Customer Reviews
Ace - By: Mr. N. E. Sheppard, 29 Nov 2008 
I'm not much given to hyperbole & "ace" is not a word I've used much since I was 14, twenty years ago, but then I haven't enjoyed an album this much since 1988 either. Certainly not one by Metallica. Death Magnetic, however, is just...ace.
Metallica play it safe - By: D. Seaman, 27 Nov 2008 
On first hearing this album I was happy to hear Metallica having a good proper strong thrash sound again after the sludge that was St Anger.
I don't think the mastering is an issue, plenty of great albums are badly produced(Iggy & the Stooges-Raw Power, The Smiths-The Queen is dead) a good album will shine through.
Its dissapointing that they havent continued evolving. Metallica had re-invented themselvesin sound &in image with Load, as much as Ride the Lightning is one of my favourite albums of all time I still really love the Load albums.
Metallica seemed to enjoy teasing there fans & they always speak of doing what they want, regardless of whats expected of them, but now they have givenin to the fans who want 1980s Metallica back.
Axl Rose has just released an album which is both modern & classic sounding, maybe Metallica should've thought of a new direction after Re-load, there were elements of St Anger I thought couldve been focused on, like the melodic ideasin sweet amber, Unnamed Feeling, Purify & All within my hands. Instead of focusing on these ideas St Anger was a total mess & the 'metal' side of it consisted of really naff nu-metal nothing riffs, they comprimised the pottential experimentation of St Anger whilst missing the nu-metal bandwagon by a mile, but I still have more respect for St Anger Metallica than I do for Death Magnetic Metallica.
Anyway back to Death Magnetic -
The progressive elements on this album (that hark back to Justice) sound forced, the lyrics are clear, which is a shame because they make you cringe throughout the whole album. The start of the Unforgiven III is very promising then ends up sounding like 'I dissapear'(Metallicas Mission Impossible tune), makes you realise how good the unforgiven too was & how incredibly strong The Black albums original Unforgiven was. Kirk Hammet may be back on solo duties but he doesnt do anything memorable, on hearing his guitar work on this album alone he would gain no acclaim as a lead guitarist, its very predictable, sounds like someone doing a Kirk Hammet impression.
People always slag off Lars but I think he is a very distinctive drummer, hes interesting to listen to, not many drummers get away with being slightly technically imperfect, especiallyin metal, I think colaborating with more adventurous musicians would bring out the bestin lars, these days he certainly outclasses the other members of the bandin terms of passion & individuality.
I remember how outraged all the narrow-minded metalheads were when Load came out(I remember one meathead telling me how he smashed his cd with a hammer after hearing a few songs), yet this album will unfortunately please them because Metallica have at last, probably for the first time reallyin there career, played it safe.
preparing for the backlash - By: Richard Cramer, 26 Nov 2008 
im gonna get some fury for this one..................but chinese democracy is a million times better buy that..ha ha ha ha ha :)
The Kings Of Metal Are Back - By: Turk Thrust, 25 Nov 2008
This was probably Metallica's last chance to make a record that would hang to the fanatical loyalty of their dwindling fanbase. Their 1990s output, while for the most part pretty good, took themin a direction that your average headbanger didn't want to go in, & 2003's disastrous St Anger & the accompanying documentary Some Kind of Monster should by rights have been the end.
This is Metallica though & they're not going down without a fight. Death Magnetic has got the thrash riffs & long complex song structures of their beloved first four albums, the melodic sensibility & songwriting nous of the Load era, & with the exception of the mastering being a little loud it's been properly produced.
Job done - the kings of metal have resumed their throne.
The masters return... - By: M. Phillips, 25 Nov 2008 
The best album since the black album, Metallica truly become the masters of metal once again!
