So yes, between 2008 and 2016, Metallica were indeed quite busy.
The wait is finally over friends! I'm happy to report that Metallica have returned with an album not only worthy of the gap between the last record, but also worthy of the Metallica name. If Death Magnetic was merely Metallica flirting with their thrash metal past (to some, with a degree of rambunctious energy that saw every single riff crammed into each song, resulting in some needlessly long songs), Hardwired...To Self-Destruct is the sound of a band firing on all cylinders like a focused machine bent on squeezing the life from its listener!
Production-wise, Greg Fidelman (who engineered Death Magnetic and has worked with the band ever since) brings a warm, thick feeling to all parts of the record. If Death Magnetic had a production akin to set of dried out animal bones left baking in the sun for a few years, the production on Hardwired... appears to be a little more colorful and vibrant with its instruments front, center, and primed for a face-smashing. Guitars are crunchy and thick -- Hetfield even claimed that this is the best guitar tone he's ever had! Solos are tasty and inspiring. Robert Trujillo's bass is thumpy, moving and, at times, ominous. Lars Ulrich's drums are loud and thunderous -- not simply brick-walled. And vocals are full, in your face at times, and soulful. This is how Metallica sounds on record in 2016 -- and it is amazing! Hetfield is truly the star of the show here as he shines in vocal acrobatics not yet heard on a Metallica record. This is absolutely the record that maybe should have followed 1991's The Black Album.
We Metallica fans are a rabid, die-hard bunch; each new release from our heroes is a goddamn cultural event! We eagerly count down the months and days while feverishly pre-ordering all manner of formats for a new record! It's safe to say that our world nearly exploded when, on August 18th [my birthday no less! - ED], the band surprised all of us with not only the announcement of the album, but also the premiere of its first single and pseudo-title track, "Hardwired" ahead of their headlining stadium gig in Minneapolis, MN on 8/20/16 where the track received its proper live debut!
Track By Track Breakdown
"Hardwired" - as a sampler of things to come, this track shows a band that is back and, even after 35 years, is still pissed off and has something to say. "We're so fucked / shit out of luck" is such a statement that it had me literally jumping up and down like a little kid upon first listen just after checking into a hotel room in Springfield, IL the day the song premiered! Musically, the track is a fierce, front-end loader of aggression bent on pummeling anyone within hearing range! For my ears, this song is a borderline hardcore song with drumbeats that sound as though they'd be at home on any Cro-mags record. The breakdown before Kirk Hammett's solo is enough to inspire some sweet stage-dives!
"Atlas, Rise!" - all I really ask for in a new Metallica song is something that immediately makes me start headbanging, air-drumming, and playing air guitar. As the album's second track -- and final pre-release single -- this one smokes! Almost immediately, Hetfield's chunky and groovy riffage demands one to air-guitar along. With a structure that would be right at home on the lovechild of Master of Puppets and the groove of The Black Album, "Atlas, Rise!" is a toe-tapper from front to back. The chorus, with its Maiden-esque harmonies, commands goosebumps -- and, to me, that's a sign of a great song as far as I'm concerned. "Die as you suffer in vain/Own all the grief and the pain/Die as you hold up the skies/Atlas, Rise!" is such an incredible piece in the chorus....I mean,
damn!!! Just try and get those hooks in the chorus out of your head! And, that Maiden-esque dual guitar harmony towards the end? Beautiful. This song has NWOBHM all over it! Lyrically, I'm a fan of what Hetfield has to say here, as he takes aim at people who worry too much about "the big cause" that they need to fight for, while ignoring those closest to them.
"Now That We're Dead" - starting with a backbeat that would make Joan Jett proud, "Now That We're Dead" is love song told through the melancholic Metallica prism of death and despair. The song's main riff instantly gets stuck in your head and refuses to leave. Hammett's solo is a strong statement, showing off his skills with something that sonically could have been on ...And Justice For All. After the solo, there's a nice a jam/solo from Hetfield that recalls the extended jam of Load's "The Outlaw Torn".
"Moth Into Flame" - here's a track that musically would be right at home on Ride the Lightning while echoing the observational lyrics of ...And Justice For All, spitting its venom at social media and the desire for instant celebrity. Again, melodic hooks on the chorus tattoo themselves into one's psyche, immediately making this a standout track. Hetfield's lyrics are incredibly strong with a call and response sort of list motif and the chorus is instantly memorable.
"Dream No More" - for Fifth Members (aka: Metallica Club members), this is the new website welcome video riff. Recalling H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulu mythos first dabbled in on Ride The Lightning's "The Call of Ktulu" and "The Thing That Should Not Be" from Master of Puppets, here is a mid-tempo stomper heavy enough to rattle your teeth loose! Some have said the opening recalls "Sad But True", which I guess is there if you really want to hear it that way. Hetfield goes into some brave new vocal delivery territory as he spits of lyrics soaked in dread; there's an overall Alice In Chains sort of vibe to the vocal with the main one being in a higher register and Hetfield doubling himself in a lower one (ala the vocal plays that Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell were famous for). The chugging of the chorus riff recalls a main riff in "The Thing That Should Not Be", this song's heavy older brother. There's a cool little pause/sigh before Hammett rips into another face-melting solo as well.
"Halo On Fire" - While it's 100% true that there are no traditional ballads in the sense of "Nothing Else Matters" present on this record, "Halo On Fire" kind of follows the formula laid out on Track #4 on the first four albums (as well as Death Magnetic) . . . only that seemingly tired formula has been updated for 2016. It's not quite familiar territory in fact, as the song screams alive with energy and an overall sense of "newness". This is easily a standout track [if not the best? - ED] from these sessions. Some of Hetfield's darkest and moodiest lyrics set the tone for some sinister riffing throughout. In fact, the song's final two minutes are -- for my money -- right at home next door to the melodic middle section of "Orion"! It's as if the writing duo of Hetfield/Ulrich once again tapped into the melodies that the late Cliff Burton taught them over three decades ago. From top to bottom, a standout track and easily one of the band's strongest -- ever!
Moving on to Disc 2, some pre-release reviews claim that the album's second disc is a bit unfocused and lackluster. I can't say that I agree with those sentiments; however, if Disc 2 has any weakness it's that the songs on Disc 1 are just THAT GOOD, making for an incredibly tough act to follow!
"Confusion" - starting with a marching intro reminiscent of Diamond Head's "Am I Evil?", this song is another cruncher that echoes the PTSD struggles following the horrors of war seen on "Disposable Heroes" and "One". Hetfield bellows "My life / The war that never ends" speaking for the soldier who has left the battlefield, but the war still rages on inside.
"ManUNkind" - The only track not entirely written by Hetfield/Ulrich (Trujillo also contributes) is another first for Metallica; lots of groove. Sure, the band has dabbled with groove before -- see the boogie-woogie of Load's "2x4" -- only here the groove comes courtesy of the one and only Black Sabbath. Trujillo starts things off with a bass intro reminiscent of "N.I.B." before the song launches into a riff straight off the Sabbath Bloody Sabbath LP. Hetfield's lyrics (and their delivery) also echo sentiments of vintage Sabbath as well. Ulrich shines with drum beats and time changes that would make Bill Ward proud as well. Trujillo's bass work on this track in particular has a bounciness in the vein of Geezer Butler even! Guitar solo-wise, there's a cool moment as Hetfield sings "Seized by the day / All the dark days of your life" and Hammett rips into his solo that last word, with both sounds essentially becoming one.
"Here Comes Revenge" - Here comes a song that will likely be right at home at US sporting events for years to come -- certainly in bumpers to and from commercial or in highlight reels. Hetfield sings about the story of Cain and Abel, essentially the birth of revenge. The main riff sounds like something loose and greasy off of Reload, only filtered through the mentality of the band who performed Kill 'Em All in its entirety in 2013. Hammett's solo has a looseness with a Load/Reload attitude from the late 90s. Later in the song, Hammett shines with some distorted shredding that sounds like a visceral beast awakening.
"Am I Savage?" - another slab of groovy riffage in the vein of the Pepper Keenan-lead era of Corrosion of Conformity. Lyrically, the song makes me want to watch The Howling or An American Werewolf In London. Hammett lets loose with a solo spelling ones' doom as a hungry beast closes in.
"Murder One" -- A fitting tribute to Motorhead's fallen frontman -- and unofficial Father/Uncle/Grandfather to the Metallica guys -- Lemmy Kilmister; the main riff is instantly recognizable as The Night Before riff that was jammed on after "Battery" during Metallica's first gig on 2016. The overall progression of this main riff, combined with Ulrich's beats and Trujillo's bass has a feel simiar to "To Live Is To Die" [itself, a bit of a tribute to the late, great Cliff Burton - ED]. Listen, tributes by way of song can sometimes feel a little goofy and too sentimental for their own good (or even fail by trying to sound like the band or artist they're paying tribute to), but "Murder One" feels different and feels like a win. Hetfield starts things off with a riff that is reminiscent of "Fade To Black" or "Sanitarium" before launching into the aforementioned Night Before riff. Lyrically, the song recalls song titles and lyrics/phrases closely associated with Lemmy's persona and the overall Motorhead mantra. It's quite the mid-tempo stomper, chock full of crushing riffage and the lyrics to match. "Hear your thunder / Still feeding back..." Lem would be proud.
"Spit Out The Bone" - The main riff is exciting as hell and demands headbanging and circle pits. Again, there's a bit of a Cro-mags vibe in places on this track. Hammett's solo sounds as if it came right off Kill 'Em All. Trujillo even manages to gain a bit of Lemmy's bass tone for a small bass breakdown! Again, Hetfield sets his lyrical sites on humanity's dependence on technology. The section starting at 3:59 with a harmonic guitar doodle is, for my money, right up there with the closing 2 minutes of "Halo On Fire"! "Stop breathing and dedicate to me / Stop dreaming and terminate for me..." -- I just got goosebumps typing those lines out!
One of the most succesful aspects of Hardwired...To Self-Destruct is that everything about it feels so natural. The uninformed may argue that the Load and Reload brothers were the sound of a band trying to stay relevant amongst the Soundgarden and Alice In Chains clones of the late '90s. Other may say that St. Anger saw the band trying on the shoddy production and guitar solo-less mindset of the early 2000's nu-metal scene. Other critics may claim that Death Magnetic saw the band mimicking their earlier glory days in both song-writing and overall album structure. With Hardwired..To Self-Destruct though, as Hetfield told NBC Sports back in June before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals, "(Hardwired) is exactly what it's supposed to be."
Once again, it is a great time to be a Metallica fan!
Oh wait, there's one more song to review . . . on the 3-disc deluxe edition of the record, 2014's "Lords of Summer" has been reworked during the Hardwired... sessions. She's gotten some work done and had some fat trimmed from her; new lyrics as well. I didn't mind the original version of the song, but I can definitely see its faults and, sure, some of the lyrics are a bit cringe-worthy. However, here the song is made slightly better, though I guess the old expression of "you can't polish a turd" stands true here. I get what the song is about and all, but it just falls a little short. With that said, I'm glad that it isn't on the actual record itself...adding a previously released song (that is two years old) to a new record is a bit of a cheap shot (I'm looking at you No Doubt with putting "New" on Return of Saturn), though Metallica get points for actually reworking and re-recording the track here and throwing it in as a bonus on a limited edition. Not bad.
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