(Andy Synn’s haiku review feature usually includes a trio of 3-line reviews, but this one includes a dozen haikus for a single album.)
So I assume by now that many of you, if you have even a passing interest in the band still, will have heard some (if not all) of the new Metallica album, Hardwired… to Self-Destruct?
After all, it’s finally being released tomorrow, and the band have now debuted a different music video (some better than others) for each of the twelve songs which make up the double-disc set, so it should be easy enough to make your own mind up whether or not you’re still willing to get on-board the Metallica train.
Now as much as we tend to focus our energies on covering the smaller bands here at NCS, sometimes it’s fun to comment on the bigger acts too. It really just depends (in my case, at least) as to whether or not we feel like we have anything interesting to add to the conversation.
And having seen a mixture of reactions ranging from the hilarious (“death to false metal!”) to the fawning (“this is the best album of the year, Metallica can do no wrong!”) I felt like I wanted to at least say a little something about the album… and what better way than through the ever-enigmatic medium of the humble haiku?
So, after the jump, twelve haikus and twelve videos, summing up my feelings, good and bad, towards Hardwired…
First things first. Track one.
Sets a low bar. It’s “Fuel”
Without the fi-yah.
But things pick up fast.
Atlas rises and so too
Do my hopes at last.
Shameless harmonies?
Taut, muscular riffs? This is
What they’ve been missing!
Lars is solid, if
A bit stock. Kirk is still Kirk
(for better or worse)
But the songs are good!
Somewhere between Load and Black
With a dash of Kill…
It finally feels
Like the band are having fun.
With nothing to prove.
And tracks like “Moth…”, “Dream…”
And “Halo…” are the best they’ve
Done in twenty years.
Does it need two discs?
Not really. In fact most of
Disc two could be cut.
“Confusion” can go.
“Man(un)kind” and “Murder…” too.
Just to trim the fat.
But “Spit Out The Bone”?
Those riffs? That bass? Even Cliff
Would be proud of this.
It’s FAR from perfect
(though some will claim otherwise)
But I have to say
I have not enjoyed
A Metallica album
This much in ages.
10 Responses to “ANDY SYNN PRESENTS: REVIEWS IN HAIKUS (METALLICA)”
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My first impressions aren’t quite as positive, but such is it between me and this particular band: I will try again. Definitely better than DM though.
Spit out the bone deserves special mention. Not their best song ever, for sure, but it must be their heaviest. Did not know they had THAT in them.
Probably their heaviest number since Damage, Inc. And one of their best. Really took me by surprise (particularly considering disc 2 is a bit lacklustre).
My experience as well, with emphasis on “surprise”. Had actually dozed off by then (read: started to do other stuff on the internetz) when that riff suddenly kicked in. Man, sometimes one forgets what an amazing rythm guitarist James Hetfield is.
I have only listened to Hardwired. Would you say this is on par with Death Magnetic?
Quite a bit better I’d say. Still a bit too much filler (sticking to 7/8 songs would have made for a much nicer package overall imo), but the highlights are all really good this time around.
Good to hear. I’ve enjoyed most of what I’ve heard so far, but I have not listened to much beyond the first two songs they released.
Saw them playing a short set on monday in Berlin and the new songs (Hardwired, Moth & Atlas) where very intense and went very well with the older songs (Master, One, Bells & Sandman).
As for the new album: I really like, that there´s something from every past album in it (even Load/Reload). But i agree, that some parts are unnecessary and should have been left out. But then again I never would have expected an album with this overall quality from them.
It’s not bad. It’s pretty good. (talking myself into it). It’s a good Metallica album. It’s darn near almost good!
ok. It’s got some good songs on it.
ok, not all of them are bad. I like spit out the bone. Moth to the flame. Except for rhyming “fucked” with “self-destruct” the first track is damn good.
But why do they insist on playing so fucking slow? It’s glacially slow without the atmosphere that makes slow metal work. And why does Hetfield insist on singing clean, when his clean singing voice fucking sucks? And singing clean showcases the lyrics which sound like they were written by a wealthy teenage boy having a midlife crisis.
Still. I’m happy they made a good metallica album and now I can go they them play at Gillette Stadium this summer without being totally embarrassed about this.
Most riffs are stolen from other songs which is why it doesn’t sound spontaneous. It is more professional in a good way, but damn James sounds so old and tired. I think it’s ok people like it, each person’s experiences differ after all, I just don’t find myself wanting to hear one of their new songs on repeat.
I guess like many metal fans I grew up on ‘tallica. The first ever concert I went to was the Black Album tour when I was 13. I spent my teenage years learning their riffs and solos. I’m even in the minority that thought Load and Reload were good albums.
But these days I haven’t listened to any of their albums for a loong time. Not that I think I’m now ‘too kvlt’ – or at least, I hope I haven’t turned into ‘that guy’ 😉 – but I don’t know, my tastes are just different: St Anger or DM didn’t really do anything for me, and I guess I haven’t gone back to listen to their older stuff since there’s so much good new metal out.
But reading this article and this one haiku really hit me:
“It finally feels, Like the band are having fun. With nothing to prove.”
Damn you’ve nailed it, that’s what’s they’ve missing with St Anger and DM!… they just felt so forced and ‘trying to conform/be heavy’ like they’d lost themselves along the way. I probably won’t be picking up this new one, but I’m glad they’re enjoying making music. And from what I can tell there’s a lot of fans out there who are happy with the new album too.
Also.. I guess when you’ve got the money that Metallica has, you can make a video for each song!