Metallica
Metallica

THE REVIEW

In my opinion, it is very difficult, almost impossible, to give an opinion on Metallica's "black album," which I think is the most loved/hated band in heavy metal, surpassing even names (also either loved or hated) like Marilyn Manson, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park.

A few days ago I was chatting with my math teacher, a pretty good guitarist, and when I asked him if he knew how to play something by Metallica, he replied, "I play the whole black album." I continued by asking him if he knew how to play something from other albums like the legendary and beautiful "Master Of Puppets" or "Kill 'em All," he barely knew the names of the songs. Then I met my friend's guitar teacher who told me the exact opposite, he knew all the parts from "Kill 'em All" to "...And Justice For All" by heart, and 0 parts from the "Black Album" to "St. Anger." And although I am talking about just two people, globally the entire audience of true FANS (and not like me who listens to a lot of metal and has some 'Tallica records but does not consider myself a fan) of the American group are precisely divided in half: those who started listening to them with this album and those who (even the very young) will never forget the miracles of "Kill 'em All" or "Ride The Lightning." For this reason, you cannot judge the "black album," because it would be like siding with one group or the other, but I will try to give a general picture (if possible).

As many know, these 12 songs have nothing to do with what Metallica did before their turning point. Many say they went from thrash metal here to classic heavy metal: NONSENSE! Classic heavy metal is played by Maiden or Judas Priest, and these 12 tracks cannot be at all compared to that genre; they are (let's admit it once and for all) 12 pieces of mainstream rock covered with a vague and very light layer of hard rock available at the first local market sale. Despite this bad premise, the album has four fundamental classics and hits of the group's standard live set: classic number one: the most flashy of the flashy is undoubtedly "Enter Sandman," which is nothing more than the usual rock n' roll riff repeated ad nauseam, but it impresses and is very catchy! Classic number two: "Nothing Else Matters," from the frantic rhythms of "Kill 'em All" we move to a quiet (very commercial) rock ballad which is just an attempted copy of what was done on "Ride The Lightning" with the beautiful "Fade To Black," but, for some demonic reason, every time I listen to this song, I don't want to stop, and it attracts like (almost) no other Metallica song does! Classic number 3: "The Unforgiven," now you have to try to tell me that ‘Tallica plays heavy metal on this album! This track is heavy metal just like the singer of Pooh was influenced by Max Cavalera, but that doesn't mean it's bad, it simply is commercial rock that has nothing to do with metal. Classic number 4: "Sad But True," here maybe we can talk about heavy metal, even if it is naturally a very banal and simplified piece of metal/rock, just listen to the drums, even a 7-year-old child who has just started playing (like my cousin) can play those parts, but again, magic of magic, the song is pleasantly listenable until the end.

All the other songs more or less follow the same path as these 4, which perfectly delimit the boundaries within which the "black album" roams. In short, everything can be said about the "black album" except that it is heavy metal, but at the same time, we cannot say that these 12 songs are not unique because even if they are banal, rustic, and simple, they have a charm that even after 15 years still attracts many metal-fans despite, I reiterate, not being a metal album.

The only real praise that can be given to this Metallica performance is Hetfield’s voice, which I have always considered a fairly good singer and here, with this new genre of music adopted, he seems to be more comfortable than in the heavy thrash metal of the first 4 unrepeatable albums.