Number 21: ...And Justice For All by Metallica
Release: August 25th, 1988
Genre: Thrash Metal
Favorite Tracks: Blackened, The Frayed Ends of Sanity, One
Where I heard it:
Metallica has managed to impressively defy the odds with their aggressive metal image to become a household name in the industry. Esteemed members of metal's big four alongside Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax, Metallica were the clear frontrunners among their peers, amassing a staggering fanbase that still sells out arenas across the world to this day. My first Metallica concert was during their Death Magnetic tour on November 4th, 2008 - the same night Obama was elected to his first term. I was with my mom, who was a fan of Metallica during their time as Bay Area locals in the mid 80's. We took a shot of Jägermeister in the back of her boyfriend's van. I was twelve years old. That was a night full of headbanging and rocking that I won't soon forget. My only prior background with Metallica was my relationship with One, which was the final song in the setlist of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Lo and behold, my two obsessions would soon merge only a few months later with the spin-off release Guitar Hero: Metallica. I was gifted the game at my thirteenth birthday party, which took place with a bunch of my friends in the auditorium of the school my mom worked at. We had a projector hooked up to my Wii, and as soon as I unwrapped my new game, I immediately slapped it in the console to jam out to tracks like The Shortest Straw and Dyers Eve with all my closest friends. Now that is a memory that I'll cherish as long as I live. Metallica became a defining part of my identity toward the end of middle school. I downloaded a majority of Metallica's catalog to my iPod that I definitely didn't pirate, Lars. I bought Master of Puppets merchandise from the Hot Topic at the mall. I made the ringtone on my dinky cell phone the bridge reprise of ...And Justice for All (starting at 5:54 to be specific). How much more devoted can you get than that? Anyways, any fan of Metallica understands the struggle of picking their favorite album from the legendary run of albums they released from 1983 to 1988. Funnily enough, I think I've regarded each of the four albums as my favorite of the bunch at one point or another. However, I think I've solidified my answer over the last few years: ...And Justice For All takes the cake by a narrow margin. Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, and Master of Puppets all easily would have made the top 100 if not for my restriction of one entry per artist. While this album is arguably Metallica's heaviest, there's so much more nuance to this one than just its volume that keeps me coming back for more. ...And Justice For All is the culmination of the band's experience up to their fourth outing on full display.
All that I see, absolute horror
I cannot live, I cannot die
Trapped in myself
Body my holding cell
Landmine has taken my sight
Taken my speech, taken my hearing
Taken my arms, taken my legs
Taken my soul
Left me with life in hell
~ One
What to expect:
After the breakout success of Master of Puppets in 1986, Metallica were on top of the world. The group carefully plotted their next move as they trifled through a rigorous tour schedule that spanned the globe, demanding spectacular performances by the band on a nearly nightly basis. It was during this tour that Metallica would experience their greatest loss to date due to a tour bus accident in Stockholm, Sweden. Legendary bassist Cliff Burton tragically passed away at only 24 years old, leaving a gaping hole within the quartet and bringing the future of Metallica into question. Nevertheless, Metallica persevered with a vengeance and retorted with perhaps their greatest endeavor as tribute to the fallen: ...And Justice For All. In the absence of Cliff, Jason Newstead of the band Flotsam and Jetsam was recruited to carry the torch on bass. Cliff Burton is obviously an irreplaceable act to follow, but Newstead did everything he could given the circumstances. Controversially, the rest of Metallica was reported to have been unhappy with Newstead's performance, intentionally sabotaging his audio track to be nearly inaudible within the mix. ...And Justice For All in turn received plenty of criticism for this decision, but modern remixes of the album have mostly rectified this problem. It's a good thing they did, too - every piece of the band is integral towards the composition of the album. While Newstead may not be the most notable presence, it's tough to compare when you're in the same band as three of the most famous musicians in their respective categories. James Hetfield's gruff and gritty vocal style is instantly recognizable, and his rhythm guitar support is the perfect complement to the furious fretwork of Kirk Hammett. It's not unheard of for Kirk's name to be thrown into the discussion of greatest guitar players of all-time. His symphonic solos weave intricate tales that let the music do all the talking, shredding his fingers with an absolute blitzkrieg of notes that still exhibit remarkable levels of control. Finally, Metallica would be woefully incomplete without the eclectic and exhausting drum work of the mighty Lars Ulrich. Characterized by his manic double-bass blast beats and use of drum mallets over sticks, Lars has the wild personality to match his chaotic and unorthodox method of drumming. Realistically, this description of Metallica is applicable to nearly every album they've ever released. If you listen to a Metallica record, it's pretty certain what you're going to get. What sets ...And Justice For All apart from other entries in their catalog is the sheer sense of urgency every track seems to have in its frantic tempos. Furthermore, the songwriting featured in this album contains an aura of subtle social consciousness, alluding to issues such as pollution in Blackened, war in One, and mental illness in The Frayed Ends of Sanity. Ultimately, you have to listen to it for yourself in order to truly understand what the fuss is all about. Metallica is required listening for anyone looking to break into the genre of metal. They may not have done it first, but they've possibly done it best.
These are the pale deaths which men miscall their lives
All this I cannot bear to witness any longer
Cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home?
~ To Live Is to Die
Why it's my favorite:
Heavy metal has been one of my favorite genres since as far back as middle school. Although I've never considered myself a violent or aggressive individual, metal music provides me an emotional release for the stress in my life. The noisy, energetic nature of the music paired with its epic climaxes pump me up enough to run through a brick wall. There's no shortage of excitement and dramatics, as the lengthy runtimes allow plenty of time for the momentum of the music to develop as necessary. ...And Justice for All lays its foundation upon these precious moments, compiling an astounding resume of toe-tapping guitar riffs that have stood the test of time. It's difficult to crown any one moment in the album as the clear showstopper, simply because there are so many viable selections to choose from. There's the drum fill that leads into the bridge and solo of The Frayed Ends of Sanity. There's the fade-in to the steady marching riff that opens up Eye of the Beholder. The entire middle section of Blackened which dials back the tempo to unveil a sludgy, doomy riff might be one of my favorite moments in any Metallica song. That's saying a lot, given how much consideration I gave towards which album of theirs to feature for today's entry. Metallica undoubtedly would have ended up in my top 100, but there's a wealth of incredible material to choose from. My decision on ...And Justice For All boiled down to its all gas, no brakes approach to songwriting. This album features what I believe to be the band's most complex composition from a theory standpoint, and they're playing faster then they ever had before this point. Even calmer moments in tracks like To Live Is to Die and One refuse to relent their vicious delivery. The consistency in their traditional sound paired with these few tweaks shows the growth of Metallica as musicians, further establishing their status as titans of metal. ...And Justice for All is as refined of metal as you can find, showing polish and luster that still retains its beauty after decades of wear.
No comments:
Post a Comment