Metallica's Reviews

Frantic

(Average Rating: 7.00 out of 10)

One For The Die-Hard Fan's Only.

(Rated this album with 4 out of 10)
Reviewed by D. Kilford from NZ

Metallica have been sounding a little old and tired live lately. To me, they sound like they're just going through the motions, but in all honesty can you blame them? After selling a kagillion records and making ten bazillion dollars what else is left for them to do but churn out more tosh for the legions of diehard fans to shell out their hard-earned dollar on.

Blackened contains none of the fire and righteous anger from its halcyon days. Lars' drums that once pounded through the very gates of hell themselves now sound like an old organ grinder's monkey slamming on a cake tin. The vocals from the new boy Rob are weak and unispired and James himself forgets the lyrics in places. The mixing is poor and the production overall sounds like a mediocre fan recording. Fact is - I've heard better sounding bootlegs than this.

Harvester of sorrow? Come on guys, I mean how many more times are you gonna commit this to tape? Surely you could have given us something a little more interesting to listen to. How about a live version of Crash Course In Brain Surgery or Ride The Lightning or even (in keeping with the "...And Justice For All" theme) a ripping version of Shortest Straw?

The only redeeming factor to this CD is the enhanced video of the title track. The video is pretty good, your typical alcohol and sex fuelled drug binge ending with the obligatory car crash.
If not for this redeeming factor I would have been forced to give this CD the lowly rating of 1.

Buy this album on Amazon at $12.99