Brutal, Uncompromising...and an amazing piece of art
(Rated this album with 10 out of 10) Reviewed by
Ryan
from Canyon Country, CA
Metallica has produced some of the best music of the last twenty years {"...And Justice", "Master of Puppets"} and some of the worst {last year's "St. Anger."} The one that has always stood out for me, and I believe is a masterpiece, is "...And Justice For All". This album is brutal and uncompromising, but it does have moments if pure inspired beauty. The opening to the entire album sets the stage for an amazing piece of work. Every song is fantastic, but the standouts are "Blackened", "One" "Dyer's Eve" and "To Live is to Die" an {almost} instrumental that is amazing, and there is one moment in the middle of the song that can almost bring you to tears. If you listen, really listen to this album, you'll get sucked in to the complexities and amazing musicianship of it all. This album is an experience. At first listen it may seen a little overwhelming, and maybe even bland, but after a few listens you will probably grasp it better and have a better appreciation for it. By far the best song on the album is "One", an amazing song both lyrically and musically, another example of music on this album that can stir the emotions {the acoustic beginning is stunning, and there is no other word for it.} If you are new to Metallica, this is a great place to start, but please keep in mind that there are significant differences in most of the albums. "Kill 'Em All" and "Ride the Lightning" are more raw than the later efforts, "Master of Puppets" and "Justice" are heavy and complex, "Metallica" is the start of their "new" sound that cotinued through the nineties, slower, but still heavy and pretty complex, "Load" and "Reload" are both mixed bags- they still sound like Metallica, but are very different from their other releases, and are average at best. Then there are the next two releases, not albums of new material, but still pretty good nonetheless, the cover song album "Garage Inc." {a mixed bag as well} and the live with a symphony "S&M". I would recommend you start with a studio album or two first before you delve into those. Ah...and then there's the newest, "St. Anger." Just my opinion here- but I believe that album is almost completly unredeemable, so be warned, if you want that one, try previewing it first to see if it's your thing.
