Barkley's Justice
Member
immy said:
here you go, young buck. enjoy:
So I want to get into metallica
- Thread starter immy
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here you go, young buck. enjoy:
domokunrox
Banned
All their music is really bad. Don't bother with the cavalcade of mediocrity that they call "Metal".
Phobophile
A scientist and gentleman in the manner of Batman.
Giant Robot said:
Well it's because most Metallica fans/listeners are dilettantes and really don't care to listen to those awesomer bands.
aparisi2274
Member
hiryu said:
Hell yeah...
And dont forget to get "...and Justice for All"
half a moon
Banned
start with the first album.
it's kind of whats intended huh?
if it sucked too horribly, why would they have more?
it's kind of whats intended huh?
if it sucked too horribly, why would they have more?
LazerShark
Banned
In order,
1. Master of Puppets
2. Ride the Lightning (my favorite)
3. ...And Justice for All
4. Kill Em All
5. Metallica (yes, I like some of it >_>)
1. Master of Puppets
2. Ride the Lightning (my favorite)
3. ...And Justice for All
4. Kill Em All
5. Metallica (yes, I like some of it >_>)
Witchfinder General
punched Wheelchair Mike
Metallica is a band that carries so much personal, cultural and historical baggage that it can be very intimidating trying to decide where to dip your toes.
Most people will tell you to listen to their first four albums or less whilst some will tell you to check out their latter albums. Some will tell you to ignore them completely citing "real" Metal bands to check out instead.
Personally, I think you would be best served checking out a "best of" album that covers their entire career.
If that proves difficult or if you want to start with a proper LP then yes, I suggest starting with one of their first four albums. Master of Puppets is probably the best place to start as it offers a nice mix of fast and slow songs, heavy and light. From there I suggest listening to the other three eighties albums: Ride the Lightning, ...And Justice For All, Kill 'Em All.
That concludes the Bay area Thrash portion of Metallica's career. After that they started to move away from mid-fast paced Thrash and move towards "Classic" Meta with their 1991 self-titled album Metallica - or The Black Album as many like to call it due to the album art being 95% black, a reference to the Beatles White Album.
Many argue that The Black Album was when they "sold-out" and abandoned their core fanbase. Some cite radio friendly songs like Enter Sandman and Unforgiven as evidence. Others place the blame directly on them them cutting their trademark long hair. Either way, The Black Album was a shift in Metallica's musical career but despite what some of critics say the album is an excellent one - just not a Thrash album.
After a five year long touring campaign, Metallica returned with their most controversial album, Load. labeled by some wags in the press as "Metallica does Country", Load is a brooding, introspective album that shifts the focus away from vigorous guitar licks to heavy, rumbling chords backed by some very dark lyrics, easily the best of James Hetfield's career. This was also the album that saw Hetfield cement his reputation as the best singer in not only Metal but Hard Rock as well. Long gone are the adolescent barkings of his youth, replaced by a deep, mellifluous tone that is as sorrowful as it is beautiful.
After Load Metallica released Re-Load, basically an album that featured all the songs leftover from the Load sessions. Whilst flawed in some sections it's still a great album, adding a bit of colour to the black-as-coal Load sessions.
From here Metallica released a few non-studio albums, including Garage Inc. (a collection of cover songs, new and old) and Symphony and Metallica (or S & M).
S & M, for all intentenst and purposes could be argued as Metallica's best album, as it not only collects their best songs but complements them with the San Fransisco symphony orchestra under the practiced hand of composer Michael Kamen. Not only does this seemingly bizarre juxtoposition of Classical and Metal work but it in some cases improves upon the original songs. See Master of Puppets as a perfect example. That the album contains two new songs created expressly for the concert rank amongst the bands best and you have a must-have album.
Finally, we have St. Anger. Metallica - after years of condemnation by jilted fans - decided to go "back to their roots" to appease the old-school crowd. The end result, well, it wasn't pretty. If you want to know what went wrong then I suggest you watch the Some Kind of Monster documentary.
The point of this ramble is to give you a sense of perspective and to not discourage you from getting any of Metallica's albums. You can see for yourself how wildly opinions differ on what is a 'good' album so I say to you: Don't limit yourself. By all means get their first four albums but don't be discouraged in seeking out their later ones - yes, even St. Anger. You just don't know whether you'll warm to it or not.
I hope this has helped.
Enjoy!
Most people will tell you to listen to their first four albums or less whilst some will tell you to check out their latter albums. Some will tell you to ignore them completely citing "real" Metal bands to check out instead.
Personally, I think you would be best served checking out a "best of" album that covers their entire career.
If that proves difficult or if you want to start with a proper LP then yes, I suggest starting with one of their first four albums. Master of Puppets is probably the best place to start as it offers a nice mix of fast and slow songs, heavy and light. From there I suggest listening to the other three eighties albums: Ride the Lightning, ...And Justice For All, Kill 'Em All.
That concludes the Bay area Thrash portion of Metallica's career. After that they started to move away from mid-fast paced Thrash and move towards "Classic" Meta with their 1991 self-titled album Metallica - or The Black Album as many like to call it due to the album art being 95% black, a reference to the Beatles White Album.
Many argue that The Black Album was when they "sold-out" and abandoned their core fanbase. Some cite radio friendly songs like Enter Sandman and Unforgiven as evidence. Others place the blame directly on them them cutting their trademark long hair. Either way, The Black Album was a shift in Metallica's musical career but despite what some of critics say the album is an excellent one - just not a Thrash album.
After a five year long touring campaign, Metallica returned with their most controversial album, Load. labeled by some wags in the press as "Metallica does Country", Load is a brooding, introspective album that shifts the focus away from vigorous guitar licks to heavy, rumbling chords backed by some very dark lyrics, easily the best of James Hetfield's career. This was also the album that saw Hetfield cement his reputation as the best singer in not only Metal but Hard Rock as well. Long gone are the adolescent barkings of his youth, replaced by a deep, mellifluous tone that is as sorrowful as it is beautiful.
After Load Metallica released Re-Load, basically an album that featured all the songs leftover from the Load sessions. Whilst flawed in some sections it's still a great album, adding a bit of colour to the black-as-coal Load sessions.
From here Metallica released a few non-studio albums, including Garage Inc. (a collection of cover songs, new and old) and Symphony and Metallica (or S & M).
S & M, for all intentenst and purposes could be argued as Metallica's best album, as it not only collects their best songs but complements them with the San Fransisco symphony orchestra under the practiced hand of composer Michael Kamen. Not only does this seemingly bizarre juxtoposition of Classical and Metal work but it in some cases improves upon the original songs. See Master of Puppets as a perfect example. That the album contains two new songs created expressly for the concert rank amongst the bands best and you have a must-have album.
Finally, we have St. Anger. Metallica - after years of condemnation by jilted fans - decided to go "back to their roots" to appease the old-school crowd. The end result, well, it wasn't pretty. If you want to know what went wrong then I suggest you watch the Some Kind of Monster documentary.
The point of this ramble is to give you a sense of perspective and to not discourage you from getting any of Metallica's albums. You can see for yourself how wildly opinions differ on what is a 'good' album so I say to you: Don't limit yourself. By all means get their first four albums but don't be discouraged in seeking out their later ones - yes, even St. Anger. You just don't know whether you'll warm to it or not.
I hope this has helped.
Enjoy!
PrinceAdam
Banned
I think maybe he means those types of people like to stick the goo from pockets on baby spiders.
Witchfinder General
punched Wheelchair Mike
Oh, according to BLABBERMOUTH.net, the new album will be called Death Magnetic.
Odd title choice, but hey, the album's coming out in September so at least we won't have to wait long to hear how it turns out.
Odd title choice, but hey, the album's coming out in September so at least we won't have to wait long to hear how it turns out.
Lionheart1827
Member
Witchfinder General said:
Yeah I posted it on the first page ;D
I cant wait to hear it finally.
Giant Robot
Member
Darko said:
WIN.
my name is ed
Banned
Man so much hate for the black album. Its a perfectly good album but not as 'metal' as you like it so you trash it? Ugh
I_D
Member
To be honest, most of their albums are quite good, aside from St. Anger.
If you want to be eased into Metallica, the Black Album is the way to go, since it's a bit more melodic than their other stuff, and some people would call it "softer," which makes it more like rock.
From there, I'd move into their other albums, and then maybe you could use that to jump into even more similar metal bands.
If you want to be eased into Metallica, the Black Album is the way to go, since it's a bit more melodic than their other stuff, and some people would call it "softer," which makes it more like rock.
From there, I'd move into their other albums, and then maybe you could use that to jump into even more similar metal bands.
that's easy, just listen to these songs. if you are not into metallica after you are done listening you are soulless and there is no hope.
01. motorbreath
02. battery
03. fight fire with fire
04. blackened
05. master of puppets
06. seek and destroy
07. breadfan
08. the thing that should not be
09. ride the lightning
10. ...and justice for all
11. the four horsemen
01. motorbreath
02. battery
03. fight fire with fire
04. blackened
05. master of puppets
06. seek and destroy
07. breadfan
08. the thing that should not be
09. ride the lightning
10. ...and justice for all
11. the four horsemen
Warm Machine
Member
Witchfinder General said:
That about covers it except for the haircuts coming when Load was released. People also yap on about Metallica "softening" for radio play yet conveniently forget that Pantera was getting radio play at near the same time. Radio itself had started to open up to more heavy rock and metal tracks where there was none to be had before. That wave started in the early 90s and continues to this day.
I think that Load is James' best songwriting, The Black Album is the most professionally put together. Their music has changed over the years significantly. Those who hold tight to the first 4 albums yet cannot hear the obvious change in focus from thrash to melody and structure from Kill em All to Ride the Lightning are missing out on why the band is interesting. They rarely repeat they always innovate and evolve which is why every album they do is different and the core sensibility keeps changing even when they were young.
Cliff Burtons' death is a scapegoat for the evolving sound. Cliff himself is constantly referenced by those who knew him as being the most open for experimentation and the most eclectic within the original lineup. He is always presented as the last person who would jam himself in a musical rut to appease anyone.
For the OP, Metallica is one of the biggest bands in the world. They didn't get there by being crappy or taking the easy route. As well, with anything that is immensely popular the detractors will come out just like they will for a thread about The Beatles or Nirvana.
I recommend picking up ...And Justice for All and listening to that. It drops you right in the middle of their career musically and that way you get to hear them from a significant evolutionary state. It is also the most balanced in terms of peoples perception of the band in its life cycle. You can then travel forwards and backwards from there appreciating, or not, all the way.
Edit: Joe, Sad But True is near their best and heaviest song ever. How that can not be on your list is shocking.
Witchfinder General
punched Wheelchair Mike
Warm Machine said:
Gah, I can't believe I got that mixed up. The rest of your post is valid as well.
NOsirris said:
I see a lot of ...And Justice For All underappreciation here.
It's their best album, eot. If you don't like Harvester of Sorrow or Blackened you are soulless.
Kill'em All is a bit different than their later album, but it's awesome anyway. Then come Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, ...And Justice for all which are their best albums. Black Album is still good, a bit worse than earlier, but still has some great songs (Enter Sandman!).
Stop after that, skip to 2k8 and hope for Death Magnetic being good
Phobophile
A scientist and gentleman in the manner of Batman.
Flynn said:
The "poor kid" wants to get into a mainstream band that doesn't require any sort of introduction. This isn't a matter of whether the band's good or not; their thrash metal albums aren't terrible by most standards, even mine (shock), but I just help wonder what kind of pop-culture media deprived person this is. I'd have the same reaction if someone was like, "hey I wanna get into Pink Floyd/Led Zeppelin/something else completely ubiquitous." I gave my two cents (KEA); now I'm playing the devils advocate.
I'm sure if the word "Metallica" were replaced by hamburgers or something more accessible to all of America, you'd have similar "lol" responses.
radios shipping overview
Member
Man, I never thought I'd see the word "dilettante" in a Metallica thread.
DieNgamers
Member
That's what I would recommend.argon said:
Right, start with Ride the Lightning, that will give you a good view of what Metallica originally were. Then move on to Master of Puppets and the Black Album, which have their most popular songs on. This will give you a good view of Metallica's collection.
Albums such as Kill em all and "...and justice for all" are only really for die hard fans of metallica, personally justice is my favorite album, but its only for people who really like them.
O, and there are no bad albums, there are different albums, but no bad ones
Albums such as Kill em all and "...and justice for all" are only really for die hard fans of metallica, personally justice is my favorite album, but its only for people who really like them.
O, and there are no bad albums, there are different albums, but no bad ones
immy said:
This is wildly off-topic in a Metallica thread but I had to say that Idlewild's early stuff is their best stuff, and I'd only listen to their newest stuff first if I wanted to go "wow! I really missed seeing this band when they were incredible".
Unless you've already heard some material and like a song, in which case you should get the album with that song on, it's best to start at the beginning if you're going in blind.
dead souls
Member
my name is ed said:
I posted that I hate the black album because it sucks. It has nothing to do with being 'metal' or not.
Hell, some of my favorite musical artists are Morrissey, The Cure, Frank Black, The Pixies, Sleater-kinney and Joy Division (hence my username).
Not everyone who hates the Black album is some "true metal' elitist. Post AJFA Metallica is just not very good IMO.
Megadeth is mainstream too, really.Phobophile said:
Whenever and wherever you say something about Metallica someone HAS to jump out with Rust in Peace.
Its even cool to hate Metallica, saying its mainstream and pointing Megadeth as something better to listen as it's not mainstream.
Ps. No, im not hating Megadeth, Rust in Peace IS fucking awesome, but im just annoyed by all "screw Metallica, listen to Megadeth!".
And, ...And Justice for All >>> Rust in Peace
eXistor
Member
Funny, I stopped listening to Idlewild after they turned to crap. Their earlier stuff is so much better.immy said:
As for Metallica, I haven't heard their stuff after the Load/ Reload debacle, but a lot of their earlier work is fucking great. Also, when the hell did it become cool to hate the Black album, it's great man, but then I'm totally not into metal and the like so I might be missing something.
Most of everything has been covered here...however, I'll add my laughter at all those who scream 'early Metallica or nothing!!!' My brothers and I grew up listening to and seeing Metallica, from the small clubs in San Francisco and San Jose to seeing them headline Day on the Green (some of the best super concerts ever). Yes, their first 5 albums (I'm including Re-re-visited) are excellent. But Metallica, S&M, and Load (yes, Load) easily sit with them.
ReLoad is a collection of tracks that weren't good enough for Load, and sounds it. A track or two worth salvaging, but most should have been left behind. If they made an album of tracks that weren't good enough for Master, it'd be just as bad. St. Anger is interesting only after you've listened to the rest of the band's offerings, and after you've seen Some Kind of Monster. It's a trainwreck of an album.
Metallica developed a 'cool to hate' aura with the Napster thing, and it's stuck, causing most to never give their newer stuff a chance. That and the morons who think that Lars switching to a single bass drum meant the music sucked (when, in fact, it was a sign of him becoming a much better drummer).
That said...where to start? Easy, start where most people started...the Black Album (yes, most started there, whether they admit it or not). Then move to Master and Ride...then Load...then ...and Justice. End on Kill 'em All. The album is good, and in it you'll find every speed/thrash metal rhythym that was heard for the 10 years following, but it is very raw. The songs on Kill 'em All benefitted the most from live performances because the band learned better how to handle them.
ReLoad is a collection of tracks that weren't good enough for Load, and sounds it. A track or two worth salvaging, but most should have been left behind. If they made an album of tracks that weren't good enough for Master, it'd be just as bad. St. Anger is interesting only after you've listened to the rest of the band's offerings, and after you've seen Some Kind of Monster. It's a trainwreck of an album.
Metallica developed a 'cool to hate' aura with the Napster thing, and it's stuck, causing most to never give their newer stuff a chance. That and the morons who think that Lars switching to a single bass drum meant the music sucked (when, in fact, it was a sign of him becoming a much better drummer).
That said...where to start? Easy, start where most people started...the Black Album (yes, most started there, whether they admit it or not). Then move to Master and Ride...then Load...then ...and Justice. End on Kill 'em All. The album is good, and in it you'll find every speed/thrash metal rhythym that was heard for the 10 years following, but it is very raw. The songs on Kill 'em All benefitted the most from live performances because the band learned better how to handle them.
I don't like Load too much, but other than that this is correct.AMUSIX said:
Many people got into Metallica through Nothing Else Matters, maybe Unforgiven. Black Album is great place to start. Then Master of Puppets and Ride the Lightning. ...And Justice for All is, but well. Kinda hard to get and like it. At first I didn't like it as much as other albums, but as time progressed and I listened to it more and more, the more I liked it and now it's my favourite Metallica album.
And the last sentence is so true, I've been to their concert last month and they played Seek and Destroy, it was easy to hear how much they have progressed. It was hundreds times better than studio version. But anyway, Kill'em All is still great album (and it has Four Horsemen, woot)
BarrelMakingPenguin
Member
The first four Metallica albums are considered classic metal albums. The Black Album (self-titled) is where they began to alter their sound to be a little more radio friendly. Everything after has one or two good songs except for St. Anger....which is god awful.
If you like a bit of metal then I would say start with Master of Puppets because it isn't as long-winded as Justice and isn't as thrashy as Kill 'em All. It's just a nice medium of everything that made early Metallica great.
If not, The Black Album is a solid bet for anyone who isn't normally into loud music because it's got some genuine catchy hooks.
If you like a bit of metal then I would say start with Master of Puppets because it isn't as long-winded as Justice and isn't as thrashy as Kill 'em All. It's just a nice medium of everything that made early Metallica great.
If not, The Black Album is a solid bet for anyone who isn't normally into loud music because it's got some genuine catchy hooks.
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