This album blows. Hetfield rambles on like some wacko with vocals that sound more like they were recorded during a sound check. The most appropriate lyrics are during St. Anger where James says "Flush It Out!" over and over. He's right, flush this turd of an album down the crapper and forget about it. Forget guitar solos-they are completely devoid from every single track. The tracks are mishmashed crap, jumping from one style to another for no apparent reason. I guess Lars thought he could save the album with his double "kick-drum" ressurection, but it does nothing but make me-as a big Metallica fan-angrier than ever at them. The funniest part is watching the DVD where there is a huge "Ride The Lightning" era Metallica logo on the wall. I guess it's there to remind James and the boys that they ARE metallica since the noise they are grinding out sound nothing like the kings of metal from the 80's. I don't expect a remake/rehash of the Justice, Lightning or Puppets albums, but this album blows worse than Load & Reload. The cover of the album is even lame as hell. There should be a big, cartoon-style fan bent over holding his ass-cheeks apart, ready for that fist to get rammed home because that is exactly what Metallica is doing to it's fans-shoving it up your ass. My local radio station said it best when mocking the track Invisible Kid and it's Dr. Suess-style lyrics. "Green egs & ham! Gree egs & ham! I do not like them, Sam I Am!" Too funny.

What I think is most fun about this "controversy" is that there is no in-between. You either love it or hate it, and the "lovers" tend to be much more literate in the reasons why they love it while the "haters" tend to just spout off belligerently. You have to give the band credit - they have revitalized themselves. Causing this much controversy only means that the band has riled people's feathers. When the Loads came out, almost everyone dismissed them as trash. With St. Anger, it seems that Metallica is going to wind up clearing out those fair-weather fans who only want to hear the Kill 'em All through Justice period over and over again. Great albums they are, but that era ended 15 years ago. St. Anger, imperfect as it may be, represents another turning point for the band. Hopefully they won't screw it up by releasing something like the Loads in the future.

I just finished spinning "St. Anger" and I must say that while it's different, it has some of the band's strongest, most energetic songs since--well--"Load" and "Re-Load." I know it's an unpopular position but I like both of those records. It might even be that because everyone hated them when they came out I decided to give them an extra chance. Anyway.

"St. Anger" is not conservative or a throwback to the band's original sound. It is a gritty step forward. Highlights include "Shoot me Again", "Sweet Amber" and the title track.
It challenges the listener in an aggressive, confrontational fashion. It growls, spasms and yes, thrashes through eleven songs.

The new record is 80 minutes of sheer power, with the band exploring a gritty, almost industrial approach anchored around the new secret weapon, an anvil-like snare drum sound that makes some of the tracks feel like high-speed Nine Inch Nails. This is not a bad thing.

Being a fan from the beginning, I too was as sceptical as anyone listening to the new album after the crap that has been put out since and justice for all, I mean the black album had a few good songs on it, but like most of the early metallica fans it was a turning point that was sending my favourite band quickly downhill.

This time however, I am fully into the new album, there are of course bits I like and bits i don't, but I definatley see it as a positive move from metallica.

Some kind of monster is easily my favourite track on the album, nice and heavy and has a great feel to it, and the title track St. Anger is easily my least favourite on the album, the melodic bits just don't sit right with me.

The other problem I have is that Kirks guitar solos are really missing, how can you have one of the best solo guitarists in your band and not have him do one in 80 minutes?

Other people seem to be complaining about the length of the new album, well you won't get that from me, every song over 5 minutes - that's what metallica was about, remember and justice for all - it had two songs pushing really close to the 10 minute mark, stuff that you could put on before you went to sleep at night and you'd wake up the next morning and it was still going...

All said, I'm pretty stoked with my copy of the album, the dvd just sweetened the deal for me, and 30 odd live songs that the boys let me download from the vault hasn't made me too angry either.

It is definatley a step in the right direction for the masters of the speed metal era. All they need to do is let kirk let loose with a few solos now and again.

Listening to this album helped me to appreciate Load and Re-Load for what they are. I'd like to start by saying that I've been a Metallica fan for roughly 3 years now. Not long, I know, but I have studied the band inside and out and listened to each one of their albums dozens of times over.

The second thing I'd like to point out is that I am a "hater" of the new St. Anger album.

Having listened to the Kill'Em All - And Justice For All albums, I can come to appreciate Load and Re-Load, because they simply sound like a new-aged Metallica. With solo's present, and individual song-uniqueness in tact, St. Anger helped me develop a new appreciation for Load and Re-Load.

I wont rant or rave, but St. Anger is a very long and tedious album. Kill'Em All was great because it was a eardrum bursting metal sound.

Lightning kicked ass because every song made shivers run down the listeners spine. Listen to Fade To Black and tell me you don't f*cking love that song.

Puppets, simply put, was just a great album.

... And Justice For All showed us that Metallica knew how to write great songs. The title track from that album was incredibly well written. One, Blackened, all great songs.

After those albums it went downhill for Metallica. But I think they're biggest downfall has been with St. Anger.

Load and Re-Load at least sounded like Metallica. St. Anger sounds like some middle-aged metal band who is struggling to get some music together.

Another thing I wanted to mention. Anyone notice that as soon as James Hetfield became sober, his music started to suck?? I think alcohol was the bands muse. Just a thought.

I don't understand this controversy about the new album. it's very simple, if you like it, buy it. And don't do it if you don't, but don't this people who says that new album is just shit and only have listen a pair of songs one time must shut theri mouths putting his cock in. This new album is an art masterpiece. Bad production? Who cant it be bat produced with the same people behind that produced the black album? Maybe they just wanted to sound like the album sounds. It's completly raw, simple an hard. If you listen to it a pair of times, you only discover the angry behind the songs. But if you listen more, you can also feel the great work of every one of them, specially lars and his drums. I think load and reload was also great albums of metallica, exploring new paths of his music. They do what they want. And if you like it, support them. And if you don't, just don't keep annoying. Put the cd in the trash, burn it or just forget it. But you would be losing a true effort of innovation and 11 execellent songs.

This is by far the most simplest album they have produced. My 5 year old can play just as well. Noise, cracked voices, lyrics that even my son can understand and drums that are indeed tin cans. If you like this crap, buy it.
I do not. I listen to music, not shit.
This is shit in its purest sense.
Metalica now has desended to just another shit band. Good job guys.

welome home ?

i kinda like it.

let's fact it...if they had done something like Load/ReLoad, people would have hated it. the same would have gone for the black album and Justice styles.

so they do something different...and people hate it.

ya, ya...Metallica is all washed up. sure.

fricken get over it.

This album kicks ass. For all those who hate it, get over it. The only reason you don't like it is because its not Master of Puppets 2. Don't judge Metallica on the past. Listen to it and judge it on the music itself, not what you think Metallica should be. I do have to say that I miss the guitar solos, and I hope that Lars leaves out that pinging drum next album. I'd rate it 4 out of 5 stars

Some people loved the old Metallica. And some the new. For those of the former catagory who were waiting for them to get back to their roots, here is an album that you were waiting for. It's not perfect at all, but it's better than Reload. For the latter catagorey, welcome to the real world.

Guys, give them a break. JH just came out of rehab and after the loss of JNewstead this is still a good album.

St. Anger does not do any 'Justice', but it kicks. I'm glad they're back to their old ways...or at least starting to go that way again.

Sorry, in no way does this album get back to their "roots." I have been listening to and admiring Metalica since their first track on a compilation way back when.

In 6 months time, how many people will be listening to this disc over anything pre-Load? I doubt very few.

As far avant-garde metal, it isnt that either. You want really good this type of metal, listen to any Voivod.

We were expecting an album in line with "Puppets" or "Justice", but that was in the eighties. Music has changed.

If I Know James, we would neve make a copy of those albums. This one is in another direction.

3 things i dislike: no solos (not even one), the "can" drums, and sometimes James voice that looks like a rehersal.

If they could correct this "details" it would be a GREAT album for me. The question is: "Why are they doing music at all?

- To enjoy themselves?
- To enjoy the fans?
- Just to make money?

If they're doing it for the first reason, then this is the right direction.

Lol,

i love it when people diss this album.. tell me dissers, do you go and buy a madonna album, then go to a review of that album, after you buy it, and slate it for being crap?

if you bought this and think it sucks - then fuck you, go listen to kiddy pop or whatever you like! if you didn't buy it, then shut the fuck up.

i notice people only do this to metallica,
hmmmm, envy? or sheer childishness?

btw: St. Anger up your ass!

Truly a love/hate album it would seam. Unfortunately for me, not so much hate, more "I see what they're doing, I just don't like it". St. Anger is not the classic Metallica sound, it's not like they have similar sounding songs, just upped the production quality (like Maiden did on their flawless Brave New World album), the entire structure and emphasis of the songs have changed. Metallica songs traditionally were great for their catchy, clear nature. You weren't ever struggling to hear the different bits of the song, you never had a big mess of notes, it was always clean cut and felt, simply, right. You could listen to a classic like Creeping Death and know the song perfectly when you next heard it. Above all else, this style made them memorable.

This cannot be said for St. Anger. I have found, so far, one, and one only, memorable riff on the whole album, being the three chord descending riff on Unnamed Feeling. Everything else simply doesn't have them. Riffs are no longer chords, their lots of fast notes around the bottom of the E string. To me, this sounds just like a System Of A Down song (see Toxicity). In fact, Metallica have tuned their guitars to the same tuning of System, further aiding this sound.

The low tuning, coupled with dirty production, is one of the reasons the album sounds so muddy. Try knocking the bass right down and the treble right up, it almost sounds like it should again. When I say 'should', I mean the sound of the first few albums, none of this muddy rubbish, good clear, crisp guitars. The very odd thing is, in amongst all this gooey, smudgy guitar work are drums that sound more trebly than And Justice.... What was Lars thinking, the drumming may be very fast, but the sound simply doesn't suit the rest of the album. If it's a down tuned album, you don't have tinny little drums that sound more like grandma's saucepans. I'm not trying to alter anyone's opinions, if you like muddy guitars where you struggle to even hear a single note, good for you, I'm just saying why I don't like it.

So, you have this style, of very fast, not clearly structured (the intros, verses, choruses, bridges etc. all blend into one), what's the one thing you don't do? Make 8 minute songs, that's what. Long songs always need variety to make them listenable, the greatest epic pieces have all very unique, very different parts to them, so one section doesn't get boring. St. Anger's songs do not have this sectional approach; the whole 7 or 8 minutes are based around the same riff or lick. And seeing as all the songs are plus 5 minutes, and many of them sound very similar, you get an album that simply doesn't go in.

You listen to it, at the end of All Within My Hands can you remember the verse to Invisible Kid? No, and that is a sign of not just poorly structured songs, but a poorly structured album. It's 75 minutes of lots of fast notes around the bottom of the E string, or should I say the drop C string or whatever it is. Really, good tunes? None. Fantastic melodies? Forget it. About all the album has is 'Attitude', but then again so does 'Slipknot' and 'Chocolate Starfish...' by Slipknot and Limp Bizkit respectively. Do Metallica want to be like these bands? Obviously, yes. As for the solos, or lack of them, if Bob Rock had said in an interview they wouldn't have felt right in the songs, he should have realised straight away there's something very wrong with the songs then. To me, a solo is very important in a song that doesn't have much lead work, like all of St. Anger. The only long songs that can get away without a solo are, like I said, the lead driven ones. For example, Maiden's epic Sign Of The Cross could have easily done without one, of their more well known Hallowed Be Thy Name. Speaking of this song, everyone knows the riff makes the base for it, but is there a single thing like it in all of St. Anger? No, nothing. It's not that there isn't any solos, there isn't any bleeding lead work either.

To me, the album sounds like a big pile of dung. Literally, the muddy, gooey, dirty sound of the whole thing, over long songs that never lift themselves out of messy E notes, reminds me of a huge pile of Rhino dung. It might be very from a very mean, angry animal, but its still dung. Sorry if I've been waffling, but I do feel strongly about the album. I don't hate all of it, I think St. Anger the song is very catchy (but in the same way Can't Get You Out Of My Head by Kylie Minogue is catchy), and some of the riffs if ever played on decent sounding guitars, may be real stompers, but everything seam to came together to not make this a good album.

And don't even get me started on the lyrics. 'Frantic tic tic tic tic tic tock'? Please, my dog could have come up with those lyrics. 'Purify, you and I, Purify, you and I, Purify..... you and I, Purify, you and I, Purify'? You can tell the thought process:

Lars: Hey, hey James, OM, what do you think would rhyme, OM, with Purify?
James: *half a seconds thought* You and I?
Lars: OM, don't you think that's a bit, OM, unoriginal, lame, simple and totally totally terrible?
James: Yeah, but at least it has 'Attitude'
Lars: OM yeah!
*repeat for all the lyrics in the whole album*

Oh dear, I got started on the lyrics and I said I wouldn't. Oops.

Anyway, after that huge rant, I'd give St. Anger a C+. Is it listenable? Yes. Background music it's perfect. You put it at a reasonably low volume, it just sounds like a distorted hum, perfect for working or reading to. A sit down in the dark with a beer and a huge hi-fi system to listen to with all your attention for an hour and a quarter? LOL, gimme a break.

All I can say is role on Dance Of Death (the new Maiden album, release date September).

The words of this last comment (15) are my words!
These are the most realistic thoughts, not just filled with "I like it / I don't like it".

Anth realy, the guitar tune makes me remind of SOAD! what a joke!

this cd is wasted on you dumb metalheads.

remember the garage days covers cd? - songs by punk bands such as discharge & anti-nowhere league & also the ultimate no-frills metal group motorhead?

well thats whats going on here.... no solos? great! rough vocals? nice one! its the best thing since 'MOP'

the good thing about metallica always used to be mix of punk attitude with the metal skills & constructions, and st anger has that with knobs on!

you lot are the same people who would have hated '..and justice' but now love it... come to think of it, you are the same kind of people who would have argued that the invention of the wheel was a bad idea, cos you prefered to drag stuff

Hey dudes, I can't believe the crap I'm readin' here.
St. Anger's like totally awesome cock enhancing M-E-T-A-L
Get on message you stone washed spandex wearin' Neanderthal's.

Hey Marty (comment 12)
If you'd been listening to Metalica (sic) since 'way back when' then maybe it's time you learned how to spell the frickin' name! It's Metallica, you turd.

Hey, wake up and smell the glove Marcus (comment17) St. Angers sucks, dude. For one there ain't no guitar solo's, two St. Angers a garbage title, three the artwork sucks. All the vital ingredients for a kick ass metal album are AWOL!
Hey Rock fans, does anyone know how to get blood stains out of Spandex???

Blood stains on your spandex?
A common problem easily remedied.
Rub (not while wearing) a tincture of crushed wild orchids mixed with a tea spoon of fresh mountain water and the blood of a red crested Grebe.

Sorry metalheads, I forgot to add the caveat emptor for comment 21. After you have applied the tincture to said pants leave in a dark room until Black Sabbath reform.

whoa, dudes, top cleaning tips.
Does anyone know where I can get hold of some leopard skin spans with enhanced crotch padding, I need them in time for Donington Monster's of ROCK festival.

The best way to describe St. Anger?

Take the worst song from any other Metallica album. Go ahead, take whatever song you hated the most from any of their previous efforts. Now listen to it followed up by the entire St. Anger album.

Then, you realize that the crap song you totally hate is the best track you just listened to in the past 90 minutes!

Comment 18: "Cock enhancing metal"? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Did Lars just come out of the closet? Come to think of it, the average Metallica fan probably would fit in Saturday night in the Castro. And the band did live in San Francisco for a while. Hmmmmm...it's all coming together now, so to speak. Not that there's anything wrong with it!

fucking hell. what a weird album.

i have loved metallica since puppets changed the way i saw music. i thought every album was great. people moaned with black album, and moaned with the loads, but then again they moaned with ride the lightning because fade to black had an acoustic part.

i felt that every album was a real progression forward. even the loads were great. they were musical and had a huge heaviness behind them. tell me that you do not like the outlaw torn.

but what is the step forward here? i appreciate the fact that they wanted to go heavy again, fine, BUT:

- lars has got the crappest drum sound since 1983 with no budget. what the fuck were they thinking? i think james is too nice sober to tell him that it sounds like shit. and TOO LOUD!
- you cant record an album without a bassist. the bright sound bob rock uses is awful and goes against all of what metallica is about. when you can hear it.
- the guitar tone is shoddy. where is the dreaded hetfield tone?
- poor kirk. always able to add something to a song, not allowed to try even once on this album.

i always enjoyed the fact that metallica did what they wanted, and sounded like metallica. but now it sounds as if they are imitating the modern bands. not convinced.

i reckon bob rock must fuck off. he has been around too long, is wielding too much influence. they need something new.

It has potential but feels very rushed. It's as if there was no time for proper mixing and the integration of solos.

Just sounds rushed, or like a garage band's demo tape.

This album sounds like an old granny farting razorblades out of her smelly, wrinkly, hairy, fucken sweaty old ass!

Metallica are the biggest hasbeens ever! Once the greatest, now the worst! This album sucks! Metallica sucks sucks sucks! Period!!!

As a musician I have to say that this albume sucked ass..... The sound was very pour and non constructive..I didn't dig the drums either "which was very dissapointing" the snare was to high, the base drum was to low, and it all just sounded like crap... I realized after hearing the black albume that they were washed up...I like matalica but the shit that they have been producing really was dissapointing

hi all

this is not just a bad album by metallica standards, its a bad album by any standards. the fact that could listen to this shit and agree that it was worthwhile putting on the shelves is a disgrace in itself. this must be the first rock cd that i have found impossible to listen to entirely in one sitting.

a few days in a songwriting school would work wonders, cos theyve obviously forgotten how to write good music.

FUG

hi all

this is not just a bad album by metallica standards, its a bad album by any standards. the fact that could listen to this shit and agree that it was worthwhile putting on the shelves is a disgrace in itself. this must be the first rock cd that i have found impossible to listen to entirely in one sitting.

a few days in a songwriting school would work wonders, cos theyve obviously forgotten how to write good music.

FUG

St. Anger is not only one of the best Metallica albums ever, it's one of the best metal albums ever. I bought it on the day it came out and 2 months later haven't stopped listening. In fact, I kinda wish Metallica wasn't so popular because this disc is so good I feel like I just stumbled on the greatest demo from the greatest garage band ever, instead of a major record release. Get's better every time. Some people are just haters and wouldn't like anything Metallica released so they harp on the 'snare drum' or 'lack of solos' or 'my coochie hurts' or whatever. 'Frantic' and 'Unnamed feeling' are so good I can't even think of words to describe how good these songs are. BTW my metal background is quite extensive as I was roadieing (is that a word?) for bands like Sadus, Death, Autopsy, Dark Angel, Vio-lence, Testament and others at legendary Bay area clubs like the Stone and Omni back in the 80's. So I think I know Metal. St. Anger fuckin rules and will go down as a classic in my book. If you don't like it go listen to 'evanescence' you pussies.

This album is absolutly horrible garbage, its a shame an "Icon" such as Metallica has released such a shitty sounding and boring album, James, buddy, the first drinks on me!! ever notice when bands decide to sober up, their creativity and taste seems to get kicked under the table ala Aerosmith, Motley Crue and now Metallica. Lars drum sound is fuckin Heinous!!!

listen to the fuckin album a few times and it'll grow on you!!!!ever noticed that some songs take a while to become ur favourites?well..same with this album.

i have come back to change my mind. i was one of those dissing the album, but have now listened to it nonstop for 2 months and like it more every time.

once yu get used to the drum sound (i still dont like it), you can start to listen to the songs themselves, and they are actually brilliant. there is so much to them, very dynamic.

and the het shouting "fuck it all and fucking no regrets" and "im madly in anger with you" is him at his best.

unnamed feeling and all within my hands are some of the best songs ever.

it just takes a while to get into. give it a try, you are losing out otherwise!

This album is an enigma to me. When I first listened to each and every track -- I swear to you -- I hated each one. But I gave them a second try. Not so bad. Third try, pretty good. Fourth, awesome.

I don't know what it is about this album ... it seriously grows on you, and sucks you in. I was incredibly disappointed, and now my viewpoint's totally changed ... and it seems that others feel the same way, when I look through these posts.

I don't want to say that this is an amazing album -- after all, there isn't one goddamn solo, and the mixing is terrible. Terrible. But I'm sure if any of you heard these songs live, you would be worshipping Metallica.

( By the way, I am a fan of every album Metallica has ever released, INCLUDING Load and ReLoad. You can't deny talent, even if you don't like the style. )

I think the only reason a lot of you dislike St. Anger is because it was made by Metallica. Were you to forget that fact, would you still hate the songs?

To the un-appreciating: Listen the albums of bands that Metallica has covered and you will dislike them also.

I bet they are crying in their beer (...orange juice for James) when they read your *cutting* comments...NOT!

I've hear the albums of the bands Metallica has covered, and I like them a lot. I'd say that Metallica really shouldn't try to cover Mercyful Fate or Discharge, because they're not very good at it. What this has to do with not liking St. Anger, I don't know.

I'm a huge prog fan, but I think this really a GREAT album, tho I can see why people dont like this.

St. Anger has no solos, so what? Hammett isn't a very good solo guitarist.. Snare is weird, but not bad. Dumb and perfect lyrics, snarled so well and killer riffs. The feeling... Like they are playing their instruments with sledgehammers.

Just f.ing great, aggressive and simple, but still all the songs are kept interesting with sheer brutality.

Hey, Just wanted to Say Fuck off to All Metallica haters!!!

Why the fuck r u writing dissing comments??? ok load reload r not good, but who cares, its 2 errors, y cant people appreciate what the good things they made? easier to say negative thing huh!? dumb fucks you tallica haters are. I think that people just like to say metallica are sell outs. If Metallica didnt exist, you would prolly still listening to crapy music, everything sucked before. And the New album St-Anger is fuckn gr8, just forget the weird can snare sound and listen to the riffs, the thrash speed metal songs, Say good bye to ballads and hello to the new age of Kill 'em All. old fans , this is what we were waiting for. And now the Rob joined the band, I'm sure that the next album will kick some fuckn asses, blow yur head off, 'cause they went back to their roots and with hope they will keep on goin that way. Kirk please make solos on the next album and its goin to be perfect!
'tallica 4ever!!!!!

Metallica has done a good job on St. Anger. I'ts just a hard album like we didn't expected. So what if the drums sound like tin cans, it's something different, get used to it.

who's the dumb fuck? that was the lamest post I've ever EVER read. Everything sucked before Metallica? Tell that to Lenny Kilmister(sp?)

What the fuck are you talking about? You just don't like the album 'cause it hurts your ears, dipshit.

I might as well give my two cents.
The attitude of Metallica is "fuck you, fuck the media, fuck the world, fuck you, you and 'you'." This has always been their attitude.
And for some reason everyone thinks Metallica should please their fans and not change. Kinda like "my girlfriend wants me to paint, even though my love is sculpting and I can only imply my best intrest thru sculpting. I can move forward and complete my self thru sculpting....so I'll paint, and just allow myself to roam around wastefully, because my girlfriend wants me too." Give me a fucking break.
The first albums kicked ass. Then they wanted to take a different road with black. That kicked ass too.
Load and reload? Oh no! Metallica wanted to explore music interest and open themselves up more musically and shit. How could they? Why not be a slave to the fans and say fuck our wants! Why not do what the fans demand and forget what we want? Those albums kicked ass too. For the simplicity of the fact, that they are coming more from the hearts of men and more from their interest than we have been given up to date. "but there's a blues sound and country and oh my!" Well, they like that type of music, so what if they want to explore it and allow it to enter their world a little? That's what they are, artist. Not slaves. They have the freedom to express themselves in their way. Not yours.
So this last album, St. Anger? In my opinion it is what it is. A big ass fist up your ass. Why? Because you deserve it. You tore Metallica apart for exploring their own interst and feelings. You shredded them of their pride, and stripped them of their talent, why? Because you have a fear to grow, to accept change? Because you can't explore yourself and find new ways to express yourself? Well Goddamn Metallica! Who the fuck are they to do these things?! So sense they followed what they felt was best for them musically, and they did what they should have done, explore their intrest, you shit right on them for it. Now for either being the kid with his hat on sideways who only listens to rap and calls metallica "sell-outs", or being the fan who refused to allow Metallica to grow, this album is for you. Listen to the lyrics, it is plainly stated. Fuck you all.
Metallica is a monster that will keep on doing what they do. With or without you. That has always been their thinking. So either fuck off forever, or quit crying like a little bitch and open your interest too. Don't fear growth, because Metallica is going to get bigger than ever, like it or not.
Besides, everyone knows bad publicity, does better justice than great. Anyone can tell you that. More people who absolutely hate an album will tell more people about it than those that love it. Simple fact of marketing.
So have a great day you bunch of fucks! Later.

Meanskin's comment is one of the best comments here.I can't believe I saw Cliff Burton's name only one or two times on this page.Do you guys remember that guy who was the bassist of 'tallica from kill.. to puppets?Well for those who might have forgotten Cliff Burton died 15 years ago...And once an essential member of a band goes,a page is turned in their history.You can't expect it to create the same thing over and over again.Sure we only saw the change slightly with justice for all.
Justice>black>load/reload.And now st. anger...That album really surprised me.most rock bands after 20 years of career become slower,and with MetallicA already on the down side with load and reload,I can't help to get perplex with this album.Brutal,violent,extremely heavy,no solos.I suggest we listen to Metallica's next album with our real bassist(not Bob Rock.

Hey! why the fuck do people only like to diss metallica?!! The new album is awesome, ya ok, forget the drum sound and the No solos, this album is much heavier than Suck and Resuck, Metallica's back! and they're in the right direction, next album will kick all of your 'tallica dissers ASSS.
St-Anger up your ass

Okay, I had only previously been listening to this album on crappy computer speakers, and thought it was much ado about nothing. Today I played it on the $100 plus quality car audio installed by Best Buy in the brick mobile for the first time, and I gotta say, yeah, the production and sound on this thingy does suck bad. There are the making of some killer tunes on here, but sometimes when James is wailing and hits a sour note, I think hey, my neighbor's band's singer really sucks-oh wait, this is the new Metallica? Damn! I had to keep turning the volume up, and it still didn't do the trick-and we all know that's a real bad sign when listening to the Metal, if you crank it, and you're still like, "Yo, this is tame-o! I think the fellas should have listened to me when I said, "Fellas, why not put out one nice, shiny, polished, Bob Rock produced disc, with the BIG sound all the kid's love, and then indulge yourselves with a dvd of you guys demoing all the songs too? Then, your peeps get 2 versions of the song to compare and contrast!" But alas, the boys ignored me and went back to reading The Davinci Code, checking their stock quotes, and ordering spicy Thai food.

I still think it's one big, nasty, mean slab o' noise that I find quite ear-pleasingly painful. Brickster, I don't know how you could find that production "tame-o."

I still think this is a good album. Meanskin summed it up pretty well, I think. I think in a few years, people are going to look back and 1) say "what was the big deal?" and/or 2) will find they really do like it. That's happened with a lot of things. I hated the Loads when they came out, but time and distance has allowed me to see them in a new light. They're pretty enjoyable, if a bit spotty. St. Anger will likely sound the same way to many people who immediately assumed it was going to sound a certain way. Happens a lot - and a lot of people miss out on good music because of it. Too bad.

I listened to St. Anger longer than Maiden's new CD. Both on the shelf collecting dust now. In the past I would never have shelved either of these artists so quickly.

WOW! i can't believe how long i have been sitting here reading everyone's comments about st. anger. the thing i have noticed the most is the contructive critisism from most of the people who don't like the new album and the simple, childish (and completely uninteresting) remarks from most of the people who do. i wonder if there is any connection between the new material and the type of person who claims to like it?

i personally don't like the album and tend to agree with the comments made by most of the people who agree with me. it's a shame because i do like all their previous albums and i was looking forward to this one. i too, was following the guys on their website-jump into the studio thing.

a few reasons why i don't like st. anger: snare drum sound way too tight, "new sound" is totally unoriginal - there are loads of bands playing a very similar style of heavy rock that do it so much better, this "raw/live" quality to the "new sound" has no redeeming qualities - if the idea was to make if sound fresh or "like the original metallica" i think they when too far.. like demo-tape-sounding too far, and finally, what is the point of kirk being there any more?

anyway, my idea of good music is something like a relatively new ensemble called "a perfect circle". if you are one of the new album "haters" i recommend you check them out.

- a. raine

The one thing about St. Anger is the production. its terrable. it is a different style of music, and it is good compared to most new albums this year in the heavy metal section... with exeptions. the lyrics are indeed the worst lyrics ive ever heard. but metallica are tallented, they wrote 'ONE' for gads sake! if you find it hard to listen to this album... watch the dvd a few times instead. i like the album now because it sounds better on the dvd and looks more interresting. they have had to put up with a lot of rubbish from the fans, theyve allways been critisized about every thing they do. i say give them a brake. theyve made music for US.

'ST. ANGER' is hands down a terrible album! The ultimate reason for this is the aweful production (the songwriting is also thrown together and not too great, but that's another thing). Every single album that Metallica has ever made, even 'Load' and 'Reload', has always been consistently produced. They all feauture extremely tight performance and great sonic characteristics, not to mention creative production. I gaurantee that if this joke of a Metallica album SOUNDED like Justice or the Black Album, or even Master, then everyone would love it. In fact one of the biggest reasons that people have always loved Metallica is because of the way their records have always sounded. The thing is that it's something that's in most people's subconcious. It's something people take for granted, which is normal. Think about it. Imagine 'Enter Sandman' sounding like songs on 'St. Anger'....with drums sounding like they were played on empty soup cans, and out-of-tune vocals. If that were the case, it definatley would not be as liked as it was and is. So, in 2003, when Metallica makes this CRAP, everyone starts to get aggrivated...and they have every right to. The bottom line is that Metallica got sick & tired of doing things the way they always have...agreed to try something wacky and crazy...and thought they could get away with it. SORRY GUYS---AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN!!!!!!!

fuck me, you bunch of cry babies. there is no set way music of ANY kind should sound, who wants their favorite band to release the SAME albumn 6 times? everything changes, deal with it. ever think of it from the bands perspective? playin the same style songs millions apon millions of times over, id wanna kill my self. as for no solos? kirks a fuckin old man now, he's been pumpin out awesome solos for years let the guy have a bloody break. i bought the albumn, listened for about 2 tracks, and threw it away as shit for months. im giving it a second go right now, and theres nothing wrong with it. if u like the old met then hmm... LISTEN TO THE OLD MET AND STOP FUCKIN CRYIN ABOUT THE NEW STUFF!! and vice versa. black and onwards are awesome albumns... s&m is a masterpeice, listened to it countless times. as for the ppl who pick each and every song apart to its foundation and criticise every note?? get a life, they are obvisously doing everything right, THEY are famous, if ur such a fuckin music guru then make ur own perfect flawless music and take the world by storm. otherwise shut up, sit down and keeping buying/listening to the music u can only dream of making.

Peace.

St Anger
-----Unnamed Feeling Video-----

This video's fuckn awesome, also this song is heavy juste like the 2 previous st anger video clips. The guest appearences of Stevie Williams and Eric Koston is really Hillarious! But real cool though.
This clip will blow people's head off

!!!!'Tallica RuleS!!!

The thing is, if you KNOW the nuances of Metallica's music, and compare them to other genres, you know the first 4 albums didnt have to borrow a frickin thing from anyone. Those songs couldnt have been written and recorded by any other band, and each album PROGRESSED beyond the last one musically. WTF does trying to be different mean? They merely started stripping away the very progress they made on Justice by recording the Black Album. Then they couldnt stop. Then they made that piece of crap Salt-n-Pepa cover Until It Sleeps, and I was forced to hear that shit sounding foulness for months during my commute home, on the radio every hour, just as theyd hoped.. Theres a reason Puppets was platinum and a chart climber..AND NOT ON THE RADIO. Because it was an album that HAD TO BE RECORDED. I feel Metallica realizes how GOOD those albums were..they never forgot that. How is it going to be easy to get back to such otherworldly roots when you made a album specifically to sell-out. Thats what the Black Album was..a sell-out and anyone who thinks Metallica couldn't have actually kept progressing beyond the divine songwriting they displayed just forgot that the genre died because THEY killed it. Because they could. When Justice came out it wasnt too different than I was hoping for(you heard progression when awaiting a new Metallica album in the old days).
But I got MORE than I hoped for..who the fuck else ever used 7/8-6/4-4/4 time signatures. NOBODY. EVER. Prove me wrong. The people that call us early Metallica lovers whiners generally can't expunge on wtf I'm talking about when I mention the word progressive. Aside from the lame ass snare tuning, conscensously unillustrative lyrics, and utter lack of any real Gunslinger force from Kirk (I dont consider it mere flashy showmanship like you non music-literate people), they really dont seem that angry, they would illustrate it like they did on they're prog albums;they sound CONFUSED. Those early songs actually made me know what to be angry AT. This album makes me want to ask them..WTF ARE YOU ANGRY AT BUT YOURSELFS FOR BLOWING IT.. OF COURSE it'll grow on you if it takes 50 times or a hundred. WTF does that prove other than it didn't make you want to stop and rewind every time like on Kill through Justice. When I got Justice I listened to Blackened 50 times before going to the next song..I swear to god. It took me a week to listen to that whole album..St.Anger was undoubtedly mostly material to fast-forward through, despite the chance I gave it. A whole album of filler songs, aside from the stuff that was illegally available before the album came out. Some of that was better because it sounded like they were TRYING to sound 80's again..rofl. I've hated Bob Rock since I first heard of the Metallica/Rock association, and seeing the Year and a Half video made me blame him for talking them into recording that piece of shit Black Album for the money, when they were looking for ideas on how to progress;wtf 2 concert videos in Sad But True and Roam? Rock is an exploiter and a tyrant and his bass playing sucks eternally. Sad to hear it on a Metallica album.
I didnt mean to write a philosophy on why they're recording shitty albums, but how else can the garbage on St.Anger be explained..
Hope they're enjoying the millions he's made them by catering to the mainstream..and thx for finally making an album that puts my hope to rest that I'll ever hear new Metallica again that isn't a waste of my time.(Me cries) :(

Thanks SOB, you obviously care a lot and have spent a lot of time thinking about this. I agree about the '90s sell-out, but I see "St. Anger" as an attempt to turn away from the slickness of the '90s and a reutrn to something gritty and real. I like it pretty well.

it wasnt that bad mates...atleast a good try after a long time..but it sprunged me :P

this album, by now i have decided, that the guitaring is lame, the lyrics are even worse, the production is the worst ive ever heard, but the structure of the songs are interesting. for example 'some kind of monster' has about 2 minutes of riff after riff. diabolocal riffs, but that requires co-ordinatioin and vast amounts of it. besides, they prooved what they could do years ago. metallica have tried to release a nu-metal'ish album but have either fallen short of the line or gone too far. either way, there are people who like it very much, im happy for those people, they got what they payed money for. i however, payed for my st. anger and it sits in my room, not even close to the cd-player.

unfortunate

First off, I grew up listening to Metallica. the good thing about Metallica is every album they make is diverse. I have every album they ever produced ,and St.Anger is another bad-ass album produced by the most talented metal band ever. Now to break it down this album is fk'n heavy it kicks you in the face , I love it. The intensity to it, the kind of hatred I don't give a f'k attitude with it is intense. This album has all the heavy riffs that a metal freak needs, and I know what your thinking it lacks solos, now give me a f'king break the album does not need solos, there isn't any room for three minute solos in a middle of these songs it is pointless to even think about it.
now listen to the f'kn album with an open mind, and quit talking shit about this album, it's one of my favorites. by the way if you don't like the album shut the f'k up about it, and go back to listening to Elton John, and blink 182 pussys

Metallica is nothing without Cliff Burton's writing, talent and dedication. Bob Rock is an awful producer and bass player. They should have stuck with Fleming Rasmussen. St. Anger is a pathetic attempt to reclaim some youthful heaviness. I concur with Critical SOB and Bauul's comments. They should stick to making Nickelback-style albums as they no longer seem to able to write a decent song. Listen to a band like NILE to hear something truly heavy, technical and progressive.

yea, yea....Metallica is nothing without Burton, the Stones sucked after Brian Jones, Pink Floyd was no good after Syd and the Partridge Family went downhill after Danny Bonaduce saw Susan Dey in her bra and panties.

whatever.

Ok so metallica have been around a while I started listening to them in 1998 and in 2000 when I heard they were braking up I though hell no I was too late its over. Personally I like the garage sound in this album and think this album is a must buy due to the fact each song has its own melody and is not as head bangish as the earlier master of puppets kill em all and garage inc. kindoff made me think its too over to think about if they will release a better album. This is there best yet and seeing it over take ride the lightning I think there next one will crush the competion. Remember this is my opinion, till next time yall.

Hell yeah baby this one rocks, Metallica at its finest. Head bangers everywere will love this as I do. Angry, absolutly crazy and out off control take my word for it if you like heavy metal you will love this with its neu-metal feal and its energy to pull you in and join the crazyness ahahahaha.

Just a personnal comment.

I'm not a longtime fan of Metallica, but I have heard most of what they have done; when I heard St Anger, I must admit that the first time I was disquieted; it didn't sound like anything they had done before, and the sound was so harsh compared to before, I had trouble recognizing them.

I think it will sound silly, but on reflection I believe that this is pure Metallica: trying to do something new, to shed their old skin. And if people don't like and are vocal about it, so much the better for them: it keeps the flame (and the advertising) alive. As many people have said here, they don't care if they keep fans as long as they enjoy themselves and they find new ones.

I know, it seems cynical, but Metallica is also a great merchandizing machine as well as being a kick-ass band, and that's why they will keep going. So don't worry, if you don't like them others will, and they won't care one bit as was said in 44.

By the way, I actually love this album. Bad production? Ha! With all the time and money they put in this, sure... Why does it have to be a mistake, and not a deliberate choice?

A vision of anger as a way of life and the destruction that follows, an attempt of grows that gone wrong.
This is not an outlet of an immature child but a destructive way of life, The sanctity of anger has never been explored in such depth and this well in quite some time now, The book and movie "Fight Club" and other works of the author Chuck Palahniuk attempted at understanding and exploreing this and this album is as true method as any.
Metallica has taken a step to what until now was Tool domain, also not as much strong and direct as Tool, you can see more thrash metal and aggressiveness that was earlyer found in Metallica but never as a full work as this album.

Oh, where to begin? First, I'd like to state that I'm an 80's MetallicA fan. I loved their first four albums, liked he Black Album moderately, and wasn't all to fond of the two Load releases.
In any case, St Anger was, to me, a mixed barrel. The aggression that they'd had in the eighties had returned, in some form. Gone were the poppy radio-freindly tunes of the previous three albums. The riffwork was also, at times, impressive. Of course, there were alot of aspects of this album that should have been left out (or not left out). The shoddy production, whether intentional or not, isn't up to Metallica's standards. Rock's basswork is truly uninspired. Ulrich, usually a medicore drummer at best, sounds nothing short of crappy here. Lars suffers the most from low production, ruining some potentially good moments with truly awful-sounding snares. Hetfield's vocals are also unusually weak on this release, but that's nothing compared to Hetfield's other shortcoming on this album. James' axe-work is so downtuned and Nu-Metalesque that he sounds like the guitarist from Slipknot or KoRn. Only on occasional moments does James' technical prowess shine through. Hammett, on the other hand, gets no chance to showcase his powerful solos, as there isn't one on the album. What a bummer. All in all, I'd give St anger a C+. Check it out if you're into Nu-Metal and are therefore accustomed to muddy low-end sound, weak vocals, and mostly repetitive riffing. St Anger's saving grace is that it's not as weak and commercial as Metallica's previous works, possibly setting the boys up for a rebound album of true return-to-form proportions.

HA!!

none of you get it!!!

st anger is a concept album


like friggin mindcrime


st anger was done that way on purpose

it will go down in history as one of the most underrated metal albums ever.

this album is so far beyond you that it will take years for you to finally get it.

no band in the world sounds like the metallica that did st anger


one day.. you silly little people will understand.. but not today.

It's ok cd 5 out 10

When I first listened to Metallica in '84 - Ride the lightning - Fight Fire with fire, I really did not like it at all.
It grew on me tho and now Metallica (were) my favorite band.
SO i understand the concept of letting it grow on you but really, Why even make a METALLICA album with no solos? St. Anger is so self involved the listner cant stay on track to know what they are trying to convey at first, once one gets a feel for what they are trying to convey- you just dont care at all.

What happened? Bought this the day it came out (which is a while ago now) and was immediately sent into a state of confusion. This wasn't the metallica I knew and loved. Who was the idiot screaming absurd, and frankly, BULLS**T lyrics down the microphone. Surely this couldn't be the legend that is James Hettfield? Don't get me wrong, I have and always will be a huge fan of metallic. They are, in fact, my favourite band, but nothing can excuse this. The drums sound like they were recorded by beating tin cans in a garden shed. James appears to have forgotten how his voice AND his guitar work. Just why? I can't understand why a band who wrote "Master of puppets" and "Ride the lightning" could POSSIBLY produce something like this. I would hate to see metallica heading for an early retirement, but if this is the best they can offer these days then maybe its not such a bad idea....

IT SUCKS. The worst sounding album I have ever heard. The drums sound like empty plastic buckets. I actually gave it away.

Thanks for the timely input.

dear god, what is wrong with the people who hate St. Anger?
I don't care if you don't like it, who do you honestly think wants to read about why you don't like an album? half the people who write this abusive crap are talking like Metallica owe them something, yeah well they don't owe you guys anything and I'd like to see all of you morons come up with something as brilliant as this album, and what's all this talk about James' voice going down the drain because of a LACK of alcahol?
alcahol is poison, and now he's off the stuff his voice is so much more dynamic it's truly a landmark in their career.
and the drums compliment the songs perfectly too, what is wrong with you people? I know it's stupid, but I'd just like to post on here my deepest thanks to James, Lars, Kirk, Rob, Bob Rock AND Jason Newsted for making my life as full as it is, you guys are true Idols!

oh and I dont know who said it, but man St. Anger up your Ass is awesome!

When this album first came out I hated it with a passion. A couple of years later I absolutely love it. This album definately grew on me over many years and if you haven't listened to it lately try listening to it again.

When I first heard St. Anger I actually laughed. Out loud. St. Anger is the toilet paper for Metallica's collective musical bowel movement. Talk about "The Thing That Should Not Be". Hey guys, please stop playing music and go sip a Shirley Temple over a game of shuffleboard or something. Your glory days are over.

Ok...my personal opinion on this Cd is that is definetley the worst Metallica CD released to date. Most of the reason stems from the terrible production quality of the release. Also it is sad that Metallica hasnt done any guitar solos for years. Now, you can't tell me that they are too old for that now, and/or that their musical direction has completely changed. if this is the case why when you go to a live show they play mostly older songs. Live shows, they rarely ever play newer songs via load/reload.

I understand if Metallica wants to change musical direction but everyone telling us old school Metallica fans to get over it needs to realise, Metallica was the undesputed KINGS OF METAL, and nothing has been even close to to rivaling the MOP days.

I also think that to do those MOP albums are extremely difficult and no band since can or even wants to attempt such an undertaking.

For me I regret buying St.Anger but that is fine. If you enjoy it that is fine to. It makes me feel better to know that at least some people take preide in owning a CD such as this. And the end it only takes one person to enjoy a CD to make it worthwhile. So uh....would one of those people like to my buy my copy of the CD? ;)

15 year Metallica fan here. I have to agree with most of the above posts: this blows.

Sure, you can say it's a "concept" album. You can say Metallica is trying to "grow". Bottom line, though, is that it's about money and reputation. They make money by using their reputation to sell us "Metallica". When they use that reputation to shovel shit into my CD player, I get upset. Fans get upset.

This CD isn't deep, or intricate, or above anyone. It's not mysterious or magical and it shouldn't take 2 years of cramming it into your brain before you like it. If you want to like something bad enough and keep listening to it, eventually the familiarity of it will win out over a critical ear.

The reality is that it's a total embarassment and failure in every way Metallica could have failed. They've come off as an extremely pathetic immitation of modern nu-metal. The glorious tracks that defined them just linger as a distant memory to embitter any real fan who recalls the power of One, Blackened, Sanitarium, MoP, Jump in the Fire, 4 horsemen, etc etc.

The lyrics are simply dead. They are laughable; a complete joke really. We went from the haunting complexity of the insane mind in Sanitarium and anti-war lyrics of Disposable Heroes, the frenzy of Battery....and we end up with....wait for it:

"I'm madly in ANGER with you"...

"Frantic-toc-tic-toc-tic"

Give me a break. Please. It hurts. Don't try to defend this tripe. Just don't. You're making it worse. This plays like a temper tantrum on Oprah. "Look at me, I'm so ANGRY...I'm so WITH IT! See how conflicted I am?!" Here's a hint, when they have to TELL you that they're demented/angry/upset, they're missing the point of the art. Imagery makes the emotion come across (horsemen anyone? Fight fire with fire? Trapped under ice?)...not useless Dr. Phil-inspired psycho-babble. The lyrics on this album are easily the worst I've ever heard. Ever.

Combine the loss of imagery, the loss of lyrics, and the loss of style with a frenzy of tin-cans banging and Het's voice breaking and you're getting the picture.

This album is simply nothing short of tragic.

See, most people want 10 or 20 Kill em alls. They want the same direction for 20 years. Those people are music noobs. Again I must say if you don't like it, go listen to Linkin Park or Limp Bizkit. This album is one of their better ones. Can't wait the next one. Rock on, Metallica.

Impressive...I write a detailed criticism of the album explaining why it is, in fact, a truckload of shit.

The response: wtf if you don't like it go listen to limp bizkit n00b rofllolzr0xx0r.

When Metallica has friends like this...who needs enemies?

No, we don't want MOP II, or 200 KEA...we just want metal. Is that so hard to fucking understand??

Can't wait til the new one comes out, because all the idiots who say Metallica has sucked because of Bob Rock or this and that won't be able to say shit then. The songwriting fire is gone from this band. The nu-fans are the biggest poser fans since Limp Bizkit was popular. You'll even apologize for them when the collaborate with rapers, and I can hear the excuses already... 'its a concept', 'you have to listen to it 20 times or more', 'they do whatever they want to do'..etc. Tools, everyone one of you.

St Anger was a steaming pile of shit with the worst song writing from any metal band in 30 years. Anyone who apologizes for this shit sandwich should have their fucking ear drums removed.

Pathetic.

For all the "St. Anger haters" or... whatever you people are... saying this album is pure shit and so forth...

How can you say that months of work is shit? They're very very experienced musicians. Even when they're experimenting, they know what the fuck they're doing.

So just shut the FUCK up or better, make some constructive criticism instead.

Personally, I love that Metallica does different styles... What would Metallica be if they only did thrash?? Or, tr00 METAL or whatever you call their previous albums.
I mean, what would they be if they just did songs like... Battery or whatever... everyone would just say they suck for just doing thrash, lol.

I fucking love Metallica just because they do different stuff.

So, let me get this straight...

Because they are experienced, they can do no wrong and generate quality all the time because they are veterans?

I can appreciate your fanaticism, but seriously....it's just sad. Learn to recognize garbage for what it is and just hope that they wake up and make real music again someday before retiring.