Metallica
...And Justice For All

THE REVIEW

In 1988, Cliff Burton, the legendary bassist, had been dead for two years. The Metallica, however, after three masterpiece albums in the thrash metal realm, prove despite everything that they are still alive and kicking. "...And Justice For All" represents, for many, the pinnacle of the band; it is still a historical thrash album, and I personally find it absolutely incredible that after an album like "Master Of Puppets," without the greatest bassist one can remember, Metallica managed not to lower the bar. A masterpiece follows a masterpiece, and let's tell it.

Intro in Fade In... It paralyzes you, prepares you for a listening experience that lasts several minutes, minutes of power, anger, but also of great class. And Blackened proves it right away: sharp riffs, incredibly powerful drums. There's already something different: it's not just the recording that is still poor, the sound clarity is amazing if we're talking about thrash, especially after listening to "Kill 'Em All." The song has a catchy rhythm and chorus, Newsted is barely heard, buried by the power of the other three. Midway through, there is one of the most beautiful reflective digressions I can remember in Metallica's career, worthy of Master Of Puppets, Lars keeps a very, very interesting tempo while James and Kirk dialogue. Then the solo starts, I'm not one of Hammett's biggest solo fans, but this one can be counted among those I find spot-on.

The title track, "...And Justice For All," doesn't break the pace; once again, we're faced with a very powerful song with an incredibly interesting riff. James' vocals are captivating, blending superbly with the guitars showcasing riffs never so fast and precise. Indeed, we won't see them anymore. A wonderful track that, despite its length, does not bore, with several tempo changes, Lars is truly captivating here.

"Eye Of The Beholder" opens with a riff accompanied by the usual drums. The track is a bit trippy, a little less engaging than what we've heard so far, but the solo isn't bad. But Metallica is about to dazzle with a track in the style of Fade To Black, a classic, "One." After a machine gun start, the intro indeed recalls its ancestor, this flashback sensation has always made me prefer Fade, but still, we are faced with a new masterpiece. As the song progresses, it gains personality in an exhilarating way, very aggressive in the chorus but only for a few seconds. The clean riff is one of those reflective ones, Hetfield at his best. The song then explodes in the grand finale, the guitar riff really sounds like gunshots working superbly along with Lars' pedals, a massive solo, and then nonstop headbanging to the end. Great.

"The Shortest Straw" is a bit understated within the album, the solo deserves attention (yes, this album has the highest concentration of great solos, at least that's what I think). A track that doesn't leave you very satisfied but no worries, "Harvester Of Sorrow" is another gem, one of my favorite pieces. A Spanish-like riff and then into a much nastier and truly captivating one, anyone would feel like nodding to the beat in Harvester. A captivating song, rather complex and never predictable in its development.

"The Frayed Ends Of Sanity" is a nice piece, one of those that never stops. I see Hetfield increasingly inspired... Beautiful nonetheless, it fits in there with dignity. "To Live Is To Die" is an instrumental of impressive intensity, as was clear given the purpose: a dedication to the late Cliff Burton. In reality, the piece was based on some riffs already written by Cliff, later completed by James and Lars. The only sung verse was indeed written by Burton:

"When a man lies, he kills some part of the world. These are the pale deaths which men miscall their lives. I can't bear to witness anymore of this. May the kingdom of salvation, take me home."  

The title itself is a quote from Burton.

The tracklist concludes with "Dyers Eve." A track different from much of what has been heard so far, much more "dirty" old style, a very powerful stop (a formula often proposed by Metallica).

Ultimately, a must in the thrash and metal conversation: I would like to highlight the rhythmic part, which I find the most surprising of all. The bass is quite scarce, also due to Newsted's absence in the mixing phase: poor as well is the production, as even Ulrich would later admit ("It sounds like it was recorded in a matchbox"). The last thrash metal album from a band that made history in the genre.