Metallica are back with an album that recaptures their brain-frying '80s pomp. Frontman James Hetfield talks about the dark side of hedonism and his love of Thin Lizzy.
With Master of Puppets, Metallica pushed their taste for the epic to the ultimate with what is their finest moment, that once-in-a-career phase when all members of a band seem to peak at the same time. It was their last album before the tragic death of bassist Cliff Burton, and also the album on which James Hetfield came into his true voice, as on ‘Battery’. With layers of grinding guitars creating a truly dark, sinister sound, Kirk Hammet peeled off riff after limitless riff.
Master Of Puppets proved that Metallica were one of the most important metal bands of all time.
Metallica certainly have a lot to prove with Death Magnetic, the follow-up to 2003’s St. Anger, an album which divided the critics and the band’s own audience.
This is the eighth album from Paradise Lost, since they formed in 1989. Musically, they work from the basic rock/metal template, incorporating wonky intro sounds with plenty of dynamics and soaring guitarry solos into a tight structure.
Over the course of my HP career I've never been slow to volunteer for interviews involving the Heavy Rock community, as invariably they're a whole lot more entertaining to talk to than floppy-fringed Indie mumblers who "make music for themselves and if anyone else likes it that's a bonus".
Music Review | Live
40% | 1 Jul 2004
Tanya Sweeney
As Metallica take to the stage amid a cacophony of fireworks, it seems that, despite their sonic brutality, their slick show is beginning to feel a little…well, inauthentic. In fact, it feels a little like Imax…but with a much better soundtrack.
A superb new documentary offers an intriguing portrait of one of the biggest rock bands on the planet. Tara Brady meets the film's director Joe Berlinger (pictured, left with Bruce Sinofsky).
Grunge titans Alice in Chains are back after a 14 year hiatus. They talk about the tragic death of vocalist Layne Staley, working with Elton John and keeping the spirit of the early ‘90s alive.
Sex, drugs, rock ’n’ roll, George Bush, religion, torture, hangovers and, of course, the smelliest member of the band. The readers leave no stone unturned as they seek the truth
from Kirk Hammett. Your host Olaf Tyaransen
Metallica’s last album, St. Anger‚ marked a return to the brutal essence of their pre-Black album days, harking back to a time when the gurning men in black simply played it louder, faster and heavier than anyone else.
This is not a bad album, and if it was released three years ago it would have come across better, but now there is a lot of music like this around and it takes really good songs, and something very original, to make a band shine.
Two weeks ago it was Triumph The Comedy Insult Dog, now it’s the turn of Nathan Explosion and Pickles to be introduced to the Caught In The Net masses.
All Write Now, we said. And boy did you follow instructions! The entries poured in from all over Ireland, and further afield, in their thousands. We were snowed under – but, as the song says: That’s the way, uh huh, uh huh, we like it…
