We continue our look back at Metallica’s discography in the run up to the release of their new studio album, Hardwired… to Self-Destruct. Part two focuses on their original output in the 1990s, as they became the world’s biggest metal band with their eponymous fifth album, before veering off into experimental territory towards the middle of the decade.

Metallica

Having spent the ’80s pushing their creative boundaries, Metallica sought to simplify their sound for their fifth full length. This approach would pay dividends, as 1991’s self titled record, otherwise known as The Black Album (TBA), would go on to become their most successful effort by some margin. Stripping away much of the thrash and intricate arrangements that had typified their 80s output, the streamlined songs focused more on building and developing around fewer ideas, rather than being a procession of riffs. Enlisting the talents of Bob Rock as producer, the album is clear, polished and, most importantly, heavy; the band finally getting the massive arena sound that their music deserved. It’s the first album where Hetfield is more of a singer than a mere vocalist, and although his shortcomings are exposed, he gives the strongest performance of Metallica’s career thus far. This is most noticeable on tender ballad “Nothing Else Matters”, which benefits from some great vocal harmonies and orchestration from the late Michael Kamen. Whilst the album has a few throwaway tracks (including a monumental waste of a superb Newsted bass line in “My Friend of Misery”), it is strong for the most part. People like to rag on “Enter Sandman”, but the reality is it’s a fantastic song that’s become overplayed. With a monster main riff and an instantly memorable chorus, it’s easy to see why Ulrich insisted it be the lead single. Elsewhere, “Wherever I May Roam” is an expansive, wondrous tale of touring life, whilst “The Unforgiven” flips their thrash ballad formula on its head with heavy verses, soft choruses and one of Hammett’s most emotive, searing leads. Deeper cuts include “Of Wolf and Man”, with its angular, stilted riffing, and “The God That Failed”, a mid paced crusher with another cracking solo. TBA remains a bone of contention for many old school Metallica fans, being viewed as their ‘sell out’ record. In my eyes, it is the last record to retain the classic Metallica sound, whilst also serving as the foundation from which they could build and push on with their more experimental overtures of the 90s.

Rating: 7/10

Highlights: “Enter Sandman”, “The Unforgiven”, “Wherever I May Roam”

Load

If The Black Album had been a shock to long time Metallica fans, then you have to wonder how they felt by the time Load rolled around in 1996. Having toned down their thrash tendencies at the start of the decade, by the mid ’90s they had dispensed of them all together. In their place was more laid back, mid tempo heavy metal, with a bigger emphasis on bluesy grooves. For the first time, Hammett laid down rhythm tracks, which, coupled with the more casual approach, resulted in a looser sound. His lead work also became more unorthodox and experimental, with a heavy dose of wah incorporated, much to the chagrin of various detractors. There’s plenty of restraint in Ulrich’s performance, sitting in the pocket and anchoring the songs with simple but inventive drumming. Hetfield shows a greater deal of introspection in his lyrics, something that was first seen on the likes of “Nothing Else Matters” and “The God That Failed” on TBA. There is a descent into boneheaded bravado on “2×4” and the otherwise passable “Wasting My Hate”, but for the most part Hetfield shows he has grown into quite the wordsmith. Sonically, it’s a superb record, with plenty of depth and deft little touches hidden in the mix. At a second under 79 minutes, the album is bloated, but there are plenty of great songs on offer. “Bleeding Me” and “The Outlaw Torn” are two of Metallica’s strongest tracks, an exhibition of their ability to craft multi sectioned epics with plenty of dynamics. The country-lite “Mama Said” is truly heart wrenching, whilst “The House Jack Built” and “Until It Sleeps” hint at the more sinister atmosphere that would be explored on the following album. Load is the first Metallica album that could benefit from some major fat trimming, but at its best, it rivals their classic 80s material without question. It was undoubtedly difficult to stomach for staunch supporters of their old sound, but those willing to give it a chance will likely find plenty to enjoy.

Rating: 7/10

Highlights: “The House Jack Built”, “Bleeding Me”, “The Outlaw Torn”

Reload

It is easy to mistake this record as a collection of cast offs, but this isn’t the case. Load had originally been conceived as a double album, but time constraints led to the band dividing the material up. 14 tracks made up their 1996 effort, with the remaining 13 being used for the follow up, 1997’s Reload. Although the music here is very much in the same vein as its predecessor, the music feels a little more muscular and heavy, with the overall atmosphere on the album being a little darker. “Devil’s Dance” has a subtle, menacing undercurrent thanks to Newsted’s slithering bass line and the stuttering riff delivery; “Carpe Diem Baby” is a pensive, mid tempo journey, whilst the eerie march of the fantastic “Where the Wild Things Are” is one of Metallica’s most under-appreciated compositions. “Low Man’s Lyric” is a sombre affair, again exhibiting Hetfield’s gift for reflective wordplay, delivered superbly over a musical tapestry that features a violin and the hurdy-gurdy. “Fixxxer” is similar in scope to the twin epics of Load, although doesn’t quite match up to their quality, whereas “The Unforgiven II” is a hard rock spin on the original’s formula, again featuring a finely crafted Hammett solo. There’s a handful of more up tempo songs, although they’re mostly forgettable, with only single “Fuel” and the sprightly “Prince Charming” offering any real quality. Overall, I’d consider this a more inconsistent record than Load, but there’s probably more high quality songs on offer; conversely, there’s also more duds as well. The title pretty much sums up what you’re going to get here; if you weren’t a fan of Reload’s bigger brother, then you’re advised to steer clear.

Rating: 6/10

Highlights: “Carpe Diem Baby”, “Where the Wild Things Are”, “Prince Charming”

Part one of our retrospective can be found here. Be sure to keep an eye out for part three next week, as we put Metallica’s 21st century output under the microscope.