By Phillip Smith
My curiosity of how would
Metallica sound with new bassist, Robert Trujillo and producer Rick Rubin had
been getting the best of me. Upon
listening though, I concluded this CD was definitely well worth the wait. Death Magnetic is unmistakably
Metallica in their truest form... heavy and more aggressive than ever.
The listener is first greeted
with the steady sound of a heartbeat, which seems to fade away as a heavier
percussive and electric assault marks its territory. James Hetfeld is at the top of his game as
his vocals for “That Was Just Your Life” join along. Second up to bat, 'The End of the Line' is
just a damn good song. I grow more and
more fond of it the more I hear it. The
guitar licks Kirk Hammett throws down on this song is quite impressive.
One of my favorites of the
collection and the first single, "The Day That Never Comes" is the
Jackson Pollock of the album. With all
sorts of layers and emotions spattered about.
It's tranquil. It's heavy. It
rocks. As does "All Nightmare
Long", which showcases Lars percussive ingenuity.
Staying true to the
Unforgiven formula, if there is one, 'The Unforgiven III' surely fits within
the mold. Suitable enough for a Sergio
Leone spaghetti western, if he were alive today to make a film. The song was enjoyable, and also provides a
few moments to catch ones breath.
Again, Kirk displays his
amazing talent on "The Judas Kiss".
Reminiscent of early Metallica, we also acknowledge Hetfelds’ voice
remains as powerful as ever. "My
Apocalypse", the second coming of "Battery" from their album
Master of Puppets, and also the final track is absolutely Metallica at their
finest. This will be the song I will
remember this album for. I really
couldn't even begin to guess how many boxes of Wheaties Lars had before recording
this track, but I would say probably a lot.
* Originally published on FoundryMusic.com, Oct. 2008
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