Are Metallica Boring?
I heard on the grapevine that Metallica are plotting a new album for sometime in 2008.
Big yawn. Didn’t Metallica play themselves out of musical relevance years ago? I haven’t bought a new Metallica album since Load, and I never properly warmed to that one. Then they took a little sabbatical to sue their fans for copyright infringement. That was clever. Even fans who hadn’t downloaded copies of their albums balked at the thought of being taken to the cleaners by Hetfield and Ulrich.
Do you remember when Metallica were edgy and non-commercial? I do. The metal magazines loved them. While the hair metallers were making lavish videos, Metallica never really released a proper music video. Then suddenly (around the Black Album era) they seemed to become a more marketing savvy beast. In came Bob Rock, shorter song lengths and more ambitious videos. Do you remember the video for The Unforgiven?
Then, of course, there was the big budget video for the Mission Impossible soundtrack featuring the members of the band pretending to be international spies. Yeah, Hetfield’s moustache wouldn’t draw attention, would it?
Back in the 80s, Metallica were one of the leading metal bands, with a catalogue of consistently excellent music – from early classics like Seek And Destroy to unforgettable anthems like For Whom The Bell Tolls and One. Somewhere along the line Metallica have sacrificed the musicianship and integrity they had in their early days. It didn’t happen overnight, but has been a long slow erosion of the band.
I remember eagerly waiting on the release of the Black Album and definitely not being disappointed with what I heard. These days, I wouldn’t be inclined to hold my breath for a new Metallica release. Sorry fellas.
Footnote: I took a fair bit of flack for the title Are Metallica Boring. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that – Metallica being a group of people. Nice to know I’ve got a bunch of concerned English teachers reading this blog… ;)
If you enjoyed this post, remember to check out our completely fictional history of Metallica post.
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what can I say, you are fuc*ing right my friend, I remember when they announce ’st. anger’ and they said that it would be like the old times, so the next day of the relase i was at home listening to that album, and the next weekend i was selling the blody album :S
I dropped Metallica after the Black album. When they started suing I decided they weren’t my time or my money.
remember how they werent making any money because they sucked, but they let their label convince them that it was illegal downloading on napster so they convinced them to spearhead a campaign against digital piracy that hasnt really stopped and has since evolved into he more threatening DRM movement? fuck metallica.
Metallica is a collective group- therefore your question should be…Is Metallica Boring? Answer: yes.
To be honest. I try listening to “Master of Puppets” and all I hear is a lot of pointless noodling now. Bloated intros that go on and on for no reason, and songs that are long simply for the sake of being long. After discovering underground metal, grind core, and black metal. Metallica just seems pointless. They’re just a band hopeless trying to jump on yesterday’s big thing.
you know it’s sad but true.
“Then suddenly (around the Black Album era) they seemed to become a more marketing savvy beast.”
Hmmm, you become the biggest band in the world with the top record too, marketing your top album , what a terrible idea. And what do you mean they WERE one of the leading metal bands? they STILL are. Listen to any of their shows from the past few days, they are playing great. They even whipped out And justice for all in the setlist. They are better than ever.
oh and “In came Bob Rock, shorter song lengths and more ambitious videos.”
If you watch A year and half hetfield comments on that himself, thats what METALLICA wanted to do, not bob rock.
I have to say that I’ve never really liked Metallica.
I’ve heard most of their back catalog, and I just don’t like it.
I’ve always preferred Slayer and Anthrax, and I don’t see that changing.
I personally see what Metallica have become as this being a good thing.
“Well, it’s nice to be the only one not let down by this.”
Does it really matter whose idea the abomination that is the black album was? Biggest musical disappointment of my life.
Since then Metallica has been the _biggest_ metal band in the world, but that is a far cry from being the _leading_ band.
The last Metallica album I own is the black album. Every album after that is crap IMHO. I’ve downloaded every album since then, listened to it in order to decide whether it’s worth purchasing, and coming to the conclusion that no, it’s not worth it. Then I delete the download.
I liked Metallica when I was a teenager. I still like everything up to and including the black album. Everything after that is crap.
I’ve always thought of myself as a bit of a rock chick…
One of the first CDs I got was ZZ Top’s Afterburner
But Metallica do sound a bit samey
I’ve just seen them on Live Earth and not terribly impressed
Full marks for supporting the cause tho’
In the 80’s Metallicas was good becausey Dave Mustaine was in the band, Strange the music started to blow right after Dave left the band. And its also strange that Metallica is so pissy about people downloading their music when Dave Mustain had to Sue Metallica because after he left the band every song they made happened to be a song DAve wrote, hmmm.
Wow Sancho, out of 13 comments you are the only one to say anything good about Metallica. That sounds about right. .07 peopel like Metallica. THEY ARE THE BEST!!
Wow Sancho, out of 13 comments you are the only one to say anything good about Metallica. That sounds about right. .7 people like Metallica. THEY ARE THE BEST!!
You guys are right Metallica seriously lost it after the Black album. I still like Metallica ,but their recent stuff is terrible. They sure aren’t getting better with age unlike Megadeth United Abominations is AWESOME!
Either you like them or you don’t, does it even matter anymore? This topic is so worn out. Did St. Anger suck? Unquestionably. Load/Reload? Depends on your taste in music I guess. As far as people saying that their earlier albums aren’t as good as they’re hyped to be or even as good as current bands…you’re right. However, when they were released they were the best of the genre and still stand as classics today.
As for Sev’s comment: The System Has Failed is way better than UA. Megadeth isn’t getting better with age. If anything they have done the same thing as Metallica, softer music, tons of ballads, all radio friendly. Not to mention that most of Dave Mustaine’s songs are paranoid anti-political rants that would be better suited to a blog. Conspiracy theory rock anyone?
Well, I could understand saying that Metallica is plural, but you’re referring to the band which is singular and not plural. You’d have to say the members of Metallica or something.
I’m sorry, It just bugged me.
And about the article? I totally agree.
Suing their fans didn’t mark a change in their attitudes toward their fans, but it did show the fans exactly what that attitude was.
i love metallica.The st anger cd was crap but everything else is brilliant. Im looking forward to when theyre new stuff will come out i have high hopes for it. I went to metallica wembley live earth and metllica wembley on the 8th. The 8th was a whole lot better they were amazing best day of my life so far without a doubt James Hetfeild was out of this world
i will always be a fan and i will hopefully go to wembley next year to see them to
metallica imo r not loosing their touch
how goeson?
how goes up?
metallica is god father for metal music may be had mistake but so is good
forever
i have been a metallica fan 4 15 years .. im 15 years old :D
they are not boring .. people didnt like load because there music got slow and almost girrlie
i hope there new album is like there old stuff!!
ive seen them 2wice in my 15 years and will defo go see them again
they are not boring and anyone who thinks they are are boring people :D:D:D:D:D
bye bye
steph x x x