I get so MAD!

June 8th, 2003 at 06:30pm Posted by Bill

I bought Metallica’s new St. Anger CD today. I didn’t even realize it had been released already. Amazon has it for $12.98, which is a hell of a deal, considering it also comes with a DVD of them performing all the songs while practicing and warming up.

The CD kicks ass, as any true fan already knows. I’ve heard a lot of reviews knocking it, saying it sounds too different, it doesn’t sound like the old Metallica. I agree, and that’s one of the reasons I love it. I think Metallica are one of the bravest rock bands around. They obviously aren’t afraid to try new things, and I appreciate that the new CD doesn’t sound like the old ones. If you want something that sounds like their old stuff, then listen to their old stuff (which I still do).

The new CD has a raw, slightly unpolished sound that is welcome. It doesn’t sound like four musicians in a studio re-recording every chord and every word until it is flawless; it sounds like four guys jamming. Don’t get me wrong, the CD’s sound quality is perfect, you need only compare the same songs on the DVD, where the songs are sometimes off-key and notes are sometimes missed, to see that they did spend a lot of time in the studio. However, they took care to leave well enough alone once the songs sounded great. Rock and Roll is not supposed to be perfection.

Entry Filed under: Music