Reviews (page 12 of 14)
Enter Sandman is an all-timer, and The Unforgiven is pretty good. The rest is kind of boring.
Reminds me of my favorite roomie who had one CD... this one. I've still heard it enough.
Neutral, closer to a 3 than a 2 though. I’m positive I had a favourite song from the album but I didn’t write it down and now I can’t figure out which it was… Overall I prefer the first half of the album though. Already knew Enter Sandman.
Torn. Two amazing songs that I love, but I don't like the genre so much so would never choose to listen to the rest.
I liked this way more than I was expecting. Some really solid songs and nowhere near as annoying as I thought it was going to be. 3.5 stars
Metallica used to be pretty sweet, but it's tough to take them all that seriously now because they are so ridiculous. This album is a bit hit or miss from me, but ultimately it's pretty good, I definitely prefer the earlier stuff from them.
My first ever album recommendation from this website was AC/DC’s “black album”, which I found to be a very ear-piercing and gut wrenching experience! Fortunately, my second album recommendation was a far superior “black album” in Metallica’s self titled. I listened to this album for the first time a few months ago while on a walk, and I found it to be respectable but not mind blowing. When I listened to this album this time, however, a few tracks that did not stick with me the first time around clicked better in this listen! While I still prefer their more trash-centered works such as KTA and MOP, this album is absolutely no slouch by any means, and I can see why it is arguably their most popular release to date. I would give this about a 7/10, which translates to a 3.5/5 on my rating scale.
14 year old James would have loved this album. 33 year old James... meh. The last half was pretty bad.
Everyone figured the death of original bassist Cliff Burton would hit Metallica hard, but no one could've guessed that they would pivot away from thrash metal to make simple heavy metal and, dare I say, bland hard rock. Sick riffs were traded in for grooves and even ballads. While Master of Puppets was their landmark album, this self-titled album (sometimes called the black album) is certainly their most commercial album. This sold over 17 million units and none of their albums have come close since. Everyone knows Enter Sandman, Sad but True, the Unforgiven, Nothing Else Matters. It's the only Metallica that your classic rock radio station will play, because their other stuff is either too heavy or too sucky. For all the good that this album was, it was also the album where Metallica distinctly sold their soul. Now you can play these songs on Guitar Hero Metallica.
I wish I was pirating this album out of spite. They're an ok band but man if they aren't annoying with who can and can't play their music. This album enters with enter sandman which is a great song, but I remember my shitty high school football team coming out to this song thinking they were hot shit only to lose every game but like 2 or 3 during my entire time there
60% elemental and classic and 40% questionable in a Spinal Tap sense. Overall I enjoyed it
all very similar
this is obviously a landmark album but just doesn't speak to me
I was familiar with most of the songs on this album. The problem with it and it is a problem with most Metallica songs is that they are all too long. The album is over an hour long. Each song, even the good ones, could be cut by a minute at least. Tighten the songs up and it is a better album.
to everyone hating on this album…. calm the fuck down and grow up. yes, it’s metal for dummies. there’s no denying that. it’s perfectly palatable for the lowest common denominators of our society who think they’re hard. but come on, it’s still good? the song are catchy, production is slick with epic heavy riffage all throughout. it’s radio metal so ya it’s not overly clever,,,,….. but it’s fine for what it is. it’s listenable. a lot of lyrics are honestly kinda boring. and obviously it’s way too long. it definitely should’ve ended at Nothing Else Matters; the four after that were completely unnecessary.
El disco es buenísimo. Tiene tremenda calidad, pero esa voz satánica nunca va a ser lo mío.
I'm not a Metallica fan so my opinion is moot in these matters, but this isn't a classic for me the way it is for so many others. It's clear that this is their effort to hit the mainstream; and it worked! Good on them, but I almost cringe at the sound of James' aggressive vocals over some of the softest music I've ever heard. That said, the songwriting is solid on a lot of these songs -- not many metal albums have as high a hit ratio as this tracklist does -- and the production from Canadian legend Bob Rock sounds pretty good for the most part. The string sections on certain songs really add to their instrumentation too. But the whole affair goes on a little long for my tastes. This is probably a 3.5 for me, but in the absence of half stars, I'm going to lower it to a 3, because Metallica are sorta uncool sellouts.
As a yankee fan I will always have fond memories of Mariano Rivera walking to the mound with Enter Sandman playing. Plus it’s a great song. The rest of this album, especially the second half, does not live up to it. So many of the songs sounded identical and the lyrics were trying too hard imo. Not much interest in hearing this again front to back.
50% of this album is phenomenal, shame the quality dips down for the rest. 3.5 stars.
A classic really.
Love the band. Love the album. Lars sucks.
One of those albums that it feels like 1 long song and I don't know how I feel about that
Enter Sandman is one of those songs you don't seek out but can't help but bop along to. Nothing Else Matters is a total slog for. And the rest? I guess Nothing Else Matters. Sounds good for 91
Three big radio hits: Enter Sandman and The Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters.
No thoughts
Actual MASSIVE album from a band that played a MASSIVE part in my childhood. lets get it. ..SAD BUT TRUUUAAAHH the melody in ''unforgiven'' sounds like 311 if you really concentrate. (listen #3) im finding myself like waiting for it to be over, i did not expect this reaction. "follow the god that failed" is so edgy like boy im really bout to get you lol this album was sadly disappointing
Has moments of life, but overall drags
Dynamically snore inducing. But the riffs are often great, and it's delivered with conviction
I wanted to dive into this album, but 3 tracks in, all I was able to get out of it was, "yup, that's metallica". I think I don't have the background in metal to appreciate the nuance here, or maybe it's just a vibe-based album that doesn't click with me.
Far from their great records in the 80s, bloated and uninspired songwriting and compositions.
Herrje. Bis auf die offensichtlichen Knüller gar nicht mal so gut gealtert. Gerade so drei Sterne, aber wirklich gerade so.
I like Enter Sandman. Listening to the album through though, it all starts to sound a bit samey to me.
This was Metallica’s “comeback” album. They traded in their thrash style for a more slower, heavier style. It was no coincidence that they had to stay relevant with the grunge movement that was exploding at the time. This was probably their last good album.
Les libertariens on souffle
j'ai écouté de loin
Дико захейтили альбик...ну кнч не сравнится с тремя первыми, да че мелочиться...со всей дискографией группы (даже гараж инк с каверами лучше сука). Каждый хоть раз играл хоть одну песню отсуда на батиной гитаре. 7/10 продались чуток...
26/04/23. Suena bien, pero me aburrió un poco
goofy. a light 3 stars
I didn't hate this as much as I thought I would. In fact I some of the songs are kind of catchy. What I don't like is that it's like chugging a can of testosterone, the vocals, the guitars, the drums, everything is just so aggressive. I first heard this, probably when I was 12, and I didn't like it, I thought it was frightening. I am no longer scared by it, and I like it slightly more than I did back then, but I will not be putting this on voluntarily.
Peak Metallica.
"The Black Album" is pretty widely loved by fans as well as influential on many heavy metal bands. In terms of music... it's alright. It's a bit straight forward and and kind of too clean for my tastes, but none of it is "bad". It's kind of like a persons best intro to metal, and they can get into this... then move on to other stuff. I guess Metallica never quite gelled with me a ton except in middle school.
This was actually really decent, some absolute bangers!
it was fine. Can definitely see why people love them, but was the first album we established a #dnf tag
Anybody who has listened to the radio in the past 30 years has heard a majority of these songs already. I don't dislike Metallica at all, however I don't really consider myself a fan either. Despite their legendary status, that still doesn't sway my opinion of their music. I've enjoyed these songs throughout the years, but due to hearing them so much, I just don't care to hear them anymore.
It has great sound and some huge bangers, but it’s overstated by about half an hour. Was gonna give it four stars but fuck those “don’t tread on me” assholes
This isn't a short album but it never seemed to drag on to a point it annoyed me. The peak for me is unfortunately the opening track and so it all went downhill from there but it never lost it's power and momentum which was nice. I'll possibly revisit this one if I need something to chug along to.
Metallica's Black Album is metal for people who don't really like metal. It' loud, sure, with big catchy riffs and lots of angry yelling, but I find it hard to really ascertain what I think about it. Bob Rock (still unforgiven by many old school Metallica fans) helped the band slow down, simplify, increase the melodic content , turn up the bass and embiggen the sound to polish a commercial monster that sold a bajillion copies and turned Metallica into one of the biggest bands in the world. What I still don't understand is where the band (and record label) got the idea that a thrash band could become a blockbuster mainstream success. And yet they did, invested a year and million dollars in this perfectly honed unit-shifter., And shift units it did! In some ways, this fits into the same cultural space as AC/DCs Back in Black; it's a highly polished hard rock album from veteran road warriors, that sells to the point of ubiquity. But it lacks the humour and cheeky charm, and most of all, the swing of AC/DC. Paying out on Lars Ulrich is a cliché these days, but I swear I can hear him counting the beat while he plays. The slower, simpler beats highlight his limitations (no swing), and this is rare example of a hugely successful band that doesn't have a great drummer. There's nothing wrong with having a drummer with limitations (see Mo Tucker or Meg White) if it adds to the musicality of the band. You have to wonder what how much better this record could sound like with a great drummer. AC/DC are a good comparison, as they are also working in the simple, hard rock genre, but they play with swing. The songs are catchy (especially the singles), though I find the length exhausting. I own a copy of this album, but honestly never play it. It's an important album, as probably the biggest unapologetically and unambiguously metal album to sell this many copies. But it is overplayed and over-polished for me to the point where I am a little sick of it, although I can admire the achievement,. I begrudgingly give three stars for having the ambition to turn metal into a mainstream genre, and actually achieving it.. But that means it really is just (louder) pop music. If I want to listen to metal (which I sometimes do), this is not the album I would choose to play.
3/5. A solid metal album but a little too long with not much variety throughout. I’d pick about 5 I’d listen to often and the rest not necessary.
Had this when it came out. It's a decent pop-metal album. Mostly amused remembering that a high school friend misheard 'Sad But True' as "Sex Patrol". More likely to listen to Master of Puppets if I'm in a 'Tallica mood tbh.
As a Metallica fan, the self-titled 'Black Album' signals the decline of Metallica in my humble opinion. Sure, the pop-rock-thrash-metal album was a charting success and probably what James & Lars wanted, but something is missing. Since it came out, it was one of the fewer listened albums and I'm at a point t in my life where this and future albums are rarely played until we get to 2008's Death Magnetic. This is my first spin of this album in maybe 20 years and it still strikes as a duller Metallica album, although I do grant why its on a 'Must-Listen' list like this and think at 3.5 stars it still warrants its place here. 3.5/5
My expectations for this coming into it were higher than Snoop Dog on 4/20. A legendary album, legendary songs, selling millions of copies? Has to be mind blowing, right? Unfortunately, as the album continued on, my appreciation for it got lower than Shawty when Flo Rida sings. It felt like there was too much dead space in the songs in between guitar riffs and singing/growling. It just never really tickled my tummy in the way I hoped. It was still very good, but I don't know, this feels a bit sad.
I never bought or streamed a Metallica album, for some reason I knew almost every lyric.
I listened to this 1000 times in my teens and dont really fancy it again tbh. That said, its crammed with legendary tracks, and if it’s not the standout metal album of its generation, I don’t know what is. When I was 16, I’d have given this a 5*, and it’s definitely a 5* for its genre, but I don’t like the genre anymore.
Best Metallica album I'd say, lot of tunes on there. Recognised a lot of album tracks as well, probably from various rock clubs over the years. Even so, have no interest in listening again really.
Never heard this before but apparently considered their best album by a lot of people..... Wouldn't call myself a Metallica fan, but thought master of puppets was a good album, way better than this! I apparently like the more thrash metal sound better than their slower sound. Enter sandman and nothing else matters are great songs though. The struggle within was good too.
Death of thrash metal That’s why it’s good and these tracks are listenable Enter Sandman, The Unforgiven and My friend of misery are absolute highlights
It's pretty good. The best Metallica album, even with the school shooter mope anthem Nothing Else Matters on there. The most and silliest fun they were and ever will be.
Up until this one, the only people that listened to Metallica were the sport-os, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads, they all thought these guys were righteous dudes. But then this album was released and the radio stations around the country wore this out and everyone listens to them. Now the original fans see Lars Ulrich as a total ass and James Hetfield, a lil bitch.
It has those three iconic tracks, that introduced lots of people to heavy metal genre (although two are slower). Can't really compare with other of their albums or other albums from that genre, there are better fans and experts for that, but I can see why this has timeless appeal.
There’s some monster riffs on this one. Sounds like one of the origin albums of Kyle rock. Pretty enjoyable, one of my first intros to metal growing up.
I'm aware its one of their best and I really listened to it but its an endless tedious array of one dimensional power chords with that machismo directed vocals. Yeah, Sandman is a tune.
The album which transformed Metallica from trailblazing pioneers into the U2 of heavy metal, the rock establishment if you will. There’s some great testosterone-addled head banging to be enjoyed here (Enter Sandman is the group’s calling card for a reason), and Bob Rock’s iconic production ultimately aids the band’s more lethargic tendencies. But the lumbering slow numbers are turgid and frankly silly. In fairness, the allusions to West Side Story, Spaghetti Westerns and so on show that the band were at least somewhat aware of their trivial image. But it’s not enough of a nod/wink when they go into the soppiest territory imaginable on tracks like “Unforgiven”. If you’ve seen the documentary, “Some Kind of Monster”, you know that this band are not the sort to posit nuanced philosophical observations - but even still their ideas on this record range from the goofy (“Nothing Else Matters”) to the reactionary (“Don’t Tread on Me”). Overall, it’s a perplexing listen. On the one hand, it distances the band so much from their unique aural assault by streamlining their more rambling tendencies, ensuring they could sell out arenas for the foreseeable. Yet in some respects this IS the Metallica sound, and for better or for worse it brought the band into the mainstream forever.
Ouch, his throat.
Still haven’t forgiven Lars for Napster, sorry but that dude sucks. While I understand the impact this album had, and did enjoy this more than I thought, the idea of a poppier metal is kind of cringy and reminds me of where this took us (i.e. Nickelback, Creed, Puddle of Mudd, etc.). Would give it 3.5 if we could do half’s but I’m rounding down cause fuck Lars.
1/20/23: Not as good as some of Metallica’s earlier stuff IMO (i.e. And Justice For All, Master of Puppets, Kill Them All). Nothing Else Matters is a beautiful song though.
The album that made Metallica a household name for better and worse. It's overlong and front loaded as much as any album ever has been, it's highlights Enter Sandman, Sad But True, The Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters are great. Some of the tracks like Don't Tread on Me aren't very good. Most of the rest of it is just kind of there.
It just went on forever. There are better metallica albums
My mates listened to Metallica when I was a teen. I enjoyed a couple of songs but never listened to one of their albums until now. It's a great album but what can I say, it's not for me. I'll graze the classics; the hits but I'll never be a hardcore metal head or a Metallica devotee.
Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters are obvious standouts here. The rest of the album features brief glimpses of life but otherwise didn't distinguish itself at all to me.
Ik vind het lastig om metal als meer dan een gimmick te zien. Mannen met lange baarden, raarvormige gitaren en een distortion pedaal. Haal dat weg en je luistert naar blues muziek. Over pedalen gesproken, zoek op Google ‘boss metal zone 5g chip’ lol. Dit album vind ik echter heel toegankelijk en was prima af te luisteren. Als je nooit metal hebt geluisterd is dit een prima introductie. Nothing Else Matters vind ik stiekem een banger. En nu heb ik zin in Reign In Blood
I have kept trying to get into Metallica, and while Enter Sandman rips, the rest is just so plodding and repetitive. Can’t do it.
Has some outstanding and iconic tracks.
Sandman is a top tune, but the album is repetitive
Miley Cyrus's version of Nothing Else Matters blows Metallica's away. Show me the lie! Enter Sandman is a classic but it reminds me of Mariano Rivera walking out of the bullpen, which means it reminds of annoying Yankee fans who overpraise Mariano. Sort of like Metallica fans and this album.
Chugga chugga chugga chugg chugga chugga chugga chugg chugga chugga chugga chugg
This kind of music is safely in the not for me, Clive category. However, the best of pretty much any genre is going to be good, and Metallica is a very good example. What I like is their light and shade and the vocals. Nothing Else Matters, best song, highlights all of this.
what can i say... I should dislike this album and dislike this band based on my general musical taste and other preferences, but i liked it. As an album, there were some weak songs mixed in, which hurts the rating, but four or so songs are straight up iconic.
It has a bunch of songs I like and a bunch that are pretty meh but better than most other albums we've had.
I like this way more than I did the 'real' Metallica album that we had before, which I guess shows that I'm not really a proper metal person (sorry @Hector). Feels like they've taken their previous work, listened to a load of Bon Jovi, and set this new record about half way in between. Agree with Joe on this version of Nothing Else Matters, but it's still a brilliant song and so different to what they've done before. Also agree that it's a bit bloated, but it's still pretty listenable. 3/5, has its flaws, but I do like it.
Enter sandman: it’s okay I know that bible thing from somewhere Sad but true:I can tell I’m not gonna like this album just feels like doom music The unforgiven: ecstasy of gold kinda idk Through the never: probs my fave so far
Metallica and the generator are getting to me with repetition. It's a shame that the band drop the syncopation thing they've got going at the start, but even the sillier cuts provoke a smile. There's a little that's truly boring, but it's a classic enough sound that it all works as fast food.
Decent.
Only listened halfway but I know the first song.
The only Metallica album I can stomach but still not very enjoyable
I've never really got Metallica, this just seems like the same generic sound repeated for each song until nothing else matters hits and that song is great because it's different. Every other song is duhn dunn *pause* duhn dunn *pause* duhn dunn repeated, its so dull. After it was over it reccomend I listen to Nickleback who IMO was at least more interesting
Metal for the massess
i know alot of these songs because of the metallic blacklist and I enjoyed them. The songs were very long and I feel like there was lots of space but good for the most part
Eh, it was alright. Not as heavy as I was expecting.
its alright. some of the songs sound the same, boring asf
Pivotal album for aging Gen X listeners who don’t understand why their anger can only come out in ways that hurt their loved ones and minorities
Couldn’t decide between 3 or 4. Maybe 3.75?
Probably pretty great.
never thought much of hetfield's vocals or lyrics, but some pretty good riffs
The type of album that is reminiscent of others not because itself is heavily indebted, but because of its influence on classic, heavy and modern rock that follows. Tasty licks. Hetfield's brash voice is iconic but (perhaps for personal preference) my highlights were the softer, singing moments.
3.5
It is an okay album. What I would call the start of their sell out phase.
I am really enjoying this album. I know this isn't considered their best but there still alot here. The song ENTER SANDMAN is in alot of top 500 songs of all time list. I think it's one of the weaker song. I also think the shorter the song worst off it is. I like this album for all the places it goes, from the super grudgey sounding SAD BUT TRUE. Also kind of the alt rock banger that is THE UNFORGIVEN. There is even a love song on it too. Even if I did enjoy this album I did not love it. The ending runs together in an uninteresting haugepash
Not bad but you have to be in the mood for it. Some are (of course) classics.
Well, I’m surprised. Heavy-metal will never be my thing, but listening to this album has made me appreciate the genre in a way I never did before. I am impressed by the lyrics, the rhythmic intricacy, the bass playing and guitar riffs. I was especially impressed by ”Through the Never”. A bit goes a long way, and I probably didn’t listen to it at the volume that fans do, but I’m really glad I’ve discovered the quality of this style of music. That alone is worth embarking on this project.
Metallic. Nice but I think a few at a time is enough for me.
Ugh. The album that initiated the downfall of Metallica as a respectable heavy metal band. They changed their producer, changed their sound, sang f’ing BALLADS, and sold their souls just to cash in. Sure, they made a lot of money but at the cost of losing many original fans. I guess I can’t blame them. Sellouts be sellin’ out.
Always gonna be reminded of that tumblr post that goes something like “these guys aren’t tough, they’re singing songs!” 5/10
It was ok… nothing amazing in my opinion. Probably wouldn’t listen again. Rating: 5/10
Album definitely rips but tonally it's so one note with only a few exception. The songs really bleed into one another since they sound so similar.
Just reminds me of getting beat up by my friend's uncle and his buddy. It's fine, but I'll take some of their older albums instead.
Chugging guitar that everybody knows, but ultimately a bit samey.
After all of these years my feelings about this album have stayed relatively the same. I know that others have felt a strong connection to Metallica, but I'm not quite sure why. I know I've listened to this album at least once before, to try and understand the band, and there are at least four tracks from this album that I've heard several times. I might like some of the singles from this album more than I used to, but my patience with the vocals wanes as I listen to an entire ablum at once. With some rounding I land at 3 stars, but it would take a strong recommendation from someone else for me to sit through this entire album again.
Not entirely my cup of tea, but it does have some great tunes on it.
metallica e greit i mindre mengde og på guitar hero
The infamous Black Album. Never been a huge fan of this one. Funnily enough, the ballads I like, I think my problem overall is this album just feels like it lost a little something. The tunes can be heavy, but they don't feel as crushing as the classic four do, and while lyrics were never the strong suit of Metallica, the lyrics here feel especially glaring. Also, a personal bias: I am sick to death of "Enter Sandman". "Sad But True" still gets a pass. Favorite tracks: "The Unforgiven", "Nothing Else Matters", "Sad But True"
Sad but true still my favourite on this album. It’s good, the drumming is infuriatingly dull though
You can't deny these riffs. The songs and sounds on this album share a lot more in common with the grunge bands I believed were far superior as a teen. As timeless as the music may be at times the lyrics get a little too "on the nose". The earnestness of grunge is its legacy rather than the fashion or even the sound. The production on the remastered version sounds great but Side B is hiding some real clunkers. For one reason or another I think I prefer Megadeth. Ye-yeah!
Honestly was surprised that this was as good as it was! Never really been a Metallica fan
I got bored on the 4th song. iIt sounds very powerful, I understand why this album is insanely popular. But for me it's too monotonous.
Svolítið eins og Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magick, spiluð í drasl í kringum mig í 10. bekk. Fannst þetta í lagi en ekki meira en það. Ólíkt BSSM hefur álit mitt ekki breyst.
Mid tier for Metallica
Ah Metallica. This is my third Metallica album and it's got a few songs I do know. Enter Sandman is just such a banger. The rest of the album isn't too bad either, but it does feel a bit repetitive. I'm struggling to remember anything other than the massive hits. 3.5/5
Some classic tracks, but it's all a bit thin-blue-line in it's sentiments
This was a huge album in high school. I never really got into Metallica but this is the album everyone loved (or hated because Metallica “sold out”). A fee good songs like Nothing Else Matters and Unforgiven.
They take themselves seriously, don't they?
It's very solid, but I don't like it as much as their first few albums. I enjoyed it but was a bit fatigued by the end. I was surprised how similar it sounded like the heavy grunge of the decade, like Alice in Chains.
This sounds very much like a modern Black Sabbath. Metal played more competently. Technically excellent, musically hopeless - this is for teenage boys only.
Enter Sandman is a belter and I generally enjoyed the first 30 minutes or so. After that it seems over-reliant on the overdriven guitar, four on the floor and rather clichéd lyrics. Not bad, though.
Not what I thought they would sound like, but not bad at all. Head bopping. I like sad but true. A little easy to tune out. Second half is really good, closer to what I expected them to sound like. A little “harder”
bnagers
AN album that made history blablabla don't let me hear this ever again.
Too many fillers on this album. I get how popular it is and everything, but I really prefer their first albums.
Ah, what to do with this album? It's a phenomenal commercial success and I think you can call it a metal masterpiece. There are sensational guitar riffs and the lyrics can easily be learned and sung by heart, with probably one of James Hetfield's best vocal performances. However, we have heard it so much, but heard it SO MUCH, that I am not even able to listen to the best songs of this record anymore. And the others, you have to admit, are fillers. The album is too long-winded. If I hear Enter Sandman again in life, I'm going to vomit blood, so here's a note that will be fair to me, and to Metallica.
Ah, the transition album from thrash-metal darlings to "sell-outs." Of course, they became one of the biggest one or two rock bands in the world. While I'll agree, I like the previous four albums are better ("Kill Em' All" thru "And Justice..."), there are a lot of decent songs here. I'll always admit to thinking the beginning musical build-up of "Enter Sandman" is brilliant. The band went with a different producer, Bob Rock, whom they liked from Motley Crue's "Dr. Feelgood", with the result being a slower, heavier, more refined sound than their trash metal efforts. James Hetfield's vocals are at the forefront, understandable and actually sung: a big thing among Metallica fans missing his screaming. I kind of liked his screaming too. Most of the songs are still about typical heavy metal and their own song themes of war, destruction, doom and misery. But, "Nothing Else Matters" is about Hetfield missing his girlfriend on the road; "The God That Failed" about Hetfield's Mom as she refused cancer treatment due to religious beliefs. The album is front-loaded with their five singles, "Enter Sandman", "The Unforgiven", "Nothing Else Matters", "Wherever I May Roam" and "Sad But True." My favorite part of the album is songs #5 through #7 ( "Wherever I May Roam", "Don't Tread on Me" and "Through the Never") ; I think cause they are the hardest rocking to me. The last part of the album I've always struggled to get through without losing interest, probably due the length of the album (72 minutes) and by this time, the reptetiveness. I see the inclusion of this album into the 1001 due to the popularity of all the songs and where it took them.
Metallica was one of my fav bands in high school(class of 90). This album disappointed me when it came out and it still does.
3.5 stars. Nothing bad about this, but it just doesn't click like some of their earlier stuff does.
3.5
Metallica’s record made for wide public consumption. And why not? It’s a business. But also the beginning of their drift towards suck. That said it’s still a rocker.
C'est vraiment pas top.. sauf que : Enter Sandman quel chef d'oeuvre, ça vaut 3 étoiles tout seul. Une petite étoile en plus pour Nothing Else matters? no
Thematic and well-made but not very satisfying. The whole album just left me wishing for something as great as "enter sandman".
Among the variety of metal my youth cohort favored I liked Metallica the best, though I'd pretty well outgrown it in my 20s. This to me marks the turn towards self-importance outshadowing the music. I liked the old stuff better.
This prompted me to listen to other Metallica albums all day yesterday
I don't even know anymore. I still listen to their earlier stuff all the time. But black album and later.... I just can't. Does that make me a hipster?
Riff rehabilitation. As important an album as Nevermind in showing the way ahead for rock in the 90s. Cunning to include a couple of lighters-in-the-air ballads along with all the crunching. Very consistent and though not an album I could ever love, it stands up to repeated listening.
It was not as bad as I was expecting. I did recognize some of the songs and was OK with the overall album.
An alright album, strong songs but still not to my liking. A classic album that you should listen to whether you enjoy it or not it's up to you. Basic opinion but I enjoyed 'Enter Sandman'
hmmmm not rly my vibe, i don't think i would have listened to it normally tho so i'm glad i gave it a shot. it was good! just not rly for me
It was a ...not a genre breaker, but certainly thrust Metal into the mainstream. I wonder how the album would have done without Nothing Else Matters. Matters not, we'll never know. That was the gateway to Everywhere I Roam, and for this we shall always be grateful It must be said that it has aged not quite as gracefully as, say, ...And Justice for All. Something about compromising for the zeitgeist?
the best songs aren't the ones that you've heard the most
few good songs, but most of this album i cant listen to anymore
"Enter Sandman" is an epic work. It is at an apex of hard rock. It is a perfect intro to the album. The rest of the album is good. Interesting lyrics and themes, some new sounds for Metallica, going beyond thrash (although I was quite fond of Master of Puppets). I enjoyed it, though I got a little weary of the second half by the end of the hour.
Interesting that this would be here instead of ...and justice for all. This album, though mature in some aspects, feels too tame and radio friendly. Like many bands that find fame and tour relentlessly, IMHO the songwriting sounds like it suffers from a thought process along the lines of "this will sound good in an arena" that can only come with experience of doing that, but I believe takes away from the raw energy and emotion of the previous albums which feel more bent towards headphone consumption.
About a decade ago, a coworker told me there was only one good Metallica song, and I laughed it off. I never asked which song that was, but I'm starting to think she might have been right anyway.
An album that got me moving from the first bars.
Enjoyed it but I'm not a fan of metal (which I'm iffy about using to describe Metallica), so it wore out its welcome after half. Didn't add but didn't dislike.
Half good songs half sound the same as each other
While it isn't my favorite Metallica album in their discography, I do really like. Some real classics on here, especially opening up with Enter Sandman. Nothing else matters, Sad but true, and the unforgiven. Whole thing is filled with really solid songs. Solid Album.
"Classic" album that brings back memories from my youth when Metallica were at the peak of their popularity. Some nostalgia here, but overall, this album has just a few hits while the rest of the songs blend together and sound the same.
Enter Sandman = 5*, Other songs = 2* (at most) Production = 5*. Lyrics = 1*. Putting everything in a formula and doing some long calculations.. ..2.544334 * so just *** in the end.
Love Enter Sandman, meh about the rest
30 évvel később már kifejezetten könnyen hallgatható, veszélytelen, szinte unalmas. Sok részlet kicsit komikus ma már, pl. James Hetfield hangja. Azért tisztelem. Borító igénytelen, mégis badass.
Plenty of metal classics on this one - while the production is air-tight, the album does lag in its back half as the songs tend to fall into repetitive arrangements.
i remember when this album came out - it was this huge thing, The Black Album. i just kinda didn't care much, and i'm not sure i care much more now. in fairness, i have always loved enter sandman, but honestly, that's because of the bosstones' cover of it. i do continue to appreciate lars' precision when playing slow, and james' voice and guitar sound are great, etc. but really, as metallica albums go, i could take this one or leave it, which makes me a little sad.
not my thing but fine
It's pretty fun I guess. 7/10
Not really the best but I’m not white so
A good but not great album, my least favourite of the three Metallica albums I've listened to in full. Sandman is a fucking banger though.
Burnt out by Metallica at this point. Enter Sandman must have been wild to hear for the first time though.
Decent music but really not my taste, DNF, 3/5 mainly for that first iconic song.
Trip down memory lane for me. Some really good songs on this album. Love the sound. 3 stars
Top 3 1. (1) Enter Sandman 2. (8) Nothing Else Matters 3. (4) The Unforgiven Bonus: (5) Wherever I May Roam
Not my type of music... at all. I feel like I can't give 1 star simply because it's not to my taste, because I'm sure that Metallica is, objectively, great and everything. So 3 will have to do.
Enter Sandman is one of the greatest walkout songs ever. Sounds like heavy metal driving in the right lane.
Another famous band I had never really listened to. Enjoyed this a lot on a rainy Monday drive to work
My expectations were low. Very low. But this album cleared the bar with ease. Good album.
In retrospect, Metallica is a good, but not quite great, album, one whose best moments deservedly captured the heavy metal crown, but whose approach also foreshadowed a creative decline.
Every song sounded like it could be in a cutscene from Smackdown vs Raw 2008, much better than I expected!
It's Metallica. Nothing hugely surprising.
Very enjoyable. First heavy metal album I've ever listened to. Hi-Tempo, excellent guitar solos! Head bangin' in the shower!
3/5 There are some iconic songs in this album, but ultimately I don't really like their style.
Decent album. Got to my limit before the end.
So so
Veel geluisterd, weet dat het goed is, maar vandaag was helaas geen metallica-dag.
Soy especialmente irracional y tontamente parcial cuando se trata de metal porque género favorito. Con Metallica también lo soy, pero en el sentido negativo: he despreciado (quizás sin una buena razón) a Metallica por famosos o porque es lo único que se piensa de inmediato cuando se menciona el metal, me salen ronchas de lo molesto que me resulta que tengan "metal-" en el nombre de la banda (es como si unos dudes de jazz se pusieran "jazzy", o una banda de rock se pusiera, "los rockeros"), también porque me cagan sus fans. Los integrantes de la banda como seres humanos individuales me dan igual básicamente porque no sé quiénes son. Habiendo desahogado mi hate, sí disfruté el álbum negro, aunque me siguen pareciendo algo corny algunas de las canciones más celebradas como The Unforgiven y Nothing Else Matters, y me dio hueva Don´t Thread on Me, pero también he de admitir que no me desagradó en general y a pesar del prejuicio, es más, "Enter Sandman" esta vez me pareció que tiene una ondita padre que no había apreciado, y bueno... tiene unos que otros momentos emocionantes y whatnot. Canción favorita: My Friend of Misery porque de hecho sí me gustan algunas canciones in crescendo larguísimas de estos dudes, y con algunas me refiero a solo un par de Death Magnetic, disco que por alguna razón, que no comprendo, tiene muchos haters de su propia fanbase. Mood: Cara de Pikachu sorprendido.
Nunca me ha emocionado Metallica. Quizá tampoco el metal, pocas veces. Y bueno, lo escuché y no sé, hay algo en mí que no me deja emocionarme (?). Fuera de eso, pues siento que muchas canciones se parecen unas con otras. Su clásico "Enter Sandman" me gusta. "Through the Never" y "Nothing Else Matters" serían las otras con las que congenié un poco. Ansori. 7/10
I discovered I really like hard rock
Solid album. A good listen, but not anything mind blowing Favorite tracks: “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” and “Nothing Else Matters”
You can tell this is the point at which Metallica really got mainstream. I suppose it’s “metal for the masses” in a sense which sounds really pretentious and douchey, but hey, at least I admit it.
There's a very, very good 30 minute album here, the only problem is that "Metallica" runs over an hour. "Enter Sandman" is a great track, but the rest of the album has trouble reaching those heights. The lowlights drag on for so long that by the time you get to the end, you've half-forgotten about the highlights.
I can’t really hate this album. It came out when I was a freshman in high school in a small town, so the band may as well have dedicated it to me personally. But the adult me cannot fathom how many steps backwards Hetfield took lyrically from this moment forward. “And of things that will bite!” is one of the most lazy, vague lines ever sung all in service of a rhyme that sucked to begin with. I still dig “Sad but True,” “The Unforgiven” and a few others, but yeah… I’m not a freshman in high school anymore. Also, has there ever been a band as big as Metallica that has made as many wild, dumb swings with how their albums are mixed? How does one even make a hi-hat sound like it does on this record? Is that even a hi-hat? And sure, you can hear a bass presence unlike “Justice,” but can you actually make out what Newsted is playing? Is he doing anything other than doubling the low note of Hetfield’s chords? It’s like they all went shopping and bought new ears. I prefer their old ears.
Haven't heard this in a while. This was the album that got me into Metallica soon after it came out.
Was looking forward to this, not as good as I remembered.
Yes it's a great album, and pivotal in my musical experience early on... but man is it way over-produced. There's no room in the sound, it's like they just punched the loudness up to 11 and walked out the door.
I prefer the instrumental parts
Surprised me.
Vill inte gilla, men det är ändå mäktigt. Unforgiven är ju grym.
Starts strong, Metallica fs it up halfway through
Too hard for me
Enjoyed it, definitely a classic, but not my cup of tea. The weird miss of slow, grand songs with acoustics really threw me off, especially with something like Nothing Else Matters. Of course, Enter Sandman is a classic, and the guitar riffs and solos throughout the album are spectacular, but it wasn't really what I was looking for. 4/8
It was ok. The vocals are not for me but the actual music was good. All sounded quite similar. Really enjoyed nothing else matters which was less shouty
Nice tempo and a certain energy that flows through the album. Interesting to hear the way Metallica steps from one part of a song or album to the next. It makes it very dynamic overall. I only saved two other songs "Enter Sandman" and "Through the Never" to my library (besides "Nothing Else Matters") but will try to listen to more Metallica soon.
Some fantastic songs and some boring heavy songs. Overall just to heavy for me
Not my style of music but I appreciate its place in history
Metal ok
Enjoyable nostalgia.
Not really my taste in music, however this guitar is amazing. I would probably listen to it again just to hear the guitar.
2.75/5. Gets old fast, and makes me think of the scene in 21 when Channing Tatum is having a happy trip and Jonah Hill is having a depressing trip. This album would be playing in the depressing trip. Some songs are decent, I just cannot listen to them back to back
I liked this album a lot better when it was called And Justice For All and was good.
j'ai failli mettre le 3 pour nothing else matters
Enter Sandman is bearable but after that it was an hour of noise that put me on edge whilst I was attempting a relaxing drive. No thanks.
Songs are simple and slow (lars probably can't play fast) but this causes the riffs to have a sinister vibe - cool, James does play faster (chug). Probably their best album considering Kirk is not playing shit yet. James' lyrics are a bit like they are written by a child that just watched monsters inc, yet it is catchy in an anthem like way. Also James cooks with the acoustic.
This album really blended into my morning commute. Chugging riffs, chugging train, chugging coffee. But for a heavy metal record, it left me feeling rather sleepy.
On the last Metallica record I heard about a year ago (AJFA...), I praised the band for adding depth to what I believed to be a shallow genre. Metal to me was always stubborn blast beats and hair-flailing guitar tricks that impressed me as much as Brad Pitt impressed Shania Twain. That album was cool because despite the lack of bass, the band still had some progressive ideas. That's not really the case with their self-titled. I'm sure I can call this Metallica's full-dive into the mainstream. After all, it's an album synonymous with the genre which means it sold a shit ton of copies. Plus people tend to like it and consider it the last great Metallica album before they arguably lost their footing. That should give me enough reason to believe in it! So I turn it on and it's Enter Sandman! I know this one and it's good! Kick-ass riff, off to the NeverNeverLand, YEAHHHHHH!!! All the goods. Then like 5 songs happen where it's all dramatic and shit. Through The Never's a bit notable, Nothing Else Matters is great and it goes out from there. So I leave this album having heard it twice and both times I thought "Man, that was mostly wasted time". And Justice is the longer album by 3 minutes, but again, the time they fill on that is meaningful and warranted. This is just basic bitch pedal to the metal that everyone got on the train for. At least that's how I hear it. It's in no means a bad album but, massively overrated to me. That doesn't mean its success is undeserved; the songs that kick ass do indeed kick ass. I just don't feel the need to fill 62 minutes of my day with the same 7-8 sounding songs. You know it's sad but true (5/10, 2/5 on this scale)
There’s some good drums here but honestly, this genre has always been an uphill climb for me and this album is no exception. Likes: Enter Sandman; The Unforgiven
I swear every song sounds exactly the same. I mean that one song is okay but does grate a bit after an hour of it
Tedious
I'm sure they're great musicians but this is sooo tedious.
Sorry, I can't do an hour of this
nothing memorable. rah rah rah rah!
2.5 There’s too much Metallica on this list. At least this one has some radio hits on it.
Didn't liked it that much. Too much metal
does what it says on the cover ...not a lot
I can understand why people like this album, personally I don’t think it’s for me. But who knows the more I listen…
Very overrated. Three decent tracks and the rest just sounds like repetitive noise
Plodcore. BORING.
Incredibly front loaded but listening to Metallica is worth it so you can get a glimpse at how much Metallica fans fucking hate Metallica. Even this one. Especially this one. But not as much as that one or that one or that other one, and especially not as much as that particular one.
Not terrible, just not my cup of tea. Overly long too, with most of the tracks indistinguishable from each other. The opener and Nothing Else Matters are decent enough though.
"Enter Sandman" is great but the rest just blends together and is often not even that heavy. This is metal?
Boring but would be happy to see live
Boring, samey, overwraught. Think the problem I have with metal is that it all takes itself so seriously. Music for greasy incels who think life is totally unfair.
Yes, thanks to Jethro Tull for not releasing an album when this came out. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be talking about it… Anyway, it’s not my style of music, but there were a couple of songs that I liked.
Smiths ahh
'Enter Sandman' as an album intro is up there with the best of any hard rock album. A towering contribution to rock (it apparently gets 1 million streams on Spotify per day!). The first three singles form the enjoyable core of the album. Lyrically it's often awkward. Hetfield took some inspiration from Lennon amongst others, and 'Unforgiven' seemed like a 'Working Class Hero' retread lyrically, but disregarding Lennon's caustic narrative for clanky prose. 'Dont Tread on Me' with its "fangs of rage" and instruction "to secure peace, prepare for war" feels like the original incel manual. So three massive tracks, and a bit of good filler, and the rest expendable. Which leaves it the wrong side of three. As for the album cover - how much more black could it be?
I only knew "Enter Sandman" before listening to this, and that remains the highlight of the album for me. I didn't realize how much growling there was gonna be. I was expecting to be more impressed with the rest of it, but alas. I laughed when I got to the part where they interpolate "America" from West Side Story into "Don't Tread on Me"
One subplot of this list for me has been reckoning with my lifelong distaste for hard rock and heavy metal. I got little exposure to it growing up and it never hit me viscerally when I did listen to it. So a question going through my mind was would Metallica be like reactionary politics, which I’ve only grown more disdainful of as I’ve gotten older, or maybe like rollercoasters, which I used to be terrified of but now ride all the time? Nah, this shit is music for orcs.
Not my thing
Not my cup of tea, but I can recognize what an amazing production it has and the deep feelings that can be heard through the album.
not interesting and many of the songs sound the same
Shut up, Beavis.
Sorry but cmon now I love some songs but minus 1 star for being over rated
The pace feels a lot slower than I remember classic metal being, and it leans quite a bit more into ballads than I would've expected.
I'm starting to suspect this generator isn't really random, because I tend to get albums from same artists few days apart. I don't think i like the sound here. I was expecting more after listening to And Justice for All. First two songs have good riffs, but the vocals are just not my favorite aspect of Metallica. And I think I enjoye more the heavier riffs, like song 3. Listen, I like James Hatfield as a character, I really do. But his vocals a consistently ruining the songs in this album. If a better singer was involved in a song like The Unforgiven, for example, it would all be a different story. I think 7 is my favorite here so far. Better dynamics than other songs here. Nothing Else Matters is a very good song. Like it or not, there's nothing you can do about it. Even the vocals work quit well on this one. Nice riff on 9. The three final songs are the best on the album. This is how I prefer my Metallica, more aggressive. I think I enjoyed this one less than and justice for all. It's more predictable and less raw. The riffs don't hit as hard. I think it's a classic 2.5
Usual heavy metal stuff. A riff with a drum beat and a guy trying to sing. Not for me.
Never got into Metallica. Ten years too young. Don't think it dates too well but there is a definite Metallica sound. The only one I know is Enter Sandman. Couldn't tell you much about them.
This album marked to the beginning of the end of Metallica for me. While there are plenty of decent enough songs to make this a three star album, the disappointment of their diminishing unique songwriting qualities cause me to drop it by one.
Undervældende Jeg må indrømme at jeg ikke har hørt albummet så meget som jeg gerne ville, for at give det en ordentlig chance. Til gengæld synes jeg på mine gennemlytninger, at det især var guitaren der bærer albummet. Var ikke særlig vild med vokalen og synes at mange af sangene havde den samme vibe (som ikke lige var min). Vil vende tilbage til albummet for at se om det kan overvinde mig.
funny enough I feel like "Nothing else matters" is the only song that really matters in this album.
Buen álbum mucho ruido bueno
nah not my style
Enter Sandman so automatic 2.5 but keep at 2. Jist not much of a metal fam
a few decent songs, boring otherwise
Metallica again. Oh the joy that fills my heart. I get to listen to another one of their crappy albums. This is their third album on the list. Hopefully, it will be the last. Metallica aka The Black Album is their fifth studio album. The band moved from thrash metal to heavy metal. That could be an improvement. It is their best selling album and reached number 1 in many countries. If I was forced to recommend a song it would be "Nothing Else Matters" or "The Unforgiven". Although, both were too long. I do not want to waste anymore time on this album. I did not like the vocals at all. I hated them. James Hetfield sounds like he swallowed a bag of penises and they are scratching his throat so he sounds hoarse. 3/10.
Is there a more plodding act on this list. It’s walking a marathon through waste deep mud while carrying a 50kg load. Tedious, laborious music. At least the songs are “snappier” than the last effort, more around 5 minutes. Less parts being joined together? Definitely aimed at a more mainstream sound. This is straight rock not thrash, if Sabbaths Iron Man was the only template you can use. It’s ok, a few songs would have been a much higher score, I returned to a few songs later and though yeah that’s ok can listen to that, but collectively as an album it’s so overlong, and not particularly varied and ends up being just such a lumbering, tedious slog. One or 2 songs easy 3.5 but at over an hour 2 Star.
Not really my cup of tea in terms of the discography of the band. Anyone who likes metal should give this a try though because the singles are great at least if you're like me and don't care for the rest. I just don't find the songwriting as unique as their earlier albums.
Not my typical genre but not bad
Enter Sandman, then a pile of the most boring shit you have ever heard in your life. Still not as bad as most Metallica albums though.
enter sandman isch krass simpel aber glaub scho ihren beste song. sehr sehr sehr guet. ch find sini vocals streng aber do passeds und de lars groovt (die vorzogne schläg zwingeden glaub zum uf trab sii). de UUH isch scho huuuere geil. aber sin gsang hui okay. er will so fest krass sii au. sad but true cools riff, de lars hasst sini hihat zue haa hä. de kirk isch en geile gitarrist würkli. the unforgiven findi zimli lame. er macht noch jeeedere zile es "-ah" ah wow wherever i may roam het e sitar??? mkay. dont tread on me macht lustigerwiis de swing time. boh scho bitz cringe wnl. nothing else matters isch bitz cringe eigentli glaub jo voll? bin echli hii und her grisse. chönt es 2 geh well ich alles chli meh find und zum teil cringe wie de hetfield singt. aber au es 3 well es sind zum teil gueti grooved gueti soli und no cooli riffs. aber ich glaub metallica brucht mis lob nöd. ZWEI
I listened to the first few songs and just don’t care for Metallica. My genuine reaction: “cool story bro”
A few classics but the rest was meh.
I am not a fan of post-Cliff Metallica, and this album is largely the reason. In the 35 years it's been out I've still never come around on it. Lacks everything I loved about Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets. A completely different band. There are bits and pieces that sound like Metallica, but not enough for me. Maybe I'll try again in another ten years (probably not)
Meh. Starts strong with Enter Sandman but it deflates quickly. I particularly like Nothing Else Matters and The Unforgiven but the rest is really one-note, monotonous redneck slop with shit drums. Wherever I May Roam is catchy tho.
Metallica had a hand in shutting down a prominent music file sharing site in the early 2000s....so its always gonna be "fuck metallica" Having a name so close to "metal" does this band a disservice. This is metal for people who think Greenday is punk. Enter Sandman does and will always slap though. 2 Stars
Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters rock, the rest is mid
I don't tend to like metal because it's too much, too aggressive, too unpleasant, but I actually found this to be straight up boring.
Jeg kan like Metallica men ikke denne.
Hard musikk for folk som ikke liker hard musikk.
Aiai.. Ikke min kopp te.
Hørt på flyet fra Granka. What? Elsker folk Metallica? Dette høres ut som forferdelig puddel-rock fra tidlig 80-tallet. Helt for jævlig produksjon. + for et par låter.
not totally my vibe
It does feel a bit formulaic. For a not-so heavy, melodic album they could have changed things up a little between each track. I think with this album, they condensed the sounds of 70s doom and 90s thrash rock to make an overproduced, watered-down album. It starded off strong, I quite liked Sad but True, but after that it's just boring tbh.
Enter Sandman, The Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters are decent tunes but the rest is just the chuga- chuga- boom- boom - growl formula that make Metallica generally tiresome for me. 1.9
There's some good moments but overall it just wasn't for me
they’re kicking me out of the Bay Area for giving this two stars
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
"Enter Sandman" is fun, but I spent the rest of the album waiting for another song I enjoyed half as much, and never found one.
Decent in places; Enter Sandman is a jam. Mostly just quite meandering and self-indulgent though in my opinion.
this album is a three but i fucking despise james hetfield so its a two and im being generous.
Tava gostando (enter sandman), ouvi a segunda, chegou na terceira eu já cansei e queria pular. Tem que ouvir no momento certo pra curtir mais (não foi o meu caso dessa vez). Wherever I may roam é melhorzinha doq as anteriores. Many unfortunately sound the exact same lol. Nothing else matters #banger af and would bring it up to a 3 but I genuinely skipped most songs so…
Oof. What a slog. It was Enter Sandman and then it seemed like three days of the same angry song.
I need my metal to have a lot more sludge to it. And sludge aside, Metallica had better albums before this. Ride the Lightning is better. I remember this album from high school, Enter Sandman was my favorite riff, and now it’s played at sports stadiums everywhere. Rightfully so. Metallica is like one notch better than disturbed. Generally speaking, I don’t love when artists take themselves real seriously. Metallica kind of falls in that category sometimes. There is barely a song on this album that I’d play on a jukebox. Nothing Else Matters is kinda cool. In high school I used to like the Unforgiven. I’ll probably never listen to this album again, other than enter sandman at the football game. 2/5
About what I expected. Nothing on here I would ever want to hear again, but not absolutely horrible. Just not my cup of tea.
An accidental experiment has been done on the state of Metallicas catalog today. I accidentally told Emma to play the album “And Justice For All” instead of this self titled album. Something interesting occurred. So here are my thoughts on And Justice For All: “It’s no Master of Puppets” - me, and probably most other people. While this album is no slouch, I just don’t think it holds a torch to its predecessor. There are some moments worth listening for here, like the really chunky, slower “Harvester or Sorrow” which slows down its powerchord formula to a pace that makes you feel the thump of the drums and guitars. Then the obvious highlight on here is “One” which is truly among the best metal songs you’ll ever hear, if not the singular best. Metal will never be my in my powerhouse, but I can still appreciate this album in the same way I appreciated MoP: incredibly clean production and composition that stands the test of time, an instantly recognizable sound, and solid storytelling/imagery. Sadly, a point down for this being too similar to MoP. Now here’s my review for THIS actual self-titled album, in direct comparison to MoP: It’s mostly the same. Self-titled has a bit more variety and well-roundedness, but I am left with the same feeling of power chord wall of sound fatigue by the end. “Enter Sandman” is this albums “One”, though I fear One is not only better, but placed at a more refreshing place in its respective albums tracklisting. Or Self-titled felt like a slow devolution after the peak of Enter Sandman. I wince a bit at the potential group of guys that took “Dont Tread On Me” as their personal anthem. “Nothing Else Matters” proves that Metallica’s only other note to hit is the solemn plucked guitar melody-turned-anthem. And again, with the knowledge of the song “One” out there existing in the universe as a superior song, it just feels a little too according-to-script. I am left with but one logical conclusion to this experiment: Metallica is best enjoyed as a vibe, as an attitude. Need a hyper-masculine soundtrack to push day at the gym? Need motivation to drink 6 beers in under an hour? Need to strikeout the side to close out an AL East rivalry game? This is it. I hope this is the last Metallica album, and variation on their delta listed sound can be left for the heads. MoP got a respectful 2/5, so will this album
I don’t like metal. There’s maybe two songs on here that I can listen to.
not for me
Nicht meins
2-2,5 Denk dat we er al uit zijn dat Metallica niet mijn ding is. Nothing else matters stond op deze plaat
okay i like enter sandman! i know that one!
The most uninteresting Metallica record. At least with Lulu, I can laugh at how absurdly misguided it is, and at minimum, St. Anger has a fun story as to why it’s so scuffed. This is just Metallica selling their souls, put to tape.
Some iconic songs and iconic sounds but songs like ‘tread on me’ are so cringe and proves how much Metallica sells out. I like my music to prioritise art of capital
Sometimes I think I might be unfairly harsh towards Metallica, and then I listen to their self-titled and nah I'm completely justified. Mid.
Metallica’s just one of those bands I can’t get into like most. Wasn’t a fan of this one or Master of Puppets, but maybe someday it’ll click.
By Far, Not their Best
Metallica, Metallica ⭐️⭐️ Album #8. I cringed a bit when I saw this come up this morning. I’ve known Metallica all my life. I wouldn’t say I’m a fan. I like and borderline love a few of their songs, but they’re a small doses band for me. I was anxious at the thought of listening to the whole album. Turns out I was right. I have a few major gripes with this band, chief amongst them being their sound. Not the music, not the composition or the lyrics, it’s the fucking sound. Horribly compressed, like it’s playing from within a resonant box, sucking in on itself, completely devoid of dynamics. I hate it. This, to me, is not heavy. It doesn’t feel loud. It feels artificial in a majorly bad way. Secondly, it’s the rhythm section. Much of this stuff has been meme’d to death, but it’s still worth pointing out. The bass is so undefined. It’s just a low end splat in the mix. And Lars. Before today, I actually felt the criticism he gets was unfair. But my God. I’m sure these drum parts were meticulously crafted, but they’re played so rigidly. I’m a drummer myself, admittedly not part of a billion dollar band like Metallica, I’ve never made ten quid in music, but these parts are played so boringly and lifelessly that I feel you’d get more soul from a drum machine. What earns this album a second star for me is Kirk Hammett. His playing is class. His solos elevate every song on the album, particularly The Unforgiven, which is by far the best track here. One of the only songs with a real dynamic range, and where James ditches the trademark snarl and actually sings a bit. I also like some of the faster songs, like Holier Than Thou. I know this album is a departure from their thrash metal roots, so maybe I’d like the earlier albums more. I may get slated for this, but I don’t get it. By the end, I felt pulverised. Maybe that’s the point. I’ll probably never listen to it again.
i feel like a fraud
Found myself frowning a lot. Kind of music that helps your dad process his divorce.
No!
Just not my jam.
Not my vibe Like nothing else matters
It was just pretty boring to me. I think Metallica is about a kind of dark, macabre vibe. But all the lyrics seemed like Hallmark card level aphorisms and cliches. Stuff about "carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders", or "sad but true". It was tough to take seriously.
Does absolutely nothing for me in any way but I kinda get it
never really given metallica a chance and i will continue not to. i think most of the popular late 80s/early 90s classic metal scene doesn't resonate with me because men hadn't discovered emotions other than anger yet, the riff driven stuff really doesn't do anything for me at all and without any sense of irony at all this is largely music for school shooters. hetfields vocals are fine but he's got one tone and doesn't do anything interesting with it the unforgiven is the first track i really sat up for, there's some guitar work here that gets interesting but can't save the album. wherever i may roam is so unnecessarily long. don't tread on me is BORING! c'mon how're you sporting the gasden flag and have literally nothing to say! nothing else matters is a well-written song (high point since the opener) but there's probably a hundred artists who have put more soul into this and at +6 mins is a slog in metallica's hands got to of wolf and man and checking how long's left, not been bored like this since U2's Achtung Baby. A one note album, does nothing for me at all. I'll say that Metallica are very, very good at what they do if that's what you want but it's really, really fucking boring to be honest - no dynamic, no highs, no lows, just a constant muddy sludge to trudge through 2 stars is being generous - 1.5 tops
some songs are alright i guess
Obvious influence on In Pain, but apart from Enter Sandman riff and Nothing Else Matters, a hard pass on the rest.
Okay, so it’s taken me three metallica albums to truly understand how to make listening fun. I will confess, there are maybe three decent songs on this album. Nothing else matters once again shows that Metallica have potential, but too often they default to paint by numbers, formulaic power cords for the bulk of their work. The unforgiven was kind of alright , and then we have Enter Sandman, which is obviously a popular and well regarded choice, though typically it showcases the dearth of lyrical talent that this brand bring the party. Cutting to the chase, it’s like some pubescent 13-year-old has penned the words to every song. So how to overcome that? Welcome to Kelvinos’ random lyric generator! You basically play the track, and instead of listening to the words, you make up your own which must involve references to darkness, night, the mind, pain, evil powers, tortured souls et cetera, et cetera. By the end of the track you will realise that your word salad is equal to if not better than the word salad that Metallica have just spouted. Try it, it’s a far better way to spend one hour and two minutes of your life.
Hahahahaha. I’m not gonna make it through this album. Sorry, gang. Weirdly, I like “The Unforgiven” and “Nothing Else Matters” more these days. Sad But True: all I can hear is Snoop Dogg singing this as he walked through the audience with terrible hair during MTV’s Icon. Woof!