Metallica - Metallica

The butt rock blueprint. The favorite metal album of the cop who pulled you over for going 60 in a 55. Arguably as responsible for the post-grunge malaise of the 00s as Nevermind and Ten. I got it from my dangerously republican uncle for Christmas. But we’re not rating this album’s influence or fanbase today. And Metallica are a different, but very dangerous beast on the Black Album.

The riffs are slower, the tones more crushing, and the lyrics more personal. Bob Rock, Lars Ulrich, and James Hetfield definitely worked really hard on the songwriting and production. Kirk Hammett is often given the short shrift in online discussions about the band, but he pulls some really cool stuff out of his shreddy bag of tricks, and the solo on “The Unforgiven” is probably his career best. Oh, and Jason Newstead is actually allowed to play on this one. It does frontload the CD with hits, but the second half of the disc does have “Nothing Else Matters” and “Through the Never” on it. This album doesn’t really thrash, but it certainly rocks.

Metallica by Metallica is a good album, and I like it.