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Editorials

I PROMISE THIS MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT BE THE LAST POST I WRITE ABOUT METALLICA THIS WEEK

 Wednesday, May 14th, 2008 at 4:42pm by

So the band released some recording studio footage. Regardless of whether or not the new album will be good (and really, how can we judge from the few limited clicks we’ve heard), this clip convinces me that James and Lars do care about writing a good record and are trying really hard to make it good. Seeing as hating on Metallica seems to have become the new trend, I’m trying hard to remain cautiously optimistic. We’ll see.

Also: Rick Rubin’s beard!!

-VN

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  • Gibbo

    I agree with you on this, it seems they’re really trying to write something they can be proud of, not just throw an album out because everyone is demanding old Metallica again like…

    Im actually a little optimistic :P

  • http://www.myspace.com/evilsammy Sammy

    Agree Vince, but man what’s with the hard-on for beards? It’s not like they were just invented. Man, growing a beard just means not shaving.

  • jesse blake

    Sammy, I’m saddened to see that you have not yet discovered the true metal value of beard. You’ll get it sooner or later.

    On a more Metallica note. It’s going to be pretty hard for Metallihaters and Blabberbrats alike to rip on this one. Just the distortion alone screams old school. I like the little gallop they had going on in there too.

    I definitely have a semi.

  • http://countshockula.blogspot.com ezra

    Robert needs to work on his freestyle skills, no?

  • bucketochicken

    “Hell and Back” is at the very least a cool working-title.

    Lars seems to really have improved his air-drumming skills too.

  • http://www.myspace.com/evilsammy Sammy

    Jesse my poor poor lad, I get that for too long metal heads have been just as bad as GQers when it comes to style and fashion fascism.

    People actually got pissed off when Metallica – gasp! – cut their hair. I used to grow a beard every winter. Then I realized that hotter chicks dig smooth cheeks and beards are more of a pain in the ass than shaving. So, being clean shaven, while looking more homosexual, was actually more heterosexual.

    Oh man, I just engaged in the stupidest argument ever on this site. I apologize to all. I’m not shaving tomorrow.

  • jesse blake

    Touche Sammy, chicks love themselves some shavenness.

    I hear you on the fascism too. Who the hell disowns a band because they cut their hair? Shit like that doesn’t even happen in MTV/VH1 land where self-centered super bitches reside.

  • http://dawnardent.blogspot.com los

    @Sammy

    i’m reluctant to, you know, talk about Metallica’s hair. but i will, sort of, just for a bit.

    i don’t it was the haircuts that pissed people off. or the press photos where they all looked so clean cut, and lars was wearing a fur-lined jacket. these things were just something to latch on to.

    what pissed people off was the fact that the haircuts and the sudden change in fashion seemed so clearly to be a marketing move, complete with a new, less-pointy logo, intended to capitalize on the success of the black album by packaging the band in an even-more mainstream-friendly box. and even that would have been fine if the music that accompanied the new look was any good at all.

    the hair was a scapegoat. fans balk when a band changes direction so drastically for fame/money.

  • Dude Manbro

    New trend??? I’ve been hating on Metallica since 1996, when that piece of shit “Until It Sleeps” debuted. I really don’t give half a crap about their various hairdos (odd as they may be), it’s the awfulness of “Load”-era Metallica music that inspires the hatred. As Groundskeeper Willie would say, it’s all shite. Not one-NOT ONE-decent tune in twelve freakin’ years, man!

    Sure there’s a chance the new album might be good. That’d be swell. There’s also a chance I might trip over a giant bag of money tomorrow morning, too. Or get plunked in the head by a slab of space junk. Not too likely, but theoretically possible, definitely. Maybe if they quit aping the last big-selling alt rock band they heard on the radio, or if Jimmy drops the gay country yodeling, or if they allow Hammett to maybe play a lead or two. There’s a chance all of that COULD happen. But would I bet on it? Nah. Fool me once…. I believe it when I hear it.

  • http://www.hibernum.net Hibernum

    I like the Rick Rubin beard, but he is starting to get a bit chubby. Come on Rick, lay off the twinkies. Though wouldn’t it have been interesting to see more of Rick in these clips? What does he do when he’s working? How does he guide a band like Metallica except saying “try it without the click”?

  • R.Brown

    I’ve never been a Metallica “hater”. Load did suck but how many bands do you know have put out 5 killer albums in a row (yes, even the Black album)? S&M was like a greatest hits compilation with an orchestra, Garage Inc was cool plus we got Garage Days with it which was really cool, and St. Anger is a lot better than Load or Re-Load, but if the Metallica Name was not on those two albums they are not really that bad, they’re just no Ride the lightning or Master of Puppets. I’m looking foward to the new album.

  • sklives

    looks like metallica is leaving protools behind too…its pro logic future

  • Ryan

    I defended metallica on the very first bash on this site and Im glad at least that people are viewing this with optimism. Metallica is a AWESOME band and this album looks to be one to really watch this fall.

    METALLICA!!!!!!!!

  • http://www.nonelouder.com kidrobot71

    Let’s not forget, these guys were super proud of St. Anger. I just don’t think they have a good album in them.

  • bucketochicken

    Proud of St Anger? Maaaaaybe. You’d think if that had truly been the case they’d have played more than two songs from it regularly during that tour. As it was, they pretty much only played the two singles. Too bad too, as I think a lot of those songs would sound pretty good live (“Some Kind of Monster,” Im looking in your direction).
    It is still one of their “children,” though, so I’m sure they are proud of it to a degree. But really, I think they’re even more proud that they actually stayed a)alive, b)together and c)sane-ish. I think their St Anger pride stems more from a “we weathered a bad storm together (again) and persevered (again),” as opposed to “Invisible Kid is the best thing we’ve ever done!”

    I do agree with the above sentiment that it’s still a better album than Re-Load. And on par with Load. Had St Anger actually been produced, and had most of the songs been edited down (and solos added!), it would’ve been a very solid disc. But, given all the drama going on in their real lives at the time, I think I can find it in my heart to give them a pass.

    And when people bag on Metallica so mercilessly (worst. album. ever.), I’m always reminded of Bart’s comment to Comic Book Guy in the “Poochie” episode of The Simpsons: “…they’ve given you countless hours of entertainment. If anything You owe THEM!”
    I’m paraphrasing, obviously, but the point is still valid.

  • Muttweiler

    I look at it this way. For many of us who were pretty young when we discovered Metallica (as was the band) we watched them become the “biggest band in the world” so we have something invested in them. I really have a hard time envisioning anyone duplicating their success in the forseeable future being most of the bands we know and love are not mainstream enough, talented enough…etc. Us metalheads will love our shit but Metallica-like success depends on mass humanoid (as Bobby the Brain calls ‘em) record sales. Maybe in this case James, Lars and Co. are making a record for their “real” fans as we are all they’ve got left. Does this kind of make them like most of the other bands in the metal universe?

  • bucketochicken

    Yep. If ever there was a good example of people being “victims of their own success…”

  • amy

    face it: beards are now the contemporary equivalent of a mullet; just swing that neckwarmer around to your chin. dorks.

    hipsters out of metal!

  • http://www.myspace.com/evilsammy Sammy

    Amy is awesome.

  • http://myspace.com/fightingjacks Fightingmike

    Might be good or at least decent. At least it wont have that terrible snare drum clanging all over the place. Lars really thinks he is the funniest guy on the planet doesn’t he?

  • ERiK

    It’s all on Hetfield. He’s the one that has sucked the most. If he can get his voice back and start writing some decent riffs, they have a chance. Lars has always been the same. He still self absorbed and wears a bathrobe and ballhugger shorts the majority of the day. Hammett’s the same push over he’s always been, and the bass has never mattered in Metallica, not even when Cliff was alive.

  • http://www.consequenceofsound.net Jay

    Lars sounded really awesome on the drums this time around compared to the Creeping Death video from last week. I love Metallica, all of it, the Cliff Burton era, The Jason Newsted era (yes, he was a worthy replacement by the way) and I’m looking forward to the Robert Trujillo era.

    This is the first time I’ve been excited for a new album release in a very long time, and honestly Rick Rubin had to be the one to do it. Come on! The man made both Slayer and The Beastie Boys badass…let’s hope his magical beard can crank out a kick ass 9th Metallica album!

    Metal up your ass!

  • http://www.sithomeandrot.com manny

    just hand them some unreleased Diamond Head B-sides, let them ‘reimagine’ those and you’ll have another great Metallica album.

    I only half kid. Seriously, Load and Re-Load were the only truly steaming piles of shit in terms of ‘proper’ albums.

    Most bands are lucky to have 2 great albums, Metallica had 4.5 great ones (Black Album being the .5 of course) Seriously, the Rolling Stones haven’t had more than 5 great albums. They aren’t the Beatles.

  • dudemandude

    I’m not getting too optimistic, but Rick Rubin has the balls (and yes, maybe the beard) to tell Lars his tempos are all off, where Bob Rock would have been using his mouth for other things.