The fall of Metallica

Metallica used to be really good. If you disagree with this statement, you might as well skip the rest of this entry, because you'll just be bored.

Earlier Metallica dealt with drug addiction, depression, insanity... it was complex, and it was well crafted. There were beautiful guitar solos, and great lyrics, and they were the epitome of Rock (must be said in a deep voice with your fist in the air). We're talking about songs like Sanitarium, One, Master of Puppets... brilliant stuff.

Then they got a little bit softer, but the SKILL was still there. They released the Black album, and a good number of songs after that, usually singles. They still had sadness, and well crafted, complex music. Wherever I May Roam is a good example.

Now, I listened to a couple cuts off their new album on the radio this morning, and I was so incredibly disappointed. They decided to go back to "hard" rock, but they forgot to make the songs GOOD. They sound just like any other hard rock band, a bunch of yelling, no talented guitar solos. They substituted anger and screaming for the well thought out despair and frustration and rage that they had before.

It's really too bad. I guess between them all getting insanely rich, getting old, having kids, and losing their various alcohol and drug addictions, they lost their edge. It sucks that you have to have a crappy life to make good metal.