The Metallica Thread v. Reloaded

[TL]

I usually use BoxofficeMojo for these sorts of things, but in this case, it looks like they never got around to updating the page with foreign box office figures.

The ~$3,000,000 figure is just what it made in Canada and the US.

[NotePad]

I'm a big fan of St. Anger. I really like it. Don't get why so many people hate it. Maybe it's mostly big metalheads who dislike it, big fans of thrash and early Metallica. It's heavy and raw and full of anger, and anger fueled energy; but not the type of energy and speed metalheads want.

I think it's one of their best albums. And the lack of guitar solo's really works to it's advantage. The guitar work is great. Pure riffage. Any guitar solo's would have felt out of place. I hear so many songs by so many bands that have solo's that just don't fit or even ruin the song (DT I'm looking at you).

I'm curious, does Metallica play many St. Anger songs live?

[jammindude]

I'm a big fan of St. Anger. I really like it. Don't get why so many people hate it. Maybe it's mostly big metalheads who dislike it, big fans of thrash and early Metallica. It's heavy and raw and full of anger, and anger fueled energy; but not the type of energy and speed metalheads want.

I think it's one of their best albums. And the lack of guitar solo's really works to it's advantage. The guitar work is great. Pure riffage. Any guitar solo's would have felt out of place. I hear so many songs by so many bands that have solo's that just don't fit or even ruin the song (DT I'm looking at you).

I'm curious, does Metallica play many St. Anger songs live?

Get out of my head!  I've been saying this for 10 years!

Although, I will put in the caveat that it does *sound* terrible.   I had a drummer in my garage days that sounded EXACTLY like Lars drum on the SA album...so there is a bit of nostalgia talking.    But it is really tough to listen to for a straight hour. 

The songs themselves (IMO) are fantastic.  Far better than the three albums before it.

[Kotowboy]

The songs themselves (IMO) are fantastic.  Far better than the three albums before it.

Saint Anger better than Load and Metallica !

[Outcrier]

I'm a big fan of St. Anger. I really like it. Don't get why so many people hate it. Maybe it's mostly big metalheads who dislike it, big fans of thrash and early Metallica.

Sorry but you're wrong 

[Jaq]

Okay here's why I didn't like St. Anger.

Lousy production values, awful songs that were two minutes of ideas stretched out to eight minutes, clearly striving to keep up with the nu-metal kids, artificial aggression, godawful lyrics-did I mention that the most successful heavy metal band of all time deliberately made it sound worse than a two track demo from 1981?

St. Anger is the sound of a band having a mid-life crisis and putting it onto CD.

[Outcrier]

Basically, if an unknown band released St. Anger, no one would have cared about it?

[black_biff_stadler]

Exactly. It's F-150core. Just watch truck commercials that try to use metal.

[BlobVanDam]

I dislike St Anger because most of the music is terribly written and terribly performed. It really shouldn't be a mystery why most people hate it. It has nothing to do with being a metal fan or thrash fan etc.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Honestly, I get that some people like it. That's their business. But I don't know why people feel the need to find some ulterior motive for a record isn't well liked. Sometimes people just don't like it, it's as simple as that.

[pain of occupation]

Okay here's why I didn't like St. Anger.

Lousy production values, awful songs that were two minutes of ideas stretched out to eight minutes, clearly striving to keep up with the nu-metal kids, artificial aggression, godawful lyrics-did I mention that the most successful heavy metal band of all time deliberately made it sound worse than a two track demo from 1981?

St. Anger is the sound of a band having a mid-life crisis and putting it onto CD.

well put. i'll probs steal this word for word, memorize and recite style.

Basically, if an unknown band released St. Anger, no one would have cared about it?

i can't imagine so. except that i can imagine so, as garbage becomes popular all the time, as evident by most of that which is popular, was popular, and always has been popular.
but also, i can't imagine so. not now, not then, not ever.

The songs [on St. Anger] (IMO) are fantastic.  Far better than the three albums before it.

Dan Briggs rescinds your interview request 

[black_biff_stadler]

For anyone who is interested in actual good music that has that raw garage sound, good riffs, and intelligently-written music, check out Byzantine's debut, The Fundamental Component. Their more recent releases are a bit more polished but this has a real charm to it the way it sounds like a garage band with legit chops tried to make a decent-sounding album but were without the funds to do it thus making the finished product pleasantly listenable with a raw edge.

Highlights include: Hatfield, Stick Figure, Slipping on Noise, and The Filth of Our Underlings.

[NotePad]

I realize my opinion(s) is not a popular one around here.

I really like the drum sound. It worked really well considering the sound they went for. It DOES sound like a garage band, and im sure part of it was intentional. After all, Metallica started out as a garage band.

When i heard it being described as Metallica trying to fit in with the nu-metal bands, it made me think. But I really don't think they were trying to fit in with any trend. They're fucking Metallica. They do what they want. Maybe they are just fed up with these trends, in pop AND underground/metal. They didn't want to put in solo's if they didn't want to, maybe they're tired of shit like that. And of course people only complain. Then they do Death Magnetic, which is exactly what so many who have been shitting on them have been wanting to hear, and they shit on it. I'm glad they did Lulu, because they wanted to and obviously knew making it what most of you would think. But they did it anyways. I can't fucking wait to hear what they do on their next album. Apparently it's going more in the direction of Death Magnetic, and taking it farther into thrash. Can't wait to hear how people pick it apart ;p

They're evolving musically to this day, and if you watched the documentary you can see that St. Anger is a product of all their lives during that time. I want to defend St. Anger against all the people bagging on it, but this is all i can really say. Some people will respond saying 'yea, and its shit' or whatever. Opinions.

To me, St. Anger is not shit. Listening to it i can really see and feel and hear so much emotion that was put into and comes out of these songs. Mostly Hetfield's. The documentary honestly helped me appreciate the album even more.

[Kotowboy]

I enjoy St Anger but there's no way that it's a better album than "Metallica".

[BlobVanDam]

I enjoy St Anger but there's no way that it's a better album than "Metallica".

The Black Album is a masterpiece. St Anger is a terrible bloated mess with only a few decent tracks that can't redeem it. Not even a comparison. St Anger isn't even a match for Load, Reload or Death Magnetic.

[ZKX-2099]

Then they do Death Magnetic, which is exactly what so many who have been shitting on them have been wanting to hear, and they shit on it.

Yeah I have been saying that myself for a while now.

To me, St. Anger is not shit. Listening to it i can really see and feel and hear so much emotion that was put into and comes out of these songs. Mostly Hetfield's.

Well said.

[The King in Crimson]

I became a Metallica fan long after the Black Album, Load - Reload and St. Anger debacles so I pretty much approached each of those albums without any of the baggage of being a thrash metal fan. Actually, the first Metallica I recall hearing is when I got burned copies of Reload and The Black Album from a friend. I remember liking Reload a lot more at the time and thinking The Black Album was just straight up boring. 

Actually, listening to TBA and Reload put me off Metallica for a couple of years. Aside from a few songs, as albums they did nothing for me. I think I ended up hearing a few of their earlier, thrash stuff on the radio and that, coupled with the fact that I was big into Megadeth at the time, made me decide to check out their earlier stuff. I bought Ride The Lightning and THAT made me a fan. My opinion of TBA has improved a lot over time, but for some reason, I just don't love it as much as others do and I have no idea why. The songs are all great (mostly...) but they leave absolutely no mark on me. I listen to it and then I'm done. I don't think about it unless someone brings it up or I hear one of the songs somewhere. I don't think I've ever consciously thought to myself "Man, I WANT to listen to TBA!"  It's usually more of a "I should give it a listen again and see if my opinions have changed" and then I don't because it's TBA and I immediately forget about it.

As for St. Anger, all of my Metallica friends said it was shit so I went in with super-low expectations and.... it was shit. It's not completely irredeemable, but the entire album would need to be reworked in order to salvage some of the good parts. The songs all need to be chopped in half, Lars needs to get some fucking drums and throw out the pieces of sheet metal that he was wailing on and, while I understand the desire to have a more 'raw, garage' sound, not many other bands have abandoned plane hangers as garages. Whoever described St. Anger as nu-metal clearly has no idea what nu-metal is. St Anger is... St. Anger. It's very unique and I give Metallica props for that, but unique does not mean 'good.' I guess I can see why people might like St. Anger but I think the reasons for not liking it are very apparent and obvious even if some are as simple (and silly) as 'It's not Master of Puppets!'

[Kotowboy]

There are plenty of personal, emotional songs on the Loads. Making ugly music to go along with them doesn't make them *more* emotional.


I'd much rather have an album of " Outlaw Torn " and " Mama Said " than fake aggression like on " All Within My Hands " ...


The fact is - Metallica have not released an album of original material with great production married with great songs since Load in 1996.

Pushing 20 years.

[Outcrier]

The fact is - Metallica have not released an album of original material with great production married with great songs since Load in 1996.

Since Black Album for me.

[NotePad]

I'm surprised i don't hear more load (semen) jokes. In fact, i don't remember ever hearing any. Also surprising considering how the album cover was created (read wikipedia entry).

I really like the song St. Anger too. When it first came out i remember hearing someone compare it to Linkin Park...I can kinda see why, but also i don't. It was just the best song to release as the single. I like it more then Frantic.

St. Anger was very unique. Everything about it. Wish i could say it'll  be seen as a classic in years to come, but i don't think so. I'm always so disappointed to hear and read negative comments about it, especially by musicians i like. It's a very misunderstood album. But it's great to see that Metallica is still #1. They truly are the biggest metal band, dead or alive. I wonder who will be the first band to take their place.

[Big Hath]

I finished early with my Load jokes.

[Outcrier]

St. Anger was very unique. Everything about it. Wish i could say it'll  be seen as a classic in years to come, but i don't think so. I'm always so disappointed to hear and read negative comments about it, especially by musicians i like. It's a very misunderstood album.

I give up, you're too stubborn... if it was a album by f*ucking (insert a band like Swans, Boris, etc..) or whatever, but is St. Anger man, you talk about it like it was a complex piece of art 
You like the album, fine, but it's just like Shadow Ninja said early.

[Outcrier]

But it's great to see that Metallica is still #1. They truly are the biggest metal band, dead or alive. I wonder who will be the first band to take their place.

Well, music > popularity so, i couldn't care less.

[Jaq]

I'm surprised i don't hear more load (semen) jokes. In fact, i don't remember ever hearing any. Also surprising considering how the album cover was created (read wikipedia entry).

Metallica fans who hated it went with the more obvious low hanging fruit of "load of shit", actually. 

[Kotowboy]

But it's great to see that Metallica is still #1. They truly are the biggest metal band, dead or alive. I wonder who will be the first band to take their place.

Well, music > popularity so, i couldn't care less.

If Mastodon keep going the way they are then they'll have put out more great albums than Metallica soon.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I could think of probably a dozen bands that have put out more great albums than Metallica....

[Onno]

They're the best selling metal band, that's for sure. I used to be a die hard Metallica fan, but I haven't been that for a few years now. I still like most of their albums and songs and know most of it by heart, but there are a lot of bands that have made more and better metal albums. It's all opinion of course, but Metallica being the best selling and most well known metal band doesn't do anything for me. There are loads of bands that I think are better and I don't think measuring the quality of a band by looking at its fame, how big it is or how much it sells is a good way to do it.

[ZKX-2099]

I'd much rather have an album of " Outlaw Torn " and " Mama Said " than fake aggression like on " All Within My Hands " ...

How is the aggression "fake" and how are you able to tell it's fake?

[Kotowboy]

KILL KILL KILLL KILLLLL !!! KILLLL AAIIIIIIIII KILLL !!!!! KILL KILL !!!!!!!!!

DROP C TUNING ! ARE WE BR0000TAL Z YET !!! KILLLLLL

[BlobVanDam]

I'd much rather have an album of " Outlaw Torn " and " Mama Said " than fake aggression like on " All Within My Hands " ...

How is the aggression "fake" and how are you able to tell it's fake?

I seem to recall a lot of Some Kind of Monster blabbing about how happy and calm they all are, and Hetfield directly saying how you don't need to be angry to write angry music.

[Ruba]

I'm a big fan of St. Anger. I really like it. Don't get why so many people hate it. Maybe it's mostly big metalheads who dislike it, big fans of thrash and early Metallica. It's heavy and raw and full of anger, and anger fueled energy; but not the type of energy and speed metalheads want.

St.Anger is alright. The Unnamed Feeling is a top 10 Metallica song for me. Some songs just would have needed serious re-working.

I think it's one of their best albums. And the lack of guitar solo's really works to it's advantage. The guitar work is great. Pure riffage. Any guitar solo's would have felt out of place. I hear so many songs by so many bands that have solo's that just don't fit or even ruin the song (DT I'm looking at you).

When you take into account the solos on ReLoad, it surely is better to have no solos at all!

I'm curious, does Metallica play many St. Anger songs live?

Very rarely since Madly in Anger with the World tour.

I really like the song St. Anger too.

It has a great main riff and amazing calm verses, but I wish it was less thrashy.

[NotePad]

I'm saying i love how a band with such giant popularity, like i said the most popular metal band in the world, does something so different as St. Anger.

Today I started listening to Lulu online. And I'v watched the live performances of it songs. As i already stated, i love how they do these experimental things. They clearly knew what they were doing and how fans would react. It's awesome and i have a lot of respect for them because of that.

And I realize i have different taste in, well, everything. Honestly a lot of my tastes in music/film/art would be described by many as being artsy(-fartsy). So it's no surprise to myself my enjoyment and respect for the sound of St. Anger, and Lulu. I really dig Lulu's sound; heavy metal, cool riffs, spaced out and textured music. Lou Reeds poetry is so enigmatic and spoken with emotion, underneath his droning voice ;p Such interesting language, mixed into music that's without structure. I'm so not surprised by the ridicule it gets. This is more for the art crowd. The underground art scene. The New York art scene much have a few Lulu fans i'm sure.

I just like being the oddly opinionated one here with odd opinions i'm very opinionated about

[aprilethereal]

The problem is that although SA und Lulu are "different", they're not really "artsy". Being different doesn't automatically make an album (or in this case, two albums) good, when the music and lyrics are totally forgettable and uninspired.
And I'm not sure if St Anger really is unique. Yeah, it doesn't sound like any other Metallica album, but I feel they were just trying to follow the nu-metal trend, as others already mentioned, and failed.

[Onno]

I haven't heard any nu-metal that sounds like St. Anger.

[aprilethereal]

I haven't heard any nu-metal that sounds like St. Anger.

"and failed"