album would be eating it up do not want to meet the person who favorite track on this album is don't tread on me. NO FUCKING WAY THIS IS THE ORIGIN FOR THE GADSEN WTF LMAOOOO. they created a monster thats so bad holy shit i feel so bad for them (after more research they became the anthem for the gadsen and it was just a coincidence, crazy)
Dentro del metal son buenos, pero no encuentro el momento de escucharlos.
A lot of filler for a classic album, but the hits are essential
Lard best drumma HYEAYEAAAAH
Not a metallica fan. However, good rock with some classics mixed in. Got a bit repetitive but didnt lose me. Kids reckon this is 5/5 😂
It's not one of the best albums from Metallica but still decent 3.5
Wanted to get into this one but I just don’t think I’m ever going to be a Metallica fan. Enter Sandman is a hall of fame opener to an album though and is worth an extra star.
The point where Metallica started to transition from the pre-eminent heavy metal/thrash metal band of the 80’s (and possibly of all time), to a bunch of washed-up country rockers. There’s a lot of filler here, but there’s also plenty of flashes of the old magic. ‘Enter Sandman’, ‘Sad But True’, ‘Holier Than Thou’, ‘The Unforgiven’ and Wherever I May Roam’ are all big, anthemic hard rockers, while ‘Nothing Else Matters’ is a power metal ballad up there with their best one, ‘Fade To Black’. While Metallica’s change of direction to a more mainstream hard rock sound generally works here, for me, this album is just not as cohesive or satisfying as their previous records, even if it is their most commercially successful.
Il live album interminabile di qualche mese fa era meglio
volevo davvero che mi piacesse più di così, ma il live me l'ha rovinato.
Boh avevo bassime aspettative ma mi è piaciuto Ringrazio Michi per averlo messo nella ruota
Fav: The Unforgiven Least Fav: Don’t Tread On Me
Okei...
Not a huge Metallica fan. A lot of the songs sound the same to me. Favorites were The Unforgiven, Wherever I May Roam, and Nothing Else Matters.
I'm not really a Metallica fan, but I enjoyed this album. The singles are the standout tracks, I also enjoyed Sad but True.
A lot of the songs sound the same. But Enter Sandman goes crazy hard and so do most of the riffs. Good workout album, definitely well put together, requires a little love of the band. Also what's up with the America riff from West Side Story in Don't Tread on Me lol.
listened to this bc im studying and its not as metally as I wanted it to be and also im so fkn grumpy because I forgot to turn in a homework that I know I did good on because I literally sat in OH doing it and double checked my answers. thats besides the point but I wasn't in the mood to enjoy this. the hold school has on me is so stupid and dumb and whoever said no late homework is a poopy head. grrrrr
It's Back in Black for the 90s. It's the beginning of METALLICA--not the Diamond Head cribbing beer mooks roughly becoming becomingThrash Kings--but authentic Cocaine Jet Set stadium draws. Outside of a select few, the work always suffers, and the suffering starts here. Basically, I recognize this is a lot of people's face, so good on that . Me, I didn't give a fuck then, don't give a fuck now. I mean, it's not like they're Anthrax.
starts out strong, gotta give it up for Enter Sandman, despite its overplayedness, then Sad But True is good and later on Wherever I May Roam kinda goes... besides those you're left with 45 minutes of forgettable to serviceable music
There are some good songs
So much better than my expectations
I preferred the dynamic of S&M over this studio recording, but it’s still alright.
'Enter Sandman' is a blast, the rest is ok. Plenty of people in the world seem to love Metallica. I'm not that fussed about it.
The one song is pretty cool for that alone 3 stars the rest pah.
Couple of crowd pleasers, couple of generic tracks, couple of duff ones.
I have a new respect for the solo in Unforgiven”. This album was listened to a lot in the high school football weight room
My opinion of Metallica hasn't changed much in 30+ years. Meh. But I will give this one point each for Sandman, Unforgiven, and Nothing Else. Mostly for Sandman and the Mariano.
It’s enjoyable enough. It’s kind of worse as an album than if you were to listen to any of the songs alone, though, since most of the songs are in the same key and the instrumentation generally shifts between one type of heavy and the occasional soft. Still fine, though.
The singles are super familiar to me from rock radio, but I had never heard this entire album. The album is extremely consistent, but personally I don't need such a large dose of those riffs and that singing. I can hear in it some qualities that later music I really liked would pick up and play off. Lyrically .... laughably obvious rhymes and clunky constructions abound. If I gave it a 4 it would be for Enter Sandman ... I think I'm giving it a 3 though.
Я как будет работать Napster при Металлике? 7/10
A band getting their big breakthrough is always great. But when they have to sacrifice the part of themselves that made them desirable in the first place in order to achieve that level of fame, it’s unfortunate. Metallica’s entrance into the 90s after leading the charge of the growing movement of thrash metal during the 80s isn’t their best effort. Not by any means. Any die hard fan would agree with that. And this album marked the fall of the band. It’s basically only been downhill from here on out. But this isn’t completely worthless. There are still some redeeming qualities about these songs that make them worth coming back to. From a production standpoint, this is one of their best efforts ever. They probably had a bigger budget than ever before backing them up, and they put it to good use. The biggest change is that, yes, you can in fact hear Jason’s bass. But the guitars and drums also sound very punchy and full. And this is still a Metallica album. So you still have the same songwriters behind it. And these are people who know how to write very catchy hooks and choruses. Songs like Sad but True, or the massive hit Enter Sandman, are instantly recognizable, and could probably be considered classics at this point. Although I could probably go the rest of my life without ever hearing the latter song again and be fine with it. Where the issues with this album arise is when you get into the actual meat and potatoes. When you look at it from a songwriting perspective, and you compare it to the rest of their catalog up until this point, these are some of the least interesting songs they ever made. And not nearly as ambitious and creative. Basically all of the powerful and speedy heaviness that made them an icon of thrash is absent. Even the heaviest songs on this album don’t come close to some of the highlights of their early career, like Battery or the second half of One. Those last 3 songs alone is probably some of the most generic music I’ve ever heard from these guys. There is also some silly lyrics here and there. Like, saying “You are holier than thou” doesn’t make much sense. Because he’s basically just saying you are holier than you. Is he talking to more than one person? I don’t know, I found it silly. The way that I see it is that they were already like one of, if not the biggest metal band in the world at this time. Did they really need to go any more commercial? But clearly it worked, so who am I to judge? And this is purely my opinion. Because people love this album for what it is, which is great. But when I want to listen to Metallica, this is probably the last of their first five big records that I would go to. Rating: 6/10
Definitive Metallica -Enter Sandman -Of Wolf and Man
The beginning of the end for Metallica...? An exaggeration to some and a spiteful declaration to many. This is the record where Metallica opt for trying to make radio hits because they were either bored of their sound and wanted to head in a new direction or they wanted money and mainstream success, or perhaps a bit of both. With that being said, they definitely ended up succeeding. The songwriting overall is solid and the tracks are all expertly produced, the hits here really are worthy of their renown. The divisiveness that this record is (in)famous for seems to arise mostly from the divergence of their original sound (and the deluge of mediocrity that followed). This 'divergence' is certainly felt at times, the album is on the whole less creative and much safer than what came before. On its own however, the record still manages to stand on its own two feet. Sure, It's definitely not mind-blowing. It certainly lacks some depth and can be basic at times, but it accomplishes what it set out to do; make bangers that'll enter the mainstream, much to the chagrin of those who would bestow upon them the title of sell-out.
Don’t usually like metal but this one is decently mainstream and accessible. Helps that it has a couple recognizable hits.
A great moment in time for music. Not to my ears but deserving of appreciation.
Klassikkoralleja ja ei-omaan-makuun-istuvia muista kappaleita
some storming tracks, but some dull bluster too.
People tell you about darkness. This will occur. Music will try to do the same. Sometimes. This album walks the line of both of these occurrences. It is somehow a black album and also not at all dark. Nothing this popular could ever be dark really, not the way really moving music might be. The songs might be quasi great, I really have no idea, but the album blows. Because look at it. Look at it in the 21st century. Metallica is lawn mower music.
This album was a letdown to me when it first came out. It's since grown on me a little but hard to compare it to the feeling of listening to Master of Puppets or Kill 'Em All for the first time.
Iconic instrumental work. Songwriting and vocal work leaves something to be desired honestly. I’d find myself dreading when the solos ended.
Took a while to sink into but started to like it by the end. Trying to get more into metal. One thing about the genre is a lot of songs sound the same.
Well-composed with ripping guitar, bass, and drums. Add strong vocals and semi-biblical lyricism and you have the black album. Iconic to be sure. Not my cup of tea, but iconic.
Obviously a banger, but I've just never liked Metallica.
probably the best metal album i’ve tried
Metallica is never really going to be my favorite, but you can't quit on an album that has 'Enter Sandman' and 'Nothing Else Matters'. both are ICONIC songs, and just incredible listens all around. i think this album as a whole is a fine listen.i think the Wikipedia description sums it up perfectly, they they moved away from thrash metal, and went for a refined, melodic style. i dig that more than thrash metal as a whole, so all in all it was an enjoyable album
If Metallicas earlier albums were a solids 4 or 5, this one’s a solid 3.
Great album, but not really my type. I did like the song wherever I may roam, I got stuck in my head
Pretty bood
Qué hace Ennio Morricone en este album? Escuche la versión en vivo en Moscow. Niceeee, I like it! 🌼 estuve leyendo para Políticas Públicas, Territorio y Cultural de la Universidad mientras escuchaba. Nada mal para levantar el tiempo de estudio.
I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a Metallica album from beginning to end, but I guess this was the one to start with. Of the songs I know, a bunch of them were on this album. The pacing was solid with a good mixture of songs that absolutely rocked and slowed ballads. I’ll obviously listen to songs like Enter Sandman, Sad But True, and Nothing Else Matters again, I just don’t know if I’d go all the way back through again.
There are some big hit on here and I feel like I need to give it a 4, but if I'm honest with myself it's a 3.
3.5/5
Solid, still not a Metallica head
Some strong material among some filler. Breaking up the monotony are good instrumental sections and tasteful, thought out drum work. I feel It goes on longer than it needs to.
Like
A polarizing band so I need to start with a disclaimer, I am not a Metallica fan and I am not a Metallica hater. I never seek them out (except Whiskey in a Jar, there version slaps) but I don't change the radio if they come on. Critically listening...same cords and beats over and over and the lyrics are just cliché one liners over and over. But maybe that is part of the appeal and why they are mainstream? Overall we as humans are not as deep as we want to believe and we like something we can understand and connect with quickly. But does that make them exceptional musicians? Nope. Does that make them popular in a genre that wants to be different and go against the grain? Nope. But the psychology behind creating hit after hit (like pop music) in a genre where other bands can't do that, that is a talent.
oh this album. I saw Metallica at the Civic Center for this tour. I was pretty close to the front. It was rock'n. There is some music that I still like from when I was a teenager. There is some music that I just do not. Partly because I listened to it so much I'm kinda done with it. And that's okay for that to happen. I like the guitar work and the music but as a 50 year old adult the lyrics don't really grab me, nor take me back to fond memories. Mostly teenage angst and misplaced outrage. But hey, James Hetfield spit beer on us at that concert and I was pretty stoked about that at the time for whatever reason.
Not a big fan of metal but I quite enjoyed this one!
Good but not my jam
Their last good album. Tinged with nostalgia as I was a huge fan until Nevermind came out at the same time as this.
Good album, like most people I prefer others on theirs, but there are definitely some quality songs on here.
I hadn’t listened to this album in a very long time. It still stands up as a very approachable metal album. I prefer And justice for all as a complete album but there are certainly a few kickers on their eponymous album.
It’s not bad necessarily, there’s some good songs in it, the problem is that so many of the songs on the album are nearly the same song. If you’d only ever heard the highlights of it (which I had) you’d probably be surprised that it’s not a more well loved album but after listening to it in its entirety it does come across as uninspired. It’s the first album I’ve rated where I think the average song quality is pretty high but the album quality I’d say is fairly low, I’d be tempted to give it a 2 honestly, sad, but true.
Maybe it’s just that Enter Sandman is overplayed, but on this listen I felt strongly that Nothing Else Matters is the best song here. I’d cut 3-4 songs, or I’d make all the songs about a minute shorter. Not sure how many songs need two or three guitar solos. Not sure how many 7-minute epics I need on one album, especially when a song has only minor shifts in dynamics (looking at you, uh, every song except NEM). I didn’t hate anything, and in fact saved several songs to my playlist, but it’s doubtful I’m going to seek out this album in whole again. It’s a collection of songs I like that somehow doesn’t work for me as an album. So, like a 3.5?
It was okay! I am a fan of some of the tracks but there's filler there. Have tried to get into Metallica a few times but it doesn't seem to stick for me. Fave tune: Sad But True
I guess Metallica is the logical musical extension of Black Sabbath. Driving music , that doesn't really appeal to me in my old age. It is tight and well produced, I recognize that. The drumming is relentless.
Two songs make this record and the rest are not that different from each other.
Kinda good.
The Unforgiven is Ennio Morricone with a distortion pedal. Lars Ulrich is a pretty pedestrian drummer and overall holds them back. Kirk Hammet plays very nice melodic solos. When comes in at the end of Nothing Else Matters is a highlight moment here. Don't Tread on Me and Of Wolf and Man are low points here. I still dig it, but not like I did in middle school are early high school.
Another album that I listened to non-stop when it was released, but that maybe hasn't aged that well. The first half of the album is incredibly strong, but it runs out of steam.
It didn’t convince me of anything I didn’t already know about Metallica (I’m still not a huge fan of Hetfield as a vocalist), but it is a good metal album with good pacing.
Ancestors of Metal.
I like the music but the singer not much…
Not something I’ll listen to again. Metallica has better hits and better deep cuts on multiple different albums. I want to give it a 4, but the truth is I’ll never listen to any of these songs by choice.
More like MIDtallica 🤣🤣🤣
Classic
I knew all the singles on this, and that’s pretty much all I needed. It lacks the edge to be considered really great, I tend to agree with most hardcore Metallica fans that their earlier stuff is better, this does feel like an attempt to please everyone, and it worked as more people probably know Enter Sandman than most songs you’ll come across on this list. It’s overall fine, nothing terrible and a few real standouts but nothing beyond that.
Didn’t realize so many hits were on one album. I don't love all of their jams, and fuck them for their RIAA bullshit in the 00s, so can't give it more than 3.
I really should get back into this Metal gear. Solid.
"The troubled production coincided with Ulrich, Hammett, and Newsted divorcing their wives" - You can't convince me this isn't divorced man music.
I don't really like metal, so can't rate this too high. The Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters are classic songs that I love very much, but I don't really like the rest. His voice is good though, but musically it's nothing great.
Not horrible.
There are for sure some moments of musical transcendence on here. The drum intro to Sad But True. Even the plucky guitar ending Nothing Else Matters. I remember picking away at these tracks when I was 15. Ultimately this album feels stuck in that time. I know it moved the genre forward but lots of rhyming by numbers and kinda juvenile lyrics. Good but not great, IMHO.
Cool
2.5/5 I just don’t like metal my bad
Okay. Just okay.
Starting with this album I don’t think Metallica should call themselves Metallica anymore. They kind of stopped being a metal band and veered into hard rock on this album. But Hard Rockica just doesn’t have the same ring to it as Metallica. With their transition to hard rock, Metallica made a decent album. Honestly for a lot of bands this would be a great album, but Metallica was coming off an amazing three album run. This album doesn’t come close to those. It has a few good songs but most are just ok to forgettable. All I’m saying is they better have ride the lightning, master of puppets, and …and justice for all on this list if this album is gonna be on it. I get that this is Metallica’s mainstream success album, but it’s not their best.
It's a good album but a bit soft for my regular Metallica taste
Not my favourite Metallica record but it definitely bangs. A bit bloated but obviously has some of their biggest hits. Fav songs: - Enter Sandman - Nothing Else Matters
This was one of those albums where you don't really realize the songs are progressing.
Heavy metal. Knew some from Guitar Hero. A bit too much for all at once but 2-3 are good.
Decent. Good working music. Never knew I could like metal
honestly loved a couple songs, but the rest were not really my vibe
No jaa onhan tämä tällainen siirtymä hevanderista valtavirran suuntaan. Ymmärrän miksi on listalla mutta eipä tää mikään kummonen juttu itselle enää ole. Pentuna kyllä tykkäsin enemmänkin. Omistan tästä vinyylinä jenkkiorkkiksen mikä taitaakin olla kokoelmani arvokkain levy. Sattumalta sain sen haltuuni. Vois vaikka myydä. Kai tän voi parin vuoden välein kuunnella, erityisesti nyt kun meen kesällä katsomaan Metallicaa... Koska en oo koskaan nähnyt ennen. 3/5
"The Black Album" by Metallica is the sonic equivalent of ordering a medium steak at a gourmet restaurant—reliable, satisfying, but not exactly a culinary adventure. Released in 1991, it's the album where Metallica decided to slow dance with the mainstream, leaving some fans staring longingly at the mosh pit of their thrash metal roots. Tracks like "Enter Sandman" and "Nothing Else Matters" are so ubiquitous, they've become the background music to everything from road trips to grocery store aisles. It's an album that doesn't so much demand your attention as politely request it, offering up a platter of well-crafted, heavy rock tunes that are hard to hate but easy to hum. James Hetfield's voice has never sounded more polished, and the production quality is as sharp as a new set of steak knives—clean, precise, and engineered to a T. The band's shift to a slower, more radio-friendly sound was a gamble that paid off, making them household names but leaving a portion of their fanbase feeling a bit like they just watched their favorite dive bar turn into a Starbucks. 3.5 stars for "The Black Album." It's the musical equivalent of a blockbuster movie—big, bold, and full of special effects, but not likely to change the way you see the world. Still, like that medium steak, it's undeniably good, even if part of you wishes you'd ordered something a bit more daring.
Some stellar songs. Most are pretty mid. 3.41 per track.
Ça bouge, c'est pas mal.
Sad but true.
Garth Brooks of Metal
5/10 Modem Metallica is meh.
A few great songs...many other middle of the road tunes.
On ne muutamat hyvät biisit ja sitten on Metallica-biisit, jotka ovat kaikki samanlaisia ja siksi niputettavissa paitsi Sad but true joka on todella hyvä. Mut siis sinänsä pidän siitä kuinka tavallaan tosissaan nämä ovat ja kuinka ovat tällä levyllä mestareita omassa soundissaan.
Metallica at their absolute peak. 2.75 stars
Not into metal - but found it pretty good.
favourite: enter sandman, the unforgiven + some other ones least favourite: holier than thou it's metallica
Pretty solid throughout. Only throw away track is "Nothing Else Matters". It feels like the boring brother to "One".
In meiner kleinen Sammlung befindet sich auch ein Album von Metallica, Master of Puppets von 1986. Nachdem ich das "Black Album" jetzt gehört habe, muss ich sagen, dass es dagegen abfällt. Ja, jede Menge Smash Hits, einige auch tauglich fürs Formatradio. Aber die maschinenhafte Energie des 86er Albums fehlt mir.
Objectively the intro hard rock and metal album for many individuals. It was mine for a time too. Many of my peers cited this as their foyer in metal. For me my tastes have grown but subjectively this album is a good started for those who crave more than just rock and roll. It is a blended hard rock/metal album though. Its not the heaviest thing, but sonically and track wise its a good start.
i thought metallica was way harder than this aha
Alright, Sandman and Nothing else matters are easily the best two tracks, the rest sounds like filler
Good
Did not dislike it as much as I expected to, but probably also wouldn't come back to it for a re-listen.
Not my type of music but it's cool anyway
Not as good as I remember it.
Metalnumre man kender, god energi hvis det endelig skal være
A solid album, I liked Enter Sandman and Wherever I May Roam the most.
I very rhythmic and influential album. The lyrics sometimes compliment the grittiness of the songs. Some of the songs drag on a little, as if you would be banging your head and knocking into people during the repetition. "Enter Sandman" is such an iconic song, and "Struggle Within" is a great closer. 3.5 stars
Feels like listening to one long song instead of an album. Only exception is the Song "Nothing Else Matters". In my Opinion it lacks in variation
This album is listenable which is something the prior Metallica album isn't. This isn't the obnoxious yeah metal machine gun drum stuff. It's slower and the songs have a more traditional song structure. At times it's seems less metal and not hard rock. Those are the times I considered actually listening to this again but the end of the album was back to what I don't like about metal.
A real heart banger
More like Midtallica.
Enter Sandman is a classic, nothing else on the album stuck out to me
It's probably a 4 star album but I just don't love Metallica...
They're competent musicians, certainly, but I can't remove their public selves from their work. Self-important blowhards who acted like they invented heavy metal, this album was massively overplayed when I was younger, and it's not gotten better with age for me.
I get it, but that doesn't mean I have to listen to it.
I went in with an open mind, I'm certainly no metal head. "Enter Sandman" will always make me think of the great Mariano Rivera. I dug the production, one of the best sounding metal records I've heard. Some good head bangers. But at the end of the day, I was not blown away, and did not do much to change my general opinion of Metallica.
Probably very good but I really don’t value it.
It's tough because overall Metallica sucks but they do have gems. Nothing Else Matters is a good song, Enter Sandman has a killer build and Wherever I May Roam is very tight. This album has some chaff but some very solid songs.
Enter Sand Man I give a 3 out of 5. Nothing Else Matters I like. The rest is kind of corny and a bit 2 dimensional sounding.
I understand the importance of this album but it is definitely not my thing. Enter Sandman is a great song but this just isn't for me.
It had two of my favorite Metallica songs on it.
Big sound like army Marching toward death and darkness Heart beats in time. Rock.
Never really got into Metallica. They have some good stuff but overall they are kind of hit and miss with me. That being said, the black album has many of the ones I was previously familiar with.
Lo mismo que el anterior.
Yeah baby, accessible metal. I had this beast when I was at Uni - loved the edge to a couple of the billion stream bangers, but honestly couldnt remember any of the filler tracks. Still - worth a few stars for some epic riffery
Excellent overall with a couple outstanding tracks.
•Not owned: Streaming •Meticulous production and great use of tempo and riffs. •3.5/5
Not really my cup of tea
It's fine, I get why it's a classic because it was different then but now it just sounds pretty generic to me.
Grrrrrr rughhhh.
Lots of talent on here, makes even metal listenable. A couple of songs that are part of American culture.
A few bangers
The Unforgiven, Nothing Else Matters ...aún así ...
Fetter Rocksound. Klassiker. Nicht alles mein Stil. Stereogitarren.
Parts of the music are interesting, and lyrics are catching, but I find the general tone to be harsh. The hard beats wear on me before too long. No surprise that I like the softer songs better.
forgot how many metallica hits are from this album.
not my typical genre but was still an enjoyable listen
Highlights: Enter Sandman* The Unforgiven Wherever I May Roam Nothing Else Matters Don't Tread on My sampling the music from "America" in the musical West Side Story is great music writing. This album was great at its peak and forgettable for a lot of it. Songs like Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters are metal music at its peak but many of the other tracks were mostly forgettable and slightly repetitive. This seems like a great album to listen to if you want background noise that involves heavy drums and guitars. I will definitely continue to listen to the good songs on the album but I dont plan on re-listening to the whole thing anytime soon.
Not much to say about this one. Main stream metal album that I didn't find to be all that unique. Solid quality but nothing that really sets it apart these days. Fav songs: wherever I may roam, nothing else matters.
Heavy metal has never been my genre. However, it wasn't a bad listening experience. Not sure if I would listen again but I understand it's importance.
This is probably where my opinions of Metallica become confusing for even me. I know this is one of those game changer albums. The kind of album that makes an industry pivot and creates generations upon generations of musicians. I also don't really care for about half of this album. The songs that are memorable are very much so but everything else is especially forgettable. I don't know what to say about this album that hasn't been said. It's not my favorite Metallicka album but it does have some of my favorite singles. I like that I can hear a creative evolution. I can respect a band doing something different and it's cool when it works out. Anyway, not a bad album. 3.5
3.5 I used to not be able to stand Metallica, but they’re a group I’ve learned to appreciate in the more recent years of my life (see: my review of S&M). They really do have a lot of great songs that I used to write off before, and a lot of them are here on this album - Nothing Else Matters, The Unforgiven, Sad But True, and of course, Enter Sandman. As a less cynical (or maybe more seasoned) music fan now, I really appreciated their inclusion here. As for the rest of the album, there’s nothing unenjoyable, but it’s a lot of the same kind of thing in a less remarkable form, making this whole thing feel kind of one-note, especially for its duration. I found myself really enjoying the album at the gym as it kicked off, but around the time Nothing Else Matters concluded, I was ready for it to start wrapping up - especially being that the four songs that follow it are probably the least remarkable stretch of songs on the album. A handful of great songs here that I’ll be revisiting, but I’m not sure how often I’ll be giving this thing a full listen - really wish this just would have ended with Nothing Else Matters. Still, much higher than I probably would have rated any Metallica album five or so years ago, so for better or for worse, my musical taste is broadening a bit.
Though many will accuse them of selling out with this album, I'd argue it was more of a gradual decline, not an overnight drop. Fortunately, on Black Album they were still able to give us a decent few classics. Enjoyable, but hardly essential. Three bells out of five tolling for you 🔔🔔🔔
We know all the hits around here, but it has been a long time since I listened to the whole thing start to finish. It's a good record but it doesn't rank among my favorites for them. It hurts to say it's 3.5 stars rounded down, but I'm having a hard time giving it 4 stars today.
without the symphony orchestra it's pretty meh, I like his voice but not much more than that nothing else matters is really good tho
trash and boring but made a point
I know it's a classic but just seems like generic metal nowadays.
Bit plodding
I can definitely see why a lot of people love this album. Very well crafted with moving lyrics. Just not for me.
1. enter zandman - 4 2. zad but true - 2 3. holier than thou - 1.5 4. the unforgiven - 2 5. i may roam - 1.5 6. dont tread on me - 1 7. through the never - 2 8. nothing elze matterz - 3.5 9. of uuolf and man - 1 10. the god that failed - 1 11. my friend of mizery - 1 12. the ztruggle uuithin - 1
3 out of 5
After listening to this album, I remembered why I don't like metal. Giving a high rating only for Nothing Else Matters
Fed hegn! Klart den værste Metallica plade indtil videre i 1991
Forgot about Sad But True \../ Metal ballads are silly Not my genre, but still good
I listened to this 10,000 times.. good album for someone who hates metallica... Other than that.. Not so good
Radio hits aren't bad, but songs are too long. Huge for the time. 3.6
For the consistency of their sound, a surprisingly diverse range on the album. The final song is a very modern sounding banger
First Metallica album I bought, and I remember quickly getting bored of it. Luckily I went back through their catalogue after and fell in love, rather than forward. This album is terribly overrated. So many more misses rather than hits. And Justice... wasn't amazing admittedly, but this album marked a slight but distinctive change from their earlier stuff that was definitely for the worse rather than the better. Probably sneaks a 3* due to a few of the decent tunes on here
How is this over 30 years old! I get why it's on the list, but not really my thing
I like Metallica's music much more than I like Metallica. This album in particular stands out.
Noteworthy for its slow, deep style of heavy metal. I'm very familiar with all of the singles on this album and liked them alright when I was younger, although I never owned anything by Metallica or listened to a full album. They feel a bit overplayed now but they definitely stood out back in the 90s.
Damn the guitar is good. Not what I would usually listen to. Solid album. 3.5?
It was an enjoyable album, but only a few songs really stood out and I can’t say I’m the biggest Enter Sandman fan.
I've never been a metal fan, but I don't mind listening through this album every few years. Some absolute classics.
I’ve always disliked them but I gave it a fair listen. It’s musically sound but still feels as douchey as ever. Made me drive aggressively.
It's Metallica. Never been a huge fan or anything, but this isn't one of their bad albums at least. Solid 3.5 at least.
Lots of catchy songs, unique sound
This feels like a guilty pleasure. Is it cheesy and low-brow? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Also yes. Gives me a hit of that middle school-era nostalgia - both the good and bad.
Like REM but hard Rock.
Not a fan of heavy metal but I did like Enter Sandman, Unforgiven, and Nothing Else Matters
Was ok
As a hard rock album, it's fine. More hard rock bands in the '90s could have used Kirk Hammett. But knowing what they'd done and where they were going, hard not to resent almost everything about this album.
Of their core albums before they helped numetal gain a strong hold, this is their weakest. It is also the most popular. It certainly catches a couple of zeitgeist type topics and has become anthemic for various reasons.
The beginning of the end? Decent hard rock album, it's nice they slowed things down so Lars could keep up. It's all very pedestrian though, isn't it? Oh, I don't know! It's not terrible, a bit too long and bands evolve etc. 2.5 / 5 stars.
Repetitive and formulaic, but I think their hits are enjoyable enough.
Много пафоса, видимо я говнарь. В принципе норм, можно привыкнуть, с каждым прослушиванием по ощущениям лучше.
It was good but isn’t smth that i would listen everyday
In the end, just decent
10/24/23 2:30 S Tier————————— Enter Sandman Nothing Else Matters A Tier————————— Through The Never Holier Than Thou My Friend of Misery B Tier————————— The Struggle Within Sad But True The Unforgiven Wherever I may roam Don't tread on me The god that failed me
Man komme ikkje utenom
Heilt greit. Et par sterke riff
Came out the year I left the Army. Lived in the California Apartments in Colorado Springs, CO. Roommate was John, a childhood friend of 3rd cousin Devin. Ashley moved from Montana and we shared an 1 room spot and had a demon kitten. About the time I got into White Zombie. Enjoyed riding my Yamaha Verago 750 up past Monument to solo fish, hike and camp off the South Platt in the Rocky Mountains. Mild child days, no worries, no fucks.
Metal becoming pop is always seen as a tragedy, and maybe it is. Although we can't deny how it skyrocketed Metallica's fame, as well as the popularity of metal itself. The overplayed classics in this album are among the songs that got me into metal. But of course, it is a tragedy because of how bland it can sound. It's unlike hair metal, which covered the genre in so much synth and sparkles that its nauseating. Metallica's approach here was to take their masculine riffs and angsty lyrics and execute them in a basic, predictable way. It worked. It didn't work. Depends on who you ask.
It rocks. It’s not their best, Cliff Burton isn’t on it. But it’s good and it rocks.
YEAHHHHH!!!! METALLICA!!!! *Enter Sandman : 10/10 *Sad But True : 8/10 *Holier Than Thou : 7/10 *The Unforgiven : 8/10 *Wherever I May Roam : 8/10 *Don't Tread On me : 7/10 *Through The Never : 7/10 *Nothing Else Matters : *Of Wolf And Man : *The God That Failed : *My Friend Of Misery : *The Struggle Within : An hour album, a bit long for me, Didn't like it as much as I thought I would be but still a very good album, Not liking the vocal that much DECENT 7
The first Metallica album I didn't hate, but apart from the hits it is just too much of the same.
This album has most of the songs by Metallica that I like, it is just 20 minutes too long
Has some absolute classics. Has some absolute shit.
Rock metal
Now that I have 30 years of perspective, I can see why the hardcore fans said they sold out with this album. Also, you can clearly see the beginnings of James Hetfield, world’s hardest lounge singer.
Yes this is regarded as an iconic metal album but apart from Enter sandman it sounds very cliched to me. I’ll round up to a 3 because I’m feeling strangely generous today
I mean it's Metallica, that notwithstanding I'd never actually listened to their "band named album" before. Thoughts while listening: It's a good listen so far, however, their prolific tracks in Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters seem to be the only standouts so far. Closing thoughts: My Friend of Misery and The Struggle Within were pretty strong closers, especially the instrumentals. Overall, a solid listen.
I have had an aversion to Metallica since Napster. First album I listened to entirely. It isn't bad, of course, but it isn't for me.
It’s 2005 I just learn how to jerk off and this was when this band made music of kids like me think this was hardcore shit, now it make me feel like an old man and this is now just grilling out door with the boyz kind of music as when complain about micro-injuries just by sneezing. Decent Gateway metal album, (3.5/5)
Initial thoughts: Wow, what a throwback. I will confess I've never listened to the album front to back though, excited for this one. Final thoughts: They say that structure of metal is similar to classical music. Listening to this album, I found it fascinating to how true that saying was. However, this album took that saying way too literally. More than half of the album had the same basic structure. So much so, that I even found myself wanting to skip songs because it really felt like I already heard it. Now, the iconic songs truly cannot be beat. Throw in some nostalgia glasses of me and Zack playing guitar hero until 1am while trying not to wake his parents, and these songs really are so good. Enter Sandman, Sad But True, Nothing Else Matters, these are songs that even people who don't listen to this genre will recognize, and for good reason too, they are fantastic pieces of music. Sadly can't say the same for the rest of the album. Some songs were just so... boring...? On my second listen I listened through my hi-fi set up and the mastering was excellent, so I guess they got that going for them. But still so... weak...? Does this album deserve 2? No. Does this album reach a 3? Barely. I would probably rate it 2.8, so rounded up we have:
Only 2 good songs.
Obviously a milestone album for them. The lyrics are consistently impressive. Many songs are classics, some are strong and passionate, about a third are unmemorable.
I didn't really need to listen to this one. I've heard it a bunch. It's a classic metal album, but not among my favorites from Metallica. They're a band who informed and influenced my early appreciation for metal, but a band that I moved past pretty quickly. This was a turning point in their career and sound. A few too many ballads and downtempo songs for me. Not a lot on this album that I feel really holds up or has the staying power to make it worth revisiting in 2023. Of Wolf And Man, for as corny as the lyrics are, is probably the only song that I think has anything to say today. Musically, it has some complexity and some interesting turns. The rest of the album is a bit too safe, especially the few hits/singles. At this point, Metallica were clearly aiming for rock radio. You can hear the watering down of any of the elements that made them different in the albums before this one.
Enter Sandman might be one of the best album openings ever but apart from that - and maybe Unforgiven - this album is not very exciting.