Is It Progress When You Go From ‘Awful’ To ‘OK’? Or Initial Thoughts On Death Magnetic By Metallica.

I think this album is kinda good or ok, but, this being Metallica who haven't released a good album in 12 years (if we're generous and count Load as one), then this is fantastic news for fans.

The fact is that the album sounds like Metallica, like where they left off in between ...And Justice For All and the Black Album, but the fact is that it just sounds like them, it's not like the material is as good as anything they did in their first decade as a band; the main problem being the lack of memorable songs; the sounds might bring you back to the eighties but, in terms of pure songwriting skills, i think Load still edges Death Magnetic; whatever you think about their "grunge" sound or their haircuts or their lack of truly metal elements in there, Load has very well written and well put together songs.

Of course, i'd be an idiot if i expected anything of the quality of KillRideMasterJustice, that era is gone and years have passed since then, but i just want a good Metallica album all around, with good songs and good riffs. Perhaps a record similar to the Black Album, but of them right now.

I do feel, though, that perhaps this is the beginning of something new, perhaps they have learned to be themselves soundwise and, for their next album, maybe they can apply these riffs to better written, more memorable songs; songs you can scream along while blasting either at home or at concert, after which i would be more than happy to let them be and not care what they do afterwards.

I know they have a good album left in them, i just hope they get to record it and release it soon.