So our journey through the discography of Metallica is now over, and unlike my previous look backs, I will just settle with a simple ranking of the album, mostly so I can stop myself from rambling too much. But before we go into the ranking, what did I learn from Metallica's roller coaster of a career. Well, they have maximized every opportunity they have gotten to become even bigger, gaining a fan base that goes well beyond the realms of regular metal heads, even if some quality had to be sacrificed along the way to fulfill those prophecies. I also learned that this is one tough band, having dealt with death, betrayal, and a lot of other shit over the years, but some how have gotten out of the tunnel stronger than ever. Yes, Metallica is a metal band that could be seen as larger than life, one that everyone knows of and has an opinion about, no one is left untouched. A true telling that their music is important, whether you like it or not.
Anyway, enough rambling, let us rank the albums, from worst to first, and just like the review series, I only count original full length albums by the band, so you will not see "Garage Inc." (because it is a cover album), "S & M" (because it is a live album), or "Lulu" (because it is more of a Lou Reed record, but we all know where that would have landed if I included it).
10. St. Anger
Out of all the ten records Metallica has done over the years, there is no album that is sparked as much discussion as "St. Anger". This angry record was the bi-product of the band's inner struggles, creating a complete mess that no one could enjoy, not the thrash lovers of the 80's, nor the fans that got into the band during the more mainstream 90's. For many, it is even in the running for the worst metal album ever created, and while I personally do not think "St. Anger" is wretched enough to be in that particular discussion, I honestly can see why others would. It is a chapter of Metallica we all would like to forget.
9. Load
8. Reload
Separating the "Load" and "Reload" records apart is a tough task since they are basically twin brothers, being written at the same time and released one year apart from each other. Both are overly long and boring, filled with a lot of failed experimentations that (fortunately) did not make a lasting impact in the future sound of the band. I like "Reload" slightly better since it has a couple more interesting ideas, it has the two best songs in "Fuel" and "The Unforgiven II", and it is a little shorter. Still, the improvement is minimal, so it cannot crawl out of the bottom tier of this ranking.
7. Hardwired... To Self-Destruct
It has been almost two years now since this record was released, and it seems like it is the first Metallica record since "The Black Album" that has at least gotten a stamp of approval from the metal community. "Hardwired..." certainly turns out some strong material and show that the fire in the band burns stronger than ever. The reason it is this low though is because it is the most inconsistent Metallica record to date, with some magnificent highs like "Moth Into Flame", "Spit Out The Bone", and "Halo On Fire", but it also has some unbelievable lows like "ManUNkind" that just kills the flow of the record. I really do not like that it is split into two discs as well, but that is more of a minor issue. Great that you guys seem to like this one, and to some extent, I do too, as long as I can skip some of the tracks.
6. ...And Justice For All
Now this album is a classic, an album that has spawned several amazing songs like "One", "Dyers Eve", and "The Frayed Ends of Sanity", so naturally it should be higher up on these rankings if it was not for one crucial flaw. Yes, I sound like a broken record when I say that the production on "...And Justice For All" is garbage, but it is the most glaring problem with this record, one that cannot be ignored all that easily. It is the only thing holding this album back from reaching those crazy levels that both "Lightning" and "Puppets" reached, and it is still a discussion about who is to blame for this mistake. It is still a strong record, and it is only down here because it faces some stiff competition, a testament on how good Metallica actually has been.
5. S/T (aka The Black Album)
Since it is the most popular metal album to date, "The Black Album" automatically becomes overrated simply because there are more people speaking up against it. While I am kind of with these naysayers that this album does not deserve the immense success that it has gotten, it is still a record with a lot of quality in it. Yes, songs like "Nothing Else Matters" and "Sad But True" are just boring, but we have several songs like "Enter Sandman", "Wherever I May Roam", and "Of Wolf And Man" that still hold up very well today, showing a new side of the band that we have not seen before. We cannot ignore the importance of this record, and even if it is not as good as the sales numbers suggest, it is still a pretty darn good effort from the band.
4. Kill 'em All
Ahh, the dirty little debut record that put the band on the map. "Kill 'em All" has a very primal feeling to it that really makes it stand out amongst its more polished brethren, speaking a good tone to that inner caveman. The simplicity in riffs and song structures merges really well with the aggressive tone the band had during their early days, setting up for great success in the future. Gotta give some credit to Dave Mustaine though here, because "Kill 'em All" is basically a Megadeth record, this just would not have been the same without MegaDave.
3. Death Magnetic
So this is probably my most controversial placement in this edition of "From Worst To First", but I have to be brutally honest here, I freaking love this record. "Death Magnetic" is a fun as hell ride from first to last minute, showing off some fantastic riffs and solos along the way, stuffing your ears full with it like a turkey gets stuffed with stuffing on Thanksgiving. It is an album that I know as well as the back of my hand, I know every riff, word, and tempo change in here, and I would not want the band to change any of it... well, with the exception of that 10 minute instrumental "Suicide & Redemption", fuck that song.
2. Master of Puppets
A lot of hearts will be broken here when I have to decide which of the two clearly best Metallica albums gets to be the first loser, and I am sorry "Master of Puppets", but you are the runner up. It is still a brilliant album through and through, kicking a ton of ass with a lot of challenging songs, both length wise and through complexity in riffs and structure. I do not think there is any metal head who can dismiss the title track and its massive nature, the highly addictive main riffs, the tempo shifts midway through the song, the seemingly endless solo, and those classic words that is burned into most of our brains.
"Master, Master, Master of Puppets pulling your strings". Oh how they pull mine.
1. Ride The Lightning
"Ride The Lightning" is the perfect bridge between the simplistic "Kill 'em All" and the progressive "Master of Puppets", combining the two styles into one magnificent record. It has the aggression in songs like "Fight Fire With Fire" and "Trapped Under Ice", but it also has the smart delicate delivery in the title track and "Fade To Black". And to top it all off, the band pulls out some extremely creepy emotions in the instrumental "The Call of Ktulu", like it is a ritual taken straight from the "Nekronomikon" to start the apocalypse. Man, this album has it all, it has every little bit in what makes Metallica such a great band, and for them to gather it all into a single record is nothing but an incredible achievement. A magnificent masterpiece of near perfection.
And as a bonus, here are also my 10 favourite Metallica tracks, in alphabetical order
All Nightmare Long
That second solo alone gives it a spot here.
The Call of Ktulu
One of the best instrumentals out there.
Fade To Black
The emotions are taking over completely.
Fight Fire With Fire
Speed! Shredding! More speed!
Master of Puppets
It is the master for a reason.
No Leaf Clover
A very underrated song made exclusively for the "S & M" record.
One
No other song has turned up the intensity so god damn well.
Ride The Lightning
A early rendition of "Master of Puppets" is still a fantastic rendition.
Wherever I May Roam
Wherever it may roam, I shall follow.
Whiplash
It makes me act like a maniac.
So now that that is settled, let us attack another band. I think I am a little hungry for some German power metal.
Until next time, do not forget to stay metal.
Robert "Sharkruisher" Andersson
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