Hetfield addresses tone on Justice album

[311boogieman]

James Hetfield addresses the tone (lack of bass) on their album - And Justice For All.

If this is old news then please disregard. It is news to me. Word on the street was always that they purposely mixed Jason down because he was new and being 'hazed' or whatever.

This is what James said about it:

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/ge ... dible.html


"Can we sit behind a desk and make it happen? No. We ask people to do it, and they do it. So [mixer Steve Thompson] did his job. He's got nothing to apologize for or point fingers at. No one's to blame for 'something.' It is a piece of art. It happened and it ended up the way it is for a reason, and for reasons we were just talking about. We were burnt. We're traveling, we're playing a gig, our ears were fried. We were not sleeping. He doesn't need to defend himself. He was a part of an awesome album in history, "

That and they wanted a very 'in your face' record so they cranked up the snare and guitar and possibly due to ear fatigue - didn't realize the bass was suffering. That's what I got out of it. I'm glad James addressed it. I DO wish they would remix it and re-release it

 

[japetus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWgEeTqjXMI

 

[RaceU4her]

That and they wanted a very 'in your face' record so they cranked up the snare and guitar and possibly due to ear fatigue - didn't realize the bass was suffering.

not according to the mixer lol

 

[LeftOurEyes]

Haha yeah I was gonna post the video that Race posted. I always heard it was Lars's fault basically and James more or less just let it be.

 

[RaceU4her]

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

 

[romanianreaper]

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.

 

[sytharnia1560]

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.

its called the internet mate ... people just need to bitch about something that happened years earlier because every is now an expert on everything

 

[sytharnia1560]

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

 

[LP Freak]

Listen at 5:18

 

[messenger]

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

 

[hammered]

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.

its called the internet mate ... people just need to bitch about something that happened years earlier because every is now an expert on everything

This & This

 

[rottingcorpse]

It is what it is,part of Metallicas evolution.

When they are too old to keep touring,they will re-master everything for whatever the newest listening system is. Too bad that Saint Anger will still suck even then.

 

[romanianreaper]

Too bad that Saint Anger will still suck even then.

Yeah, as much of a Metali-Nerd that I am, for the life of me I can't get into that album. I tried so hard. I mean there are a few riffs here and there or a certain cool line from a song but man just too much at one time. The combination of the tin can drum, the down tuned sloppy riffs, and James "yahuuuueeehhaa" vocals out of tune is just too much.

Two times when Metallica dramatically changed everything all at once. Load and St. Anger. I struggle with both.

 

[Purpleibby]

I will echo this sentiment with my own experience. Back in the day I never even thought something was wrong with it or heard anyone talk about this when the album was new. Quite the contrary actually. AJFA was a metal masterpiece musically....and remains my fav. Metallica album. These songs and album are so iconic I wouldn't want them any other way. My humble view is to leave it alone. The album is definitely a unique sound and I like that about it, for me it always imparted a cold kind of emotion from it...hard to describe. Hearing it on a sound system with any bass capabilities at all and AJFA definitely kicks... Will always love the album...don't fuck with it/change it.

 

[romanianreaper]

The crazy thing about "....and Justice" is that although you can't hear a bass guitar, it is like there are frequencies that fill out that area somehow. Those low mids with the loud bass drum just fill it out. It still sounds so heavy.

 

[Purpleibby]

The crazy thing about "....and Justice" is that although you can't hear a bass guitar, it is like there are frequencies that fill out that area somehow. Those low mids with the loud bass drum just fill it out. It still sounds so heavy.

Indeed!

 

[Valtyr]

Back in the day I didn't notice the lack of bass because I didn't have a system good enough to project it anyway. LOL

 

[Shask]

Too bad that Saint Anger will still suck even then.

Yeah, as much of a Metali-Nerd that I am, for the life of me I can't get into that album. I tried so hard. I mean there are a few riffs here and there or a certain cool line from a song but man just too much at one time. The combination of the tin can drum, the down tuned sloppy riffs, and James "yahuuuueeehhaa" vocals out of tune is just too much.

Two times when Metallica dramatically changed everything all at once. Load and St. Anger. I struggle with both.

What I have found about St. Anger is that there is some good stuff, but it is like they copied and pasted the songs too much on the computer to make them like 8 minutes too long. It is like they just copied parts just to say they went back to long songs. I find the best way to listen to St. Anger is to listen to about 2 minutes of a song, and then skip to the next. Listen to 2 minutes, skip to the next, etc.... It is like you get the good stuff before you get bored and annoyed.

 

[Shask]

The crazy thing about "....and Justice" is that although you can't hear a bass guitar, it is like there are frequencies that fill out that area somehow. Those low mids with the loud bass drum just fill it out. It still sounds so heavy.

Nowdays people complain about the "scooped guitars"...... But I still think that guitar tone mixed with the clicky typewriter bass drums is one of the heaviest combinations ever.

 

[guitarded_1]

I was a Metallica fiend when this record came out, and though I dug it, I found it impossible not to notice the weird, dry production and no bass.