BIOGRAPHY
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Metallica was one of the most influential heavy metal band of the '80s. Instead of playing the usual rock star games of metal stars of the early '80s, the band looked and talked like they were from the street. Metallica expanded the limits of metal, using speed and volume not for their own sake, but to enhance their intricately structured compositions. The release of 1983's Kill 'Em All marked the beginning of the legitimization of heavy metal's underground, bringing new complexity and depth to thrash metal. With each album, the band's playing and writing improved; James Hetfield developed a signature rhythm playing that matched his growl, while lead guitarist Kirk Hammett became one of the most copied guitarists in metal. Lars Ulrich's thunderous, yet complex, drumming clicked in perfectly with Cliff Burton's innovative bass playing. After releasing their masterpiece Master of Puppets in 1986, tragedy struck the band when their tour bus crashed while traveling in Sweden, killing Burton. When the band decided to continue, Jason Newsted was chosen to replace Burton; two years later, the band released the conceptually ambitious ...And Justice for All, which hit the Top Ten without any radio play and very little support from MTV. But Metallica completely crossed over into the mainstream with 1991's Metallica, which found the band trading in their long compositions for more concise song structures; it resulted in a number one album that sold over seven million copies in the U.S. alone. The band launched a long, long tour which kept them on the road for nearly two years. By the '90s, Metallica had changed the rules for all heavy metal bands; they were the leaders of the genre, respected not only by headbangers, but by mainstream record buyers and critics. No other heavy metal band has ever been able to pull off such a trick. However, the group lost some members of their core audience with their long-awaited follow-up to Metallica, 1996's Load. For Load, the band decided to move toward alternative rock in terms of image — they cut their hair and had their picture taken by Anton Corbijn. Although the album was a hit upon its summer release — entering the charts at number one and selling three million copies within two months — certain members of their audience complained about the shift in image, as well as the group's decision to headline the sixth Lollapalooza. Re-Load, which combined new material with songs left off of the Load record, appeared in 1997; despite poor reviews, it sold at a typically brisk pace through the next year. Garage Inc., a double-disc collection of B-sides, rarities, and newly recorded covers, followed in 1998. In 1999, Metallica continued their flood of product with S&M, documenting a live concert with the San Francisco Symphony; it debuted at number two, reconfirming their immense popularity. The band spent most of 2000 embroiled in controversy by spearheading a legal assault on Napster, a file-sharing service that allowed users to download music files from each other's computers. Aggressively targeting copyright infringement of their own material, the band notoriously had over 300,000 users kicked off the service, creating a widespread debate over the availability of digital music that raged for most of the year. In January 2001, bassist Jason Newsted announced his amicable departure from the band. Shortly after the band appeared at the ESPN awards in April of the same year, Hetfield, Hammett, and Ulrich entered the recording studio to begin work on their next album, with producer Bob Rock lined up to handle bass duties for the sessions (with rumors of former Ozzy Osbourne/Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez being considered for the vacated position). In July, Metallica surprisingly dropped their lawsuit against Napster, perhaps sensing that their controversial stance did more bad than good to their "band of the people" image. In late summer 2001, the band's recording sessions (and all other band-related matters) were put on hold as Hetfield entered an undisclosed rehab facility for alcoholism and other addictions. He completed treatment and rejoined the band and they headed back into the studio in 2002 to record St. Anger, released in mid-2003. The recording of St. Anger was capped with the search for a permanent replacement for Newstead. After a long audition process, former Ozzy Osbourne/Suicidal Tendencies bass player Robert Trujillo was selected and joined Metallica for their 2003/2004 world tour. The growing pains the band experienced during the recording process of St. Anger were captured in the celebrated documentary Some Kind of Monster which saw theatrical release in 2004. CURRENT MEMBERS: James Hetfield - Guitar, Vocals (Spastik Children, Obsession) FORMER MEMBERS: Bass: | |
DISCOGRAPHY
No Life 'Til Leather (1982) (demo)
1.)Hit The Lights
2.)Mechanix
3.)Motorbreath
4.)Seek And Destroy
5.)Metal Militia
6.)Jump In The Fire
7.)Phantom Lord
Kill 'Em All (1983)
1.)Hit The Lights
2.)The Four Horsemen
3.)Motorbreath
4.)Jump In The Fire
5.) (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth
6.)Whiplash
7.)Phantom Lord
8.)No Remorse
9.)Seek And Destroy
10.)Metal Militia
My comments: Well, Ive never much been on the bandwagon for these guys in the first place, but without a doubt, this one comes out as my favorite. While they still had some attitude and no wankingly long songs that go fucking nowhere for 7 minutes. Just some great speedy over the top thrash. Big part of that goes to Mustaines influence on this, just some great riffs and speed to be had here, especially on the songs he co wrote (The Four Horsemen, Jump In The Fire, Phantom Lord, Metal Militia). Only exception to that is "The Four Horsemen" taking "Mechanix" slowing it down and adding some lame Hammett bridge in the middle just doesnt do it for me, I much prefer Megadeth's way. My only other gripe song wise is on Burton's bass solo, that guy could play the shit out of it, and I always liked the way it sounded, but right when he kicks it into real high gear, Lars starts in on the drums, Id much prefer to hear it sans drums. And in addition to the four songs I already mentioned, "Seek And Destroy" and "Whiplash" are another two must hears. All in all, well worth getting, Metallica just doesnt get any better than this!
Jump In The Fire (EP 1984)
1.)Jump In The Fire
2.)Seek And Destroy
3.)Phantom Lord
Notes: "Seek And Destroy", and "Phantom Lord" aren't actually live, they're just alternate takes with crowd noise dubbed in.
Creeping Death ( EP 1984)
1.)Creeping Death
2.)Am I Evil? (Diamond Head cover)
3.)Blitzkrieg (Blitzkrieg cover)
Note: CD version also contains the "Jump In The Fire" EP
My comments: Pretty cool little EP, you get one of the best songs they did alongside a couple of nicely done NWOBHM covers, nothing beats out the originals for me, but they do a pretty good job on them. The CD version adds on the whole "Jump In The Fire" EP onto it which rounds it out nicely. Only downside to that is the assholes at Music For Nations decided to put a huge banner through the cover art announcing that, which robs you of the best cover art they had.
Ride The Lightning (1984)
1.)Fight Fire With Fire
2.)Ride The Lightning
3.)For Whom The Bell Tolls
4.)Fade To Black
5.)Trapped Under Ice
6.)Escape
7.)Creeping Death
8.)The Call Of Ktulu
My comments: Well here we go, right before the shit totally hit the fan, or rather right before Metallica hit commercialism. While the whole thing isnt a total balls to the wall thrash fest like the debut, the previous speed and attitude does carry over enough to mix with the more slowed down melodic approach they were beginning to take which makes, what is probably their over all best album. Hell, still even a few Mustaine riffs to be had here. But, my favorite from this is without a doubt "Creeping Death" truly one of the best songs they ever did, which only comes second to "Phantom Lord" for me. That song, along with "Ride The Lightning", "The Call Of Ktulu", and "Trapped Under Ice" are some of the best songs they have in their arsenal. Once again, get it.
Master Of Puppets (1986)
1.)Battery
2.)Master Of Puppets
3.)The Thing That Should Not Be
4.) Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
5.)Disposable Heroes
6.)Leper Messiah
7.)Orion
8.)Damage Inc.
Garage Days Re-Visited (1987)
1.)Helpless
2.)The Small Hours
3.)The Wait
4.)Crash Course In Brain Surgery
5.)Last Caress/Green Hell
...And Justice For All (1988)
1.)Blackened
2.)...And Justice For All
3.)Eye Of The Beholder
4.)One
5.)The Shortest Straw
6.)Harvester Of Sorrow
7.)The Frayed Ends Of Sanity
8.)To Live Is To Die
9.)Dyers Eve
Metallica (1991)
1.)Enter Sandman
2.)Sad But True
3.)Holier Than Thou
4.)The Unforgiven
5.)Wherever I May Roam
6.)Don't Tread On Me
7.)Through The Never
8.)Nothing Else Matters
9.)Of Wolf And Man
10.)The God That Failed
11.)My Friend Of Misery
12.)The Struggle Within
13.)So What?
Note: Track 13 is only available on the Japenese version
Live Shit: Binge & Purge (Live 1993)
Disc 1:
1.)Enter Sandman
2.)Creeping Death
3.)Harvester Of Sorrow
4.)Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
5.)Sad But True
6.)Of Wolf And Man
7.)The Unforgiven
8.)Justice Melody
9.)Solos Bass/Guitar
Disc 2:
1.)Through The Never
2.)For Whom The Bell Tolls
3.)Fade To Black
4.)Master Of Puppets
5.)Seek & Destroy
6.)Whiplash
Disc 3:
1.)Nothing Else Matters
2.)Wherever I May Roam
3.)Am I Evil?
4.)Last Caress
5.)One
6.)Battery
7.)The Four Horsemen
8.)Motorbreath
9.)Stone Cold Crazy
Load (1996)
1.)Ain't My Bitch
2.)2X4
3.)The House That Jack Built
4.)Until It Sleeps
5.)King Nothing
6.)Hero Of The Day
7.)Bleeding Me
8.)Cure
9.)Poor Twisted Me
10.)Wasting My Hate
11.)Mama Said
12.)Thron Within
13.)Ronnie
14.)The Outlaw Torn
Reload (1997)
1.)Fuel
2.)The Memory Remains
3.)Devil's Dance
4.)Unforgiven 2
5.)Better Than You
6.)Slither
7.)Carpe Diem Baby
8.)Bad Seed
9.)Where The Wild Things Are
10.)Prince Charming
11.)Low Man's Lyric
12.)Attitude
13.)Fixxxer
Garage Inc. (1998)
Disc 1:
1.)Free Speech For The Dumb
2.)It's Electric
3.)Sabra Cadabra
4.)Turn The Oage
5.)Die, Die My Darling
6.)Lover Man
7.)Mercyful Fate
8.)Astronomy
9.)Whisky In The Jar
10.)Tuesday's Gone
11.)The More I See
Disc 2:
1.)Helpless
2.)The Small Hours
3.)The Wait
4.)Crash Course In Brain Surgery
5.)Last Caress/Green Hell
6.)Am I Evil?
7.)Blitzkrieg
8.)Breadfan
9.)The Prince
10.)Stone Cold Crazy
11.)So What?
12.)Killing Time
13.)Overkill
14.)Damage Case
15.)Stone Dead Forever
16.)Too Late Too Late
S&M (Live 1999)
Disc 1:
1.)The Ecstasy Of Gold
2.)The Call Of Ktulu
3.)Master Of Puppets
4.)Of Wolf And Man
5.)The Thing That Should Not Be
6.)Fuel
7.)The Memory Remains
8.)No Leaf Clover
9.)Hero Of The Day
10.)Devil's Dance
11.)Bleeding Me
Disc 2:
1.)Nothing Else Matters
2.)Until It Sleeps
3.)For Whom The Bell Tolls
4.)Human
5.)Wherever I May Roam
6.)Outlaw Torn
7.)Sad But True
8.)One
9.)Enter Sandman
10.)Battery
St. Anger (2003)
1.)Frantic
2.)St. Anger
3.)Some Kinda Monster
4.)Dirty Window
5.)Invisible Kid
6.)My World
7.)Shoot Me Again
8.)Sweet Amber
9.)Unnamed Feeling
10.)Purify
11.)All Within My Hands
The Unnamed Feeling (EP 2004)
1.)The Unnamed Feeling
2.)The Four Horsemen (Live)
3.)Damage, Inc. (Live)
4.)Leper Messiah (Live)
5.)Motorbreath (Live)
6.)Ride The Lightning (Live)
7.)Hit The Lights (Live)
8.)The Unnamed Feeling (Video)
9.)Dirty Window (Live)
10.)Master Of Puppets (Live)
11.)Battery (Live)
12.)Frantic (Unkle Re-Mix)
Note: All live tracks recorded in Paris on June 11th 2003. Tracks 9-11 are only on the Austrailian version, and track 12 is only on the European promo edition.
Some Kind Of Monster (EP 2004)
1.)Some Kind Of Monster
2.)The Four Horsemen (Live)
3.)Damage, Inc (Live)
4.)Leper Messiah (Live)
5.)Motorbreath (Live)
6.)Ride The Lightning (Live)
7.)Hit The Lights (Live)
8.)Some Kind Of Monster (Edit)
Notes: All live tracks recorded in Paris on June 11th 2003. Special limited CD's contained a Some Kind Of Monster t-shirt in either large or extra large.
Death Magnetic (2008)
1.)That Was Just Your Life
2.)The End Of The Line
3.)Broken, Beat & Scarred
4.)The Day That Never Comes
5.)All Nightmare Long
6.)Cyanide
7.)The Unforgiven III
8.)The Judas Kiss
9.)Suicide & Redemption
10.)My Apocalypse