Hetfield addresses tone on Justice album

[ClintN667]

I dont know man... I was a little kid when And Justice for All came out. Like 11-12 years old. Guns N Roses got me into music but I got into heavier stuff rather quickly. I remember when the video for One came out and they made such a big deal about it being Metallica's first video. I liked it ok but it didnt grab me. I got really into Megadeth, Overkill, Testament, Anthrax basically every other thrash band other than Metallica. I heard a couple more songs from that album then someone played Ride The Lightening and Kill Em All for me. Then I finally liked them. I really love those two albums. Oddly enough I've never heard the entirety of Master Of the Puppets or any entire album after that.

 

[311boogieman]

MOP in its entirety is a must for any metal fan

 

[Beyond Black]

The production on AJFA is certainly weird, but I wouldn't have it any other way. The production makes the album feel cold, barren, and isolated, which is exactly the vibe the songs themselves put on. I'm not sure a more traditional production ala MoP would fit the atmosphere of the record.

Very interesting and accurate description. I’ve done plenty of bitching about that production over the years, but never really thought of it like that. Kind of puts it in a different light. I’m a big black metal fan and love many, many albums with cold and barren sounding recordings. Gives it a certain atmosphere that enhances the music itself. AJFA definitely has some of that going on with it’s anger and heaviness. I’ll have to dig that album out and give it a spin. It’s been awhile.

 

[errrrrl]

I was a huge Metallica fan when Justice came out. I think my initial reaction to hearing Blackened spinning on my record player for the first time was kinda tripping me out. The production to me was the cleanest I've ever heard for a metal album at that time. The bass drum and drums in general was really tripping me out. Nobody did or perfected the clicky bass drum sound until Justice came out.

As for the bass or lack of I didn't notice it at first. I thought that it was so tight it must have blended in lol. To me though Newsted's best playing with Metallica is the $5.98 ep. I can't think of anything else he did that ever wowed me. In fact his bass solo on the Justice tour sounded like shit to me... I met Newsted twice and nice guy but can't say I dig him as a bass player. But yeah he was robbed on Justice

 

[ClintN667]

MOP in its entirety is a must for any metal fan

I have a lot of stuff that I just never listened to but on the brightside that is something that is a classic that I will be able to hear for the first time.

 

[Beyond Black]

I was a huge Metallica fan when Justice came out. I think my initial reaction to hearing Blackened spinning on my record player for the first time was kinda tripping me out. The production to me was the cleanest I've ever heard for a metal album at that time. The bass drum and drums in general was really tripping me out. Nobody did or perfected the clicky bass drum sound until Justice came out.

As for the bass or lack of I didn't notice it at first. I thought that it was so tight it must have blended in lol. To me though Newsted's best playing with Metallica is the $5.98 ep. I can't think of anything else he did that ever wowed me. In fact his bass solo on the Justice tour sounded like shit to me... I met Newsted twice and nice guy but can't say I dig him as a bass player. But yeah he was robbed on Justice

Have ever heard Flotsam and Jetsam’s “Doomsday for the Deceiver?” Newsted KILLED on that album.

 

[errrrrl]

I was a huge Metallica fan when Justice came out. I think my initial reaction to hearing Blackened spinning on my record player for the first time was kinda tripping me out. The production to me was the cleanest I've ever heard for a metal album at that time. The bass drum and drums in general was really tripping me out. Nobody did or perfected the clicky bass drum sound until Justice came out.

As for the bass or lack of I didn't notice it at first. I thought that it was so tight it must have blended in lol. To me though Newsted's best playing with Metallica is the $5.98 ep. I can't think of anything else he did that ever wowed me. In fact his bass solo on the Justice tour sounded like shit to me... I met Newsted twice and nice guy but can't say I dig him as a bass player. But yeah he was robbed on Justice

Have ever heard Flotsam and Jetsam’s “Doomsday for the Deceiver?” Newsted KILLED on that album.

Yup and I agree with you totally... but honestly not a whole lot of memorable bass parts with Metallica besides the $5.98 ep which is kinda sad... for me at least.

 

[skullfxr]

Didn't Dave Lombardo offer to give Lars drum lessons?

he breaks Lars down pretty accurately here starting at about 2:30. "really sad" is how he describes him lol

That is awesome. I would love to hear Lars reaction.

 

[LP Freak]

He’s laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[skullfxr]

He’s laughing all the way to the bank.

Totally awesome.

 

[311boogieman]

MOP in its entirety is a must for any metal fan

I have a lot of stuff that I just never listened to but on the brightside that is something that is a classic that I will be able to hear for the first time.

Well, I highly recommend getting the CD and setting aside the time to take it all in with headphones on and a drink in hand from start to finish (like the rest of us did)

BUT - if that's not going to happen for awhile, I suggest at least starting with 'Orion'. Hands down one of the most amazing things ever put to tape.

 

[skullfxr]

My favorite Metallica album is "ride the lighting' followed very closely by "puppets"

 

[messenger]

... I love watching "A Year and A Half in the Life of Metallica" where Bob is telling Kirk "oh, then let's just put anything on there" for his solo because he hadn't done his homework. Or telling Lars about how things won't sound right if his drums are too loud, etc.

HAHA, ain't that the truth.
Kirk has pretty much phoned it in ever since, such a disappointment that he went from all those fitting and melodic & memorable leads, into someone who just blabbers basic pentatonic runs and double stops covered with 7 layers of wah. His leads on the first 4 albums used to worth learning and inspiring to as a beginner guitarist.
I know they've all changed a bit since their youthful playing, but Kirk for me is the biggest disappointment. I'm not sure if its because people like Satriani was helping him map out leads in the early days and from the black album onwards Kirk was on his own and there is nothing really inspiring in his playing anymore. Even on the Black album, if Bob wasn't pushing him for better leads he would have settled for blandness. Hetfield's melodic lead work is better than Kirks these last few years.

Someone once pointed out that before the Black album the rhythm behind the solos were a lot more complex and that could have lead to his “newer” stuff being a lot more basic and “phoned in”.

 

[thegame]

I hate Lars's tone whenever he speaks.

 

[Exo-metal]

Kirk...7 layers of shit lol

 

[romanianreaper]

Well, I highly recommend getting the CD and setting aside the time to take it all in with headphones on and a drink in hand from start to finish (like the rest of us did)

BUT - if that's not going to happen for awhile, I suggest at least starting with 'Orion'. Hands down one of the most amazing things ever put to tape.

Hell yeah!! I have Master of Puppets and Ride the Lightning on Vinyl again but totally agree. Listening to that straight thru is an experience. To this day, the song "Master of Puppets" is my favorite song of all time. I still remember hearing it for the first time and couldn't believe that guys a few years older than me were writing and playing that stuff.

I always tell people that it is easily now, with tons of fast, heavy bands, to dismiss Metallica back then as not being as heavy as that stuff. You have to realize this was 85' and 86'. I was listening to VH, Iron Maiden, DIO, etc. which were all awesome, but then I hear this stuff and it blew me away. Like I mentioned before, as funny as it sounds now, even some of the other rockers (mostly some girls) would not listen to Metallica because they were too heavy for them. If a girl at school listened to Metallica back then, she was full on metalhead and was hot as hell with her makeup and denim, but scared the shit out of you. LOL

 

[ClintN667]

I just listened to it during work today. Not surprisingly I've heard most of it before just never realized what album it was on. I think two or three songs were new to me.

 

[Price]

Well, I highly recommend getting the CD and setting aside the time to take it all in with headphones on and a drink in hand from start to finish (like the rest of us did)

BUT - if that's not going to happen for awhile, I suggest at least starting with 'Orion'. Hands down one of the most amazing things ever put to tape.

Hell yeah!! I have Master of Puppets and Ride the Lightning on Vinyl again but totally agree. Listening to that straight thru is an experience. To this day, the song "Master of Puppets" is my favorite song of all time. I still remember hearing it for the first time and couldn't believe that guys a few years older than me were writing and playing that stuff.

I always tell people that it is easily now, with tons of fast, heavy bands, to dismiss Metallica back then as not being as heavy as that stuff. You have to realize this was 85' and 86'. I was listening to VH, Iron Maiden, DIO, etc. which were all awesome, but then I hear this stuff and it blew me away. Like I mentioned before, as funny as it sounds now, even some of the other rockers (mostly some girls) would not listen to Metallica because they were too heavy for them. If a girl at school listened to Metallica back then, she was full on metalhead and was hot as hell with her makeup and denim, but scared the shit out of you. LOL

When I started getting into music as a kid I was really into bands like Slayer, Napalm Death, Carcass etc. But I never really heard a truly HEAVY band until I heard Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets. Early Metallica was just different, their songs had onimous build ups, euphoric passages, powerful solos, it really was just masterful writing. Kill em all was an aggressive, energetic crowd pleaser like the previously mentioned bands, but RTL and MOP had moments reminiscent of classical music. For me, there really was an emotional engagement with that music, but not a whiney, victimhood, emo kind of emotion, more of a bitter, cynical, world-weary misanthropic kind of feel. And it always came across as seriously deep-seated, borderline unreasonable contempt for the world rather than just pop punk whining (no offense to pop punk fans). I got a little of that feeling from Green Day on American Idiot, another really successful album. They were like a bunch of grumpy old men making music for kids

 

[crankyrayhanky]

its crazy to me hearing this guy and bob rock talk about there being so many edits that the tape machine wouldnt play anymore. i try and do everything one take when i record

maybe thats why no one has heard of you? (joking ) ... I think you would find if you had the budget you would probably get a little caught up and over indulgent

The one time I have recorded in a "real" studio I pretty much did all my guitars in one or two takes but my vocals took a few goes at it..bass was a nightmare, mainly because the guy didn't know the songs well enough

Funny, often my 1st rhythm take is painful and has lots of takes/punchins...I go to double it and I drill it. I do a 3rd one and drill it...repeat...eventually the 1st one is trash

I had just graduated high school when "...and Justice" came out and I wore that cassette tape out! It is crazy now with the whole bass guitar thing because nobody even noticed it back then. I'm not sure why but I just remember it sounding "HEAVY". I had been listening to the band since 85' at that point and as heavy as I thought the other albums were, when that one came out and I heard "Blackened", I could not believe it.

It is also interesting to see where those guys are mentally now compared to where they were in their 20s. That competition to see who is louder, etc. went on into the Black Album but thankfully Bob Rock fought back as much as he could. I love watching "A Year and A Half in the Life of Metallica" where Bob is telling Kirk "oh, then let's just put anything on there" for his solo because he hadn't done his homework. Or telling Lars about how things won't sound right if his drums are too loud, etc.

Ya I didn’t realize there was no bass until I got on forums lol. I thought it was just a kick ass heavy album. I’m so glad the internet came around so I now know what sucks

I loved the disc when it came out but I was like Where's Jason? I was a big fan of Doomsday and looked forward to this disc. I don't think I want to listen to it now though, too longwinded on many tracks as I recall

Lars is the worst. Next is Hammett.

Justice was a good album IMO. their LAST good album.

+1 on being their last Great release. I like a lot of moments from things since more than most, but yeah, they are not anywhere near the kings of metal anymore.