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Re: Metallica - St. Anger Song - Radio Release Today
Brian, I'm your age and I largely agree with you.
My beef with Metallica isn't that they are trying new things or even incorporating stylistic influences from 'nu-metal'. The problem is that they have utterly abandoned the things that they did better than anybody else in trying to be current.
Metallica was never really about virtuousity--There are/were more talented guys in the speed metal scene at every position in other bands, as compared to the guys in Metallica. Think Dave Lombardo or Marty Friedman, just to name a couple. But the one thing Metallica had that no one else did was their groove. Metallica from Kill 'em All --> Justice was absolutely the tightest band on earth, and they were the only speed metal band I remember that created a rock solid groove. The result sounded something like a runaway Mack truck bearing down on you. The power was almost frightening at times. That power of the Metallica groove was largely what reawakened my interest in metal in the late '80s after the scene started to drift away towards mediocre bands full of guys in makeup.
I think of Metallica as sort of the speed metal version of AC/DC that way. Both bands could lock into a metal groove like no other--each in their own very different way, of course. Even Metallica's slower tempo stuff in their 'golden age' hit like a punch to the stomach.
But Metallica seems determined to abandon that. Where's that Mack truck groove between the rhythm guitar and drums on "St. Anger"? I don't hear any particular relation between the guitar and drums at all, certainly nothing approaching a 'groove.' Maybe it's there on other tracks, but from what I've read, I doubt it. Do James and Lars even jam together anymore? Even if their technical skills are rusty, you'd think their musical connection would remain strong after this many years. "St. Anger" doesn't sound like the work of a cohesive band at all.
Whatever they are trying to do now, it isn't very convincing to me. In my opinion, it sounds like the Hetfield song well ran dry about halfway through 'Load' and they are trying to disguise that through gimmicks, funny sounds and associations with the 'flavor of the month'.
Ok, I've built such a huge soapbox here that I'm gonna have to jump off of it! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
[ May 30, 2003, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: pro-fusion ]
Brian, I'm your age and I largely agree with you.
My beef with Metallica isn't that they are trying new things or even incorporating stylistic influences from 'nu-metal'. The problem is that they have utterly abandoned the things that they did better than anybody else in trying to be current.
Metallica was never really about virtuousity--There are/were more talented guys in the speed metal scene at every position in other bands, as compared to the guys in Metallica. Think Dave Lombardo or Marty Friedman, just to name a couple. But the one thing Metallica had that no one else did was their groove. Metallica from Kill 'em All --> Justice was absolutely the tightest band on earth, and they were the only speed metal band I remember that created a rock solid groove. The result sounded something like a runaway Mack truck bearing down on you. The power was almost frightening at times. That power of the Metallica groove was largely what reawakened my interest in metal in the late '80s after the scene started to drift away towards mediocre bands full of guys in makeup.
I think of Metallica as sort of the speed metal version of AC/DC that way. Both bands could lock into a metal groove like no other--each in their own very different way, of course. Even Metallica's slower tempo stuff in their 'golden age' hit like a punch to the stomach.
But Metallica seems determined to abandon that. Where's that Mack truck groove between the rhythm guitar and drums on "St. Anger"? I don't hear any particular relation between the guitar and drums at all, certainly nothing approaching a 'groove.' Maybe it's there on other tracks, but from what I've read, I doubt it. Do James and Lars even jam together anymore? Even if their technical skills are rusty, you'd think their musical connection would remain strong after this many years. "St. Anger" doesn't sound like the work of a cohesive band at all.
Whatever they are trying to do now, it isn't very convincing to me. In my opinion, it sounds like the Hetfield song well ran dry about halfway through 'Load' and they are trying to disguise that through gimmicks, funny sounds and associations with the 'flavor of the month'.
Ok, I've built such a huge soapbox here that I'm gonna have to jump off of it! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
[ May 30, 2003, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: pro-fusion ]
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