DEATH MAGNETIC?

On September 13, Universal Music release Metallica's Death Magnetic. Having preordered it and working in a music store (i'm in Australia) I acquired mine this afternoon.

FUCK.

Okay when you talk about comebacks and shit like that, in the history of contemporary music we are yet to experience what it's like for a premier band of such a calibre like Metallica's, to rise to the occassion when they are faced with such a highly anticipated reception for their lastest work.

But the day has come. And the thing is, it wasn't all to do with their ability as a band to deliver a consistent album. They had the ability to do that already, they never lost that. However many contributing factors made it so that, St Anger became their most maligned album yet amongst fans and critics.

Death Magnetic accentuates the strengths of this group, a 10 track album with focus. Songcraft, classic riffs, consistency. From start to finish a menace to get out of your head, and that's only after listening to it twice. The coffin graphic on the artwork will be irresistable to even casual fans tommorow, and im working so they'll be comin in droves to purchase their copy.

I didn't think that they could recover from the schamoozle that was St. Anger. To mind insipid and unforgiving, was what is was. But nevertheless, you always have interest in what's next for them. They are definately intriguing to say the least. They mean business this time and there are a lot of reasons why you will enjoy this album a lot more than the last. Here's the breakdown..

Producers

St. Anger- Producer (Bob Rock)
(The Black Album) (1991) Load (1996), ReLoad (1997), Garage Inc. (1998) and S&M (1999)

Bob rock has plagued the bands career from the early nineties onwards, Metallica lost some of the credibility they had before Rock started producing them. There was more of an urgency with the albums and contained more edge, instead of pop sensiblity, which was what Rock was trying to inject into the sound at the time.

Fans claim that he should of gotten dumped a few years ago when a petition circulated suggesting this happen. Metallica listened. Evidence of Rock's influence on the productions is evident in the Some Kind of Monster documentary.

Rock was telling them what they wanted hear, which i think is bullshit considering they were in crisis at this point, making an album that was trying to be written as it was made. Hetfield sitting their with his pad, "what rhymes with that, aw that's a good line, I'll write that down. Kirk put a riff over this".

He was saying that it was great, he heard the singles that would be of the album, singing the praises of Hetfield and co. Claiming that Metallica were back. Nonsense talk, and someone should of gone in there and slapped Rock upside the head. You need to tell the band you're producing that there material is shit. That's all Metallica wanted, honesty. Rock was thinking about his paycheck, and so was shrink they hired to help them.

The inner turmoil in the band couldn't of helped the proceedings for St Anger. Nevertheless they were led astray by the all conquering Rock in his attempt to make another Metallica, Metal/Pop crossover blockbuster. It wasn't promising from the start.

So what could Rick Rubin bring to the table? Let's See

Death Magnetic- Producer (Rick Rubin)

1985: Radio – LL Cool J
1986: Licensed to Ill – Beastie Boys
1986: Raising Hell – Run-DMC
1986: Reign in Blood – Slayer
1987: Electric – The Cult
1987: Yo! Bum Rush the Show - Public Enemy
1988: Danzig – Danzig
1988: Tougher Than Leather – Run-DMC
1988: South of Heaven – Slayer
1988: Masters of Reality – Masters of Reality
1989: Dice – Andrew Dice Clay
1989: Live Fast, Die Fast – Wolfsbane
1990: Trouble – Trouble
1990: Danzig II: Lucifuge – Danzig
1990: Seasons in the Abyss – Slayer
1991: Nobody Said It Was Easy – The Four Horsemen
1991: Manic Frustration – Trouble
1991: Decade of Aggression – Slayer
1991: Blood Sugar Sex Magik – Red Hot Chili Peppers
1992: Danzig III: How the Gods Kill – Danzig
1992: King King – The Red Devils
1993: Thrall: Demonsweatlive – Danzig
1993: Wandering Spirit – Mick Jagger
1993: 21st Century Jesus – Messiah
1994: Danzig 4 – Danzig
1994: American Recordings – Johnny Cash
1994: Divine Intervention – Slayer
1994: Wildflowers – Tom Petty
1995: One Hot Minute – Red Hot Chili Peppers
1995: Ballbreaker – AC/DC
1995: God Lives Underwater [EP] – God Lives Underwater
1995: Empty – God Lives Underwater
1996: Songs and Music from "She's the One" – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
1996: Unchained – Johnny Cash
1996: Undisputed Attitude – Slayer
1996: Don't Call me Barry – Hermann and the Hermits
1996: Sutras – Donovan
1998: "Let Me Give the World to You" – The Smashing Pumpkins (an unreleased song)
1998: VH1 Storytellers – Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson
1998: Diabolus in Musica – Slayer
1998: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road – Lucinda Williams (mix only)
1998: System of a Down – System of a Down
1998: Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts – Kula Shaker ("Sound of Drums")
1998: Chef Aid: The South Park Album – South Park
1999: Northern Star – Melanie C ("Suddenly Monday" and "Ga Ga")
1999: Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers
1999: Echo – Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
1999: Loud Rocks – V/A ("Shame" by System of a Down and Wu-Tang Clan, "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nothing Ta Fuck Wit" Tom Morello, Chad Smith and Wu-Tang Clan)
1999: The Globe Sessions – Sheryl Crow ("Sweet Child O'Mine")
2000: American III: Solitary Man – Johnny Cash
2000: Paloalto – Paloalto
2000: Renegades – Rage Against the Machine
2001: Amethyst Rock Star – Saul Williams
2001: The War of Art – American Head Charge
2001: Breath of the Heart – Krishna Das
2001: The Final Studio Recordings – Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
2001: Toxicity – System of a Down
2002: American IV: The Man Comes Around – Johnny Cash
2002: By the Way – Red Hot Chili Peppers
2002: Audioslave – Audioslave
2002: Steal This Album! – System of a Down
2003: Results May Vary – Limp Bizkit (with Terry Date and Jordan Schur)
2003: Unearthed – Johnny Cash
2003: Door of Faith – Krishna Das
2003: De-Loused in the Comatorium – The Mars Volta (with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez)
2003: The Black Album – Jay-Z ("99 Problems")
2003: Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium – Rage Against the Machine
2003: Heroes and Villains – Paloalto
2004: Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) – Slipknot
2004: Armed Love – The (International) Noise Conspiracy
2004: Crunk Juice – Lil' Jon and the East Side Boyz ("Stop Fuckin' With Me")
2005: Make Believe – Weezer
2005: Fijación Oral Vol. 1 – Shakira
2005: Oral Fixation Vol. 2 – Shakira
2005: Out of Exile – Audioslave
2005: Mezmerize – System of a Down
2005: Hypnotize – System of a Down
2005: 12 Songs – Neil Diamond
2006: Stadium Arcadium – Red Hot Chili Peppers
2006: Taking the Long Way – Dixie Chicks
2006: American V: A Hundred Highways – Johnny Cash
2006: FutureSex/LoveSounds – Justin Timberlake ("(Another Song) All Over Again")
2006: The Saints are Coming – U2 and Green Day (single)
2006: Window in the Skies – U2 (single)
2007: Heroes and Thieves – Vanessa Carlton (with Irv Gotti, 7 Aurelius and Stephan Jenkins)
2007: Luna Halo – Luna Halo
2007: "Better Than I've Ever Been" – Kanye West, Nas, KRS-One (single)
2007: Minutes to Midnight – Linkin Park
2007: Free Life – Dan Wilson
2008: The Cross of My Calling – The (International) Noise Conspiracy
2008: Live from Liverpool - The Gossip
2008: Weezer – Weezer
2008: Home Before Dark – Neil Diamond
2008: Dancing for the Death of an Imaginary Enemy - Ours
2008: Seeing Things – Jakob Dylan
2008: Death Magnetic – Metallica

So he didn't play in a shitty band called Payola like Bob rock did, and his cv spans over half the length of this particular blog.

Rubin has brought the business of making Metallica great back. The production is superb and despite the lengthy tracks, there is no excess and you are back in 1986 territory here, no filler whatsoever... NO filler.

A focused album of 10 tracks, just the amount. It feels complete like you coudn't ask for more from this, when it's finnished, mark my word... you'll put it straight back on.

This is an awakening from beyond the grave. The cellar dwellars will come out to play tommorow, heads will be banging, fists will be pumping like you wouldn't believe...

The album of the year.. I'm not taking the piss either