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Metallica's Black Album
Posted on 10/31/14 at 1:18 pm
Posted on 10/31/14 at 1:18 pm
Okay, I know that Metallica got a lot of flak for their "Metallica" release, or more commonly called the "Black Album", their self-titled album that came out in 1991. It was a big hit commercially, but I think that's one of the reasons why fans of the classic Metallica (Kill Em' All through Justice) were so disappointed with it. A lot of their fans felt that Metallica went commercial with this album, especially with the ballad "Nothing Else Matters". They felt it wasn't as heavy as previous releases and didn't have the complexity of their earlier albums.
Personally, I don't think it's that bad. I mean, it's no "Master of Puppets" but it still has some good tunes on it and Metallica is actually pretty good with the slower tunes, with "Nothing Else Matters" and "The Unforgiven" being solid tunes despite not being the heavy numbers Metallica is known for.
My personal favorite song from this album is "Holier than Thou", which is a song that is awesome on all fronts, very heavy musically and lyrically. So it's still a pretty solid rock album, despite not being what Metallica fans were used to at the time. It's not as far a departure from their classic sound as the "Load" and "Re-Load" albums, so I think Metallica fans would probably still prefer this album over those albums.
Personally, I don't think it's that bad. I mean, it's no "Master of Puppets" but it still has some good tunes on it and Metallica is actually pretty good with the slower tunes, with "Nothing Else Matters" and "The Unforgiven" being solid tunes despite not being the heavy numbers Metallica is known for.
My personal favorite song from this album is "Holier than Thou", which is a song that is awesome on all fronts, very heavy musically and lyrically. So it's still a pretty solid rock album, despite not being what Metallica fans were used to at the time. It's not as far a departure from their classic sound as the "Load" and "Re-Load" albums, so I think Metallica fans would probably still prefer this album over those albums.
8
Posted on 10/31/14 at 1:32 pm to SaintlyTiger88
For years I never understood the hate for this album. Most of that stems from the fact that it was the first Metallica record that I ever heard and "Enter Sandman" is the song that allowed me to check them out for the first time.
With that being said, this is one of the ultimate "sell-out records" when it comes to appealing to the mainstream audience. The only hard rock/metal record that is worse is KISS's disco album, Dynasty.
Metallica gave in to the almighty dollar despite drawing praise as being one of the most critically and commercially acclaimed 'underground' musical acts of their era.
With that being said, this is one of the ultimate "sell-out records" when it comes to appealing to the mainstream audience. The only hard rock/metal record that is worse is KISS's disco album, Dynasty.
Metallica gave in to the almighty dollar despite drawing praise as being one of the most critically and commercially acclaimed 'underground' musical acts of their era.
Posted on 10/31/14 at 1:46 pm to SaintlyTiger88
I don't like it nearly as much as Ride the Lightning or Master of Puppets, but it's still a good record. Wherever I May Roam, Sad But True, The Unforgiven, and The God That Failed are all really good tracks imo.
Kirk needs to lay off the damn wah pedal tho, geez.
Kirk needs to lay off the damn wah pedal tho, geez.
Posted on 10/31/14 at 1:50 pm to Dr._Jimes_Tooper
quote:
Kirk needs to lay off the damn wah pedal tho, geez.
This has become one of the most pervading memes in metal, which is a shame because he's a pretty damn good guitarist. Hell, he studied under Joe Satriani.
As a commercial metal album it's about as good as there has ever been (it has the album sales to prove it), but the problem is that it was made by one of the most innovative and influential metal bands of all-time.
Had nearly any other group made that record then it would probably never be trashed. However, it was made by THE Metallica.
Posted on 10/31/14 at 1:53 pm to Dr._Jimes_Tooper
Also, the arrangements started to become oversimplified when juxtaposed with the previous record, ...And Justice For All.
How you go from what is viewed by many metal fans as the definitive progressive thrash album to that record is beyond me.
How you go from what is viewed by many metal fans as the definitive progressive thrash album to that record is beyond me.
This post was edited on 10/31/14 at 3:10 pm
Posted on 10/31/14 at 2:14 pm to SaintlyTiger88
I was a pretty big Metallica fan when it came out, and I didn't really hate it, but didn't really love it either. However, that album has not stood up over time, at all. I listened to it a few months ago, and except for Nothing Else Matters, I got very bored with it.
Posted on 10/31/14 at 2:24 pm to Dr._Jimes_Tooper
quote:
it's still a good record. Wherever I May Roam, Sad But True, The Unforgiven, and The God That Failed are all really good tracks imo.
Yep. Wherever I May Roam is one of my favorite of their songs. It definitely isn't their best, but I've never understood the hate.
They went to a little more melody driven style for the album, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Having their style be able to ascend and descend helps emphasize how truly hard the heavy stuff is. Contrast is generally a good thing IMO.
This post was edited on 10/31/14 at 2:26 pm
Posted on 10/31/14 at 2:33 pm to saint amant steve
Everything said so far in this thread is true. It was a sellout. They knew exactly what they were doing and they executed it flawlessly. You can practically sing the guitar riffs and melodies in every single song. I do feel that this album, strictly speaking from a production standpoint, is a masterpiece. The rhythm tracks are so thick and ballsy and have so much depth. That intro riff in "Dont Tread on Me" (Duh Duh Duh, Duh Duh) just hits you right in the chest. I think that Justice is tied with Lightning as their two greatest albums, and it is peculiar how they went from such a groove driven math/thrash album to a more straight forward and "Nicer" 
approach that is packed in a nice and neat little box specifically designed for mass reception and mass production. I will not turn my back on Metallica for doing it because the amount of work, energy and true talent it took to produce the Black Album is something to behold. Metallica knew the market was ripe for the picking and they saturated it. I appreciate it because I feel it has turned alot of casual rock fans into metalheads as a sort of introduction, thus making it nearly the exact opposite of what most unnaccepting metal critics/fans would think...it promotes heavy metal by association. I would say more people have ventured further into the underground world of metal and discovered Slayer/Maiden/Testament/Etc after hearing the Black Album than have gone the opposite way and said "this isnt for me". I have always liked the Black Album and listen to it all the way through at least once a year.
approach that is packed in a nice and neat little box specifically designed for mass reception and mass production. I will not turn my back on Metallica for doing it because the amount of work, energy and true talent it took to produce the Black Album is something to behold. Metallica knew the market was ripe for the picking and they saturated it. I appreciate it because I feel it has turned alot of casual rock fans into metalheads as a sort of introduction, thus making it nearly the exact opposite of what most unnaccepting metal critics/fans would think...it promotes heavy metal by association. I would say more people have ventured further into the underground world of metal and discovered Slayer/Maiden/Testament/Etc after hearing the Black Album than have gone the opposite way and said "this isnt for me". I have always liked the Black Album and listen to it all the way through at least once a year.Posted on 10/31/14 at 2:36 pm to dnm3305
quote:
Metallica knew the market was ripe for the picking and they saturated it. I appreciate it because I feel it has turned alot of casual rock fans into metalheads as a sort of introduction
Agree with this
Posted on 10/31/14 at 2:44 pm to Dr._Jimes_Tooper
quote:
Kirk needs to lay off the damn wah pedal tho, geez
And I agree with this
. I dont mind wah, and even excessive wah, it's just that he doesnt know how to use a wah at all and it sounds horrible on that album. 
Posted on 10/31/14 at 3:00 pm to SaintlyTiger88
Best drum sound out of all the Metallica records.
Posted on 10/31/14 at 3:02 pm to NewIberiaHaircut
pfffft
Kill em all > every other metallica album
Kill em all > every other metallica album
Posted on 10/31/14 at 3:04 pm to SaintlyTiger88
Cause you know its Sad But True
Posted on 10/31/14 at 3:12 pm to NewIberiaHaircut
quote:
Best drum sound out of all the Metallica records.
Which is ironic because it was Lars' least inspired work by that point in his career. It's a shame how many albums have been overlooked due to lackluster production and engineering.
Posted on 10/31/14 at 3:24 pm to SaintlyTiger88
If any other non-thrash rock band had done "The Black Album", it would be their greatest album. But it was Metallica. They basically dumbed themselves down to the mainstream from what they had done on the previous 5 albums(I include Garage Days). It was a double edged sword. It made them the biggest band in the world & alienated their hardcore fans at the same time. I have always stuck by them but there will never be anything like the first 5 albums ever in metal. I will say this about the Black album in that it has one of the best drum sounds of any album & that is one of the things Bob Rock was known for.
Posted on 10/31/14 at 4:35 pm to Hetfield
They did clean up their sound and write tighter songs in an effort to appeal to a wider audience. That said, they weren't 18 anymore. Cliff was dead, and they had been the greatest thrash band on the planet for nearly a decade. I'm not entirely against them trying to get paid, especially with a batch of songs so good.
OK, Bob Rock might have been a bit much, but I do think the band was a bit improved by shortening their songs up just a tad and sharpening their songwriting skills. And it's not like Unforgiven is a far cry from Fade to Black. They became a bit more riff heavy, but what riffs! I think this was a bid for mainstream that still kept the fundamental sound of the band intact. It's not Master of Puppets, but nothing is.
And the mix on ...And Justice for All is still a crime against music (well, against Jason specifically, you can hardly hear the bass). I just think this is when they stopped being kids and started being professional adults. The urgency was gone, and it is a weaker effort, but it's hardly a bad album.
OK, Bob Rock might have been a bit much, but I do think the band was a bit improved by shortening their songs up just a tad and sharpening their songwriting skills. And it's not like Unforgiven is a far cry from Fade to Black. They became a bit more riff heavy, but what riffs! I think this was a bid for mainstream that still kept the fundamental sound of the band intact. It's not Master of Puppets, but nothing is.
And the mix on ...And Justice for All is still a crime against music (well, against Jason specifically, you can hardly hear the bass). I just think this is when they stopped being kids and started being professional adults. The urgency was gone, and it is a weaker effort, but it's hardly a bad album.
Posted on 10/31/14 at 8:06 pm to The Spleen
quote:
However, that album has not stood up over time, at all. I listened to it a few months ago, and except for Nothing Else Matters, I got very bored with it.
It's a great example of shite songwriting. It was a joke when it came out and has not gotten any better over time.
Posted on 10/31/14 at 10:21 pm to Baloo
quote:Who would have thought that rockers could grow up? The lyrics of the songs from this album were definitely written with a more mature perspective than their prior works, and the music fits the lyrics.
they weren't 18 anymore
quote:Keith Richards would agree with this statement.
They became a bit more riff heavy, but what riffs!
quote:The urgency of their music really died with Cliff. I don't think Jason fed the fire in James. Kirk or Lars the way Cliff did. Jason was technically proficient, but not inspiring.
The urgency was gone, and it is a weaker effort, but it's hardly a bad album.
Posted on 10/31/14 at 10:51 pm to Burt Reynolds
quote:
Kill em all > every other metallica album
Love the raw energy but I think the guitar tone on the next 2 albums are just a bit more thick.
Posted on 11/1/14 at 6:39 am to Poodlebrain
quote:
The urgency of their music really died with Cliff. I don't think Jason fed the fire in James. Kirk or Lars the way Cliff did. Jason was technically proficient, but not inspiring.
Didn't he die in 1986?
They've been "mailing it in" for 30 years?
Sell out is always excessive IMO. Overused term. People grow. People get better and want to show off. The fact that they changed is why we still talk about them. Did they sell out or were people just finally catching them? You could say they "sold out" with One because they finally made a video.
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