Despite being the most popular metal band in the world, Metallica has been alienating its fans for decades. After the critically acclaimed “Black Album” broke into the mainstream in 1991, the band fell into a controversial decline with the streamlined “Load” and “Reload” and the abysmally produced “St. Anger.”
2008’s “Death Magnetic” promised a return to form, but the brickwalled production and bloated song lengths kept the renewed thrash metal from reaching the peaks of classics like “Ride the Lightning” and “Master of Puppets.”
With all this in mind, it’s easy to enter Metallica’s newly announced “Hardwired...To Self-Destruct” with an air of apprehension. Twelve tracks stretched across 80 minutes, the dreadful album artwork and track titles like “ManUNkind” all signal the same pitfalls the band has been stuck in for decades. What’s shocking is that the lead single, “Hardwired,” is actually really good.
Sure, it’s a simple track — it’s only three minutes long, and it revolves around a single riff with a trademark Hammett solo thrown in. This simplicity, however, is exactly the appeal. It’s a throwback to the origins of thrash metal, when “Reign in Blood” could have almost exclusively two-minute tracks.
James Hetfield clearly emulates Tom Araya’s “I’m-pissed-so-spit-out-words-as-fast-as-possible” style in the verses, and this short-and-sweet intensity gives the track all the edge it needs.
The only glaring flaws are the clicky kick drum sounds — a shame, since the rest of the production is so strong — and the terrible lyrics. “We’re so f----d / S--- outta luck” sounds pretty juvenile coming from one of the most successful bands in the world. It comes off as trying to sound like an angry thrash band, instead of sounding genuine.
This single still leaves us with a worrisome 11 tracks across 77 minutes on the album, so it’s unlikely “Hardwired…” will play off of the same strengths as this single. However, knowing that the band hasn’t sounded this good in years, at least we can move into the new album with cautious optimism.
Read More
University Department of Drama hypnotizes with theatrical Spring Dance Concert
By Kenneth Do | 6 hours agoFrom its compelling choreographic dialogue to the thematic costume selection, each dance in the concert maintained an individual artistic voice.
On Repeat: Motivating songs to help power through the rest of the semester
By Emma Royse | 16 hours agoThese songs will give University students the needed push and inspiration to power through to the end of the school year.
Six must-see films to watch with your NetBadge login
By Thomas Hodgkins | YesterdayFilms from different continents, documentaries about a wide range of topics and lesser-known independent films are all streaming on Kanopy, waiting for students to click “play.”
