Metallica Album: “St. Anger [Edited]”

After having the evening to review my thoughts, I really just can't believe this album. I literally just don't even understand how this happened. I distinctly remember reading an interview or two regarding the release of this, and how it was supposed to be like 'Justice' and how they were going back to longer, heavier songs. I'll shamefully admit that a small part of me that was anticipating this album, hoping for an ointment to the infected wounds Metallica has left me with over the last few years.

I literally can't get past the first song, each time expecting it to sound better than it did the last time I heard it.

It sounds like this whole album was recorded in two hours in someone's basement. I wasn't the biggest fan of the black album, and I didn't even bother with Load, but at least the production was good.

I'm literally stunned at how noone at any point in the recording process spoke up to mention that the music on St. Anger sounds like a train wreck.

I'm disappointed that the lowest rating Amazon has is 1 Star, because the assumption with one star is that there is something of any value on this album at all, which there is not. There really should be a "zero star" rating, or even "negative star" ratings for albums like this, which rise above and beyond simply being poorly written, but are also poorly executed as well.

Metallica doesn't have to worry about this album being pirated at all. This album [stinks].

I am a heavy metal fan. I am a speed / thrash / 'death' metal fan. I loved Metallica from the beginning through the 'Black Album' and Garage... When I heard they were going back to their 'roots' I was excited to hear the new CD. I bought it months ago and have listened to it many times since. Let me say again, I am a heavy metal fan. Now to clarify, I've been listening to metal since the 70s (long time, 1000s of albums (CDs)). Metal means musicianship, songwriting, ground-breaking efforts, big bass guitar, lead, chords, crunch, distortion, harmonics, solos, drums, innovation, imitation, burn-outs, sell-outs, metals' history, blues, jazz, fusion, instrumentation, story-telling, setting / changing moods, communicating a message, Dave Mustaine, Rob Halford, Tony Iommi, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, Ritchie Blackmore, James Hetfield, Zakk Wylde (and tons of other artists...), aggression, spine-cracking thunder (a.k.a. Saxon), blistering lightning (a.k.a. Yngwie Malmsteen), and did I mention talent?

St. Anger has the following items from that list: James. I know it's nearly impossible to encompass each of the items above in a single effort. Metallica, however, has managed to include virtually none.

It seems clear to me that they are trying to move forward; trying to become a 'new' speed / 'death' metal act. Guess what? If you want to pull that off, you have to be able to play your instruments. You have to be able to write a song. You have to have power and precision. This CD has none of that. It sounds terrible. Is Lars playing on buckets and cans?

'tink' 'tink' 'tink?!' What is that?

This CD is the James and Lars show. Period. Some songs start strong, but as soon as James sings, everything but his voice and those annoying drums fade to background. I can't even make out a decent chord progression. And solos? ... I can hear it now...

James: Hey Kirk, none of those really cool new bands are playing solos, you know. Who needs `em? Nobody will miss them anyway...

Kirk: Great idea! Then the new kids will love us and we can sell CDs to them, too. Besides, it's only my job. Lead Guitar and all...

Lars: We can always count on our core audience. They love everything we do, no matter what. Even if it's crap. That alone will bring in a few million $. Everyone will think we're innovating again... this will be great!

Attention Metallica: Lars is one of the weakest drummers in metal. James is a good (and only good any more) rhythm guitar player. Kirk is mediocre on his best day (easily buried by hundreds of other axe players). The new bass player (Robert) is pretty solid, but that's it. If you want to assemble a complex, fast, innovative CD you need more than you've got. Bottom line.

This CD reveals the limits of Metallica. If you want a great heavy / thrash / speed / death metal CD, try Extol. Try Pantera. Check out Shadows Fall. Of course, there's Megadeth.

Metallica, I'm pleading... put us out your misery. Grow up. Learn to play... no, seriously. Stop trying to be cool and appeal to the new audience. Be Metallica! If you can't do that, stop making music. Millions of ears will thank you.

St Anger is the 'Jar Jar Binks' of metal albums.

No, this album isn't an avante-garde Autechre-inspired IDM fest, but it's probably the closest Metallica will ever come.

When my friend asked me today how St. Anger is, my first response was "F----in' weird...but really great." Then I thought about it, and it hit me--St. Anger is, with the exception of Radiohead's Kid A from a couple years ago, probably the strangest, most experimental and unexpected album to come from a multi-million selling act in the last decade (or more).

I had read many reviews and responses to the album before I heard it, and they all said basically the same thing: "Heavy, fast, complex, dirty, grimy, a return to the trashing Metallica of old." That's only partially true. It's heavy, it's complex, it's DEFINITELY dirty and grimy.

But what I never read from anyone's review was the pure WEIRDNESS of it all. You have the country-inflected vocal harmonies shoved in the middle of the goliath "Frantic", the half-dead lead guitar sound at the beginning of "Some Kind Of Monster," the almost Moog sounding octaving guitar on the chorus (?) of "Sweet Amber," the double-time drumming and half-time singing on the verses (?) of "All Within My Hands," the simply indescribable vocal stylings in the bridge (?) of "The Unnamed Feeling" -- the list goes on. This is Metallica at their most experimental.

Most shocking of everything on the disc, however, is the recording quality (or lack thereof). Who would've thought that the band who gave us the pristine sounds of Load and the Black Album could give us this album that could easily be described as "Lo fi"? It took me a song or two to get used to, but after sitting through the whole disc, it all made sense.

This album is catharsis for a band who, in the short time of writing and recording it, no longer gave a damn about what was expected from them. What it lacks in production and lyrics, it makes up for in its pure INTENSITY and those magical moments where you just can't believe they did what they did.

Many people are going to HATE St. Anger. Many people already do. It's one of those records where you just have to "get it." While the album has its flaws, I believe that it is planting the seeds for the next true Metallica (or rock) classic.

THIS ALBUM IS AT WORST:

THIS ALBUM IS AT BEST:

Personally I think it's somewhere between those two.

What do you expect from a Metal album?

Rap? country vocals? the same boring riff over and over and over... again? the most stupid lyrics as possible? an idiot banging on trash cans? no guitar solos?

If you like this kind of music buy st anger now, the perfect album for nu metal fans.

If you want a great Metal check out Exodus new album Tempo of the Damned.