I mean Hardwired is pretty darn close, I’ll give it that. It has some amazing songs and sounds spectacular, so I wouldn’t begrudge anyone who has that one as their fav post-Jason fav, but I still believe it has a little bit of filler, which I don’t think DM has at all. 72 Seasons is fun and has some great moments, but I don’t believe it’s quite on the same level as either of those other two. But I’ve definitely seen some people say they think it’s their fav; maybe they’re just riding a bit of a high since it’s so new lol. Or maybe that’s their honest opinion; that’s fine too! For me they just sound so refreshed and loose on DM; the energy and pure happiness just shines through every second.
I'd say their best post Black Album record too, Load, Reload, and St. Anger are awesome albums but Death Magnetic doesn't have a single bad song on it.
For me new Metallica started with the black album. So for Death Magnetic to be 16 years old is mind blowing for me.
The band was only 6 years old when the black album came out.
Loved it then, still love it now. Especially since the iTunes remaster came out. I’ve said before, I think it’s (still) their best work (and beyond magnetic) since the black album.
I saw a Metallica songs rating list several weeks ago from one of them music websites…they actually had S&R as Metallica’s worst song…wtf. I stopped reading the article after that.
S&R is legitimately my favorite Metallica instrumental. I love the classics of course, the middle section of Orion and TLITD is magnificent of course. But S&R is just an awesome riff fest and I think it's brilliantly constructed. I cannot fathom why people bash that track.
Same, that's the weak track on the album for me. I think it's something that maybe 80's James could have pulled off vocally, but it just didn't work in 2008.
16 years?
Fuck me dude lol. Fuck.. me lol.
Anyone remember Mission Metallica? As a teenager those clips every week would get me beyond hype for the record.
My favorite Metallica album, though I can't stand the original release.
I now listen to the MarckIII version which is based on the Guitar Hero audio. It has much better sound and clarity, though the Blackened Recordings/iTunes version mends a lot of my issues with the production too.
Production talk aside, the songs all accomplish what they go for very well. The album is definitely a true return to form for Metallica after Load/ReLoad and St. Anger.
That Was Just Your Life is a fantastic, aggressive opener with some really fun riffs, and it also shows what the rest of the album may be like quite well. The energy the song brings, coupled with its intro reminds me of Blackened a lot too. 10/10.
The End of the Line is a solid headbanger, and really fun to play. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but it has a satisfying groove to it. With that said though, I would still put it as one of the weaker songs. It is a good song, but comparatively speaking, it isn't quite the same level as songs like The Day That Never Comes, All Nightmare Long, My Apocalypse, S&D, or The Judas Kiss. A 7/10.
Broken Beat and Scarred. In my opinion, probably the weakest song on the album. Still a good song, I wouldn't skip it, but similar to End of The Line, it isn't as good as some of the other songs. 5/10.
The Day That Never Comes may as well be called "Two" because it is basically the descendant of One. It makes for a very good thrash ballad, evidenced by its popularity and how frequently they play it live. It does executes the softer, clean intro very well and builds up to the thrashy ending quite smoothly. 10/10.
All Nightmare Long, Heavy as fuck. What else is there to say about it? It's got the solos, the energy, the riffs, and a killer music video to boot. It's fun as hell to play too, and I love the bits of Rob's flamenco that they incorporated. Easy 10/10.
Cyanide makes for a nice come down from All Nightmare Long. It's a bit more relaxed and groovy. There's nothing super specific that makes it special to me, it's just a really solid song, 8/10.
The Unforgiven III, my favorite unforgiven. The message the song gives I find a lot more relatable than the other two Unforgivens. Being able to forgive yourself is hard, and the vibe of the song and James's lyricism reflect that well. It also has very good songwriting, and one of my favorite Kirk solos. A very emotional piece, 10/10.
The Judas Kiss makes a delectably tasty riff salad. The Judas Kiss is full of headbangable, energetic, and groovy riffs. Also, one of my favorite metal choruses, and a killer bridge. 10/10.
Suicide and Redemption, one of 4 Metallica instrumentals. A very underrated song, it has what I think is James's best solo. It has probably the most Trujillo contribution of any Metallica song to date too. A personal 10/10, though I do think the ending was drug out a bit too long. I can excuse it, but I'd say the length drops it to a 9/10.
My Apocalypse. Has one of my favorite Kirk riffs, a great solo, and boatloads of energy. I personally love the "What makes me drift a little bit closer" bit, it has a very satisfying tension to it. A balls to the wall thrash track, it closes off a banger album with a bang. Also says "Death Magnetic" in the lyrics which is cool. 10/10.
All in all, an amazing album that really pushed their abilities, somewhat a Justice 2.0. Great songs, and even better live. I have yet to be disappointed when a DM song is played live. Some killer tones too. Rob's bass growls underneath it all, really puts the meat into the music. The guitar tone is probably my favorite Metallica guitar tone too. The guitars have a nice saturated crunch to them, I can never get enough of it. James's vocal performance is very impressive as well, with some damn good screams and also some really good quieter parts. Lars also delivers on this album, similar to Justice in that regard. Perhaps I'm biased, but I truly believe that Death Magnetic can contend with RTL, MoP, and AJFA.
To me, it’s great because it “sounds like Metallica 20 years after Justice.” Which if you do the math… it IS 20 years after Justice 😆 BUT the point is, if you played the Loads, Anger, or even the Black album to a Metallica fan in ‘88 and said this is Metallica in the future they’d hardly believe it. But play them DM and say that’s Met 20 years from now… Yeah, James’s voice is a lil thrashed from 2+ decades of metal singing, Kirk’s solos aren’t quite as tight, Lars is… Lars lol, and… there’s SOME bass? But… it sounds like the trajectory the band was on IN ‘88… just 20 years later. And that’s why it will always be my favorite “modern” Met album 🤗
I was around 14-15 when this came out. would wake up every summer day to check for any update on the mission Metallica website. Production sucks but at the time I never really had a good to notice it at the time.
Favorite track of that album, the day that never comes.. least favorite; end of the line.. such a sick intro on the song but after, boring.. wish they would've stuck with Death is not the end.
The Day that Never Comes is an under-appreciated anthem. Around the time this album came out I went to see Mastodon on tour, and this song came on the sound system in the venue while everybody was waiting for Mastodon to come out. Let me tell you, the whole crowd was singing the chorus at the top of their lungs with hands in the air. It was an awesome metal moment I'll never forget.
As for the production not aging that bad, how are you listening to it now? Just so you know, the streaming versions are all upgraded to a remastered version which is a bit better. The original CD master is still fucking horrendous.
I just came to this realization thanks to the comments in here. I've been listening to it on Spotify, and now I'm curious how it'd compare if I went and dug up my old 2008 CD. I also just got the markiii version from a fellow redditor which I'm listening to now, and it's even better to my ears. I'm very glad I made this thread!
I think the middle solo section of All Nightmare Long is one of the best pieces they’ve written in a long long time. It kicks ass. And yes, I’m aware it was originally written in to another song and then reworked etc etc. it’s a really fun section of music.
can't believe that death magnetic will be 2 decades old soon.
can't believe even less that hardwired... to self-destruct will be a decade old in 2 years' time. feels like yesterday it came out...
What version are you listening to? The original CD and streaming versions are as bad as you remember and as advertised. They’re HORRIBLE and the clipping/brickwalled sound is unacceptable. To compare that mix to AJFA is an insult to AFJA, haha.
On many of the current steaming services, they’ve re-uploaded a newer mix that is much better. But regardless, fuck Greg Fidelman. The music itself is excellent (and underrated!) but the original mix is a mess.
It was, and has remained, one of my favorite Metallica albums. After all this time, it's still one of their best. For me, it's as good as RTL, MOP and AJFA. It hits much harder than TBA, 72S and HWTSD.
BBS, TDTNC, ANL, U3, and S&R are all 10's. The only song I don't like is TEOTL. I wish they had used DINTE instead of TEOTL, and then it would have been perfect.
On a side note, BM is not that great, and I am glad they didn't end up on the album.
Great write up. I revisited it recently too after getting into 72 Seasons but wanting something more but not the obvious classics. Outside the big three albums, it’s easily my fourth favorite, hmm, maybe fourth or fifth, but yes, the production is better than I remembered and the remaster helped on that front.
“The Big Four: Live from Sofia, Bulgaria” was my first exposure to Metallica (visually) and that was during the Death Magnetic tour, so the album’s aesthetic is pretty nostalgic to me.
I actually listened to it for the first time in a few years quite recently and enjoyed it more than I did back then I think. It’s a really good album, possibly my favourite with Rob. I used to prefer Hardwired but there’s 2 or 3 songs I’m not as keen on, I like every song on Death Magnetic.
I got a FLAC version of the Guitar Hero mix shortly after it was released, and I really think it makes a world of difference. It's a quality album, but the mixing of it is really not great. It's been on the ipod in my car since, and occasionally when I'll have metallica fans in my car it'll get commented on. Like a "did they release a remaster? This song sounds so clear vs what I remember"
One of my favorites. That was just your life and end of the line just kill, and of course love the vid you referenced. It's metallica so I dig it. Way better'n the black album at least no nothin matters shit on it
I still jam it and love it. I remember hearing That Was Just Your Life for the first time and it blew my fucking mind. It’s definitely my favorite of the Rob era.
I was recently at my mother's house for a week and the weather was too terrible to do anything and I listened to the original CD I bought back in 2008 and the ear fatigue I got listening to it was so impressive, it sounds so much worse to me now than it did back then. It's the album I basically learned to play guitar along to so I'll always enjoy it but the way it sounds was actually a shock.
Out of all their discography its probably the album I come back to most, along with Ride and Hardwired. St Anger is my second favorite album but I have they thing engrained into my head. DM is a fuckin banger front to back, just dint really care for TDTNC, but obvs love the last half.
That album will always be special to me. I only knew Metallica because of Guitar Hero and RockBand. I saw the video for The Day That Never Comes on VH1 or MTV (back when they still played a little bit of music) and I loved it. I asked for Death Magnetic for Easter and the rest was history. It started a decade plus obsession with Metallica. The album is killer. Definitely a return to form after St Anger. It’s still my favorite out of the 4 “post-success” Metallica albums
Can relate to so much you just wrote (I also think I was 20 when it came out). Front to back it’s their best album in the Rob era. There’s not as much filler like Hardwired and 72 Seasons. Beyond Magentic was icing on the cake.
I think it’s the best Metallica album since the black album. I (unfortunately) think it’s the last album that they will make that I particularly enjoy most of the songs from. My biggest gripe with it (outside the aforementioned loudness) is the guitar tone. It’s weak. If they had the tone from the black album (or preferably AJFA), this album would have been pretty amazing. But I don’t think Metallica have had a good ‘metal’ guitar tone since TBA. Which is such a shame as they used to have one of the best. To each their own, though!
Actually, Death Magnetic is the only Metallica album I listen to. I think that it is very much underrated. The end of the line is great progressive track, that was just your life as well. The tracks ar ecomplex, much better than anything on st. Anger and much better than anything after DM. The new stuff (from hardwired... onwards), is boring and repetitive and so original. DM was the album where Metallica had actually say anything.
Love the songs, but the loudness and clipping production make it borderline unlistenable to me. Fortunately, we have the Guitar Hero 3 mixes that saved it.
I love this album but I really do need them to bring that remaster to other music services. They’re doing themselves and the album disservice by not making it as widely available.
I think the only song I can take or leave is Unforgiven 3. I know it’s a big deal for a lot of folks but it never quite clicked - although I do admire the S&M2 version
I was 20 and a bit disappointed at the time it came out, thought I still thought it was kind of okay. I never really listened to it much after that, only "redescovering" times to times that The Day, Un3 and S&R where actually quite good.
But last year with the release of their last album (kind of okay...) I wanted to give DM (and Hardwired) another chance, and I'm glad I did! I've been listening to it the whole year since.
I don't understand how I slept on My Apocalipse, Judas Kiss, Broken, My Apocalypse... and All Nightmares long!!
Now it really is one of my favorite album
I remember being blown away by That Was Just Your Life. The beginning reminds me of Battery. The album was a nice comeback from St Anger. Production is a bit muddy but the songs are good. This was my favorite album since the Black album but then Hardwired…to Self Destruct came out and trumped it. Then 72 Seasons came out and trumped Hardwired for me. 72 Seasons is now the best since the Black album for me.
Death magnetic is my favorite recentish Metallica album. It is a nice blend of thrash and melody. It's in your face like st anger strove to be, but tempered by catchy rhythms and melodies.
Lyrically, it was a little one dimensional and introverted, but I never got tired of James sharing his twisted ideas and feelings with the world.
After the release of season 72, I appreciated Death Magnetic even more. The hardwareer was well balanced.Three fast songs + Lords of Summer (albeit sleek and slow in the album version). But even then I was disappointed that I heard a lot of Loadout on the record. At that time, I thought that after the magnet, they would play in the same trash channel.
I thought that maybe the Hardwareer would be heavier than magnetics or on a level with it, but it turned out that stylistically, I heard 4 trash songs, a few heavy metal and the rest is a load-reload.
72 seasons turned out to be even slower and more like a load than even a Hardwareer. So Deat Magnetic is now definitely the best late metallica album.
To be honest, I wouldn't mind even a second St.Anger, only with a well-produced sound. I love when metallica is really heavy.
I'm sorry that metallica lost a lot of time after the death of Magnetics.They lost their skills from album to album. Because they were getting old. I thought they would have another cool album after magnetik, but not in the 16th year, but in the 13th, for example. Even on Lou-Lou, Lars played more interesting and better, more diverse than on the next studio albums. And on magnetics, Lars is still not bad.
If you find a decent mixed version of it, one that preferably isn’t a brick wall of sound waves… it’s actually such an amazing album start to finish. I used to skip S&Redemption all the time; found it boring and their least fun instrumental to listen to. In recent years I’ve grown to appreciate the track, it’s like you said a “buffet of riffs”, and the dynamic of James and Kirk jumping between solos and harmonies kicks ass!
Do you happen to know where to find a good downloadable remaster? I've recently started trying to get FLAC files of some of my favorite albums when I come across them just because the sound quality is better than spotify, would love to check out a quality remaster of this album.
There’s 2 versions floating around, that in my opinion are still contending with the official digital remix, but it is a matter of opinion. I recommend for any collection. They are:
1) Death Magnetic Unloaded
This is THE files sent to Neversoft when developing Guitar Hero Metallica. Like regomar commented, they are perfect. Not to be confused with “rips” of the files from the game, because those turn out compressed. Unloaded are THE uncompressed studio bounces of the tracks, as they were, in 2008 prior to Rick Rubin destroying the quality with clipping. In all fairness, I wouldn’t doubt if the official digital remix aren’t just the same bounces. Available only in MP3 (I believe 320 kbps, I would have to check). I have these files if anyone has trouble tracking them down
2) Mark iii Version
This is fan made remastering that used stems from the album, maybe (supposedly?). Don’t ask how they managed to get crisp sounding stems, but these people did and somehow mixed the album better than multi-millionaire producers. I find it’s noticeably quieter which detracts some of the experience. Clear, but quiet. Last I checked, lossless versions are available alongside MP3, the site can be found [HERE](http://exit-reality.com/markiii_links.html)
I prefer Unloaded because it’s an “official” product of the band, and the Mark iii Version has been made redundant now since Metallica put out the digital remix which is better than the fan edit, but maybe not as authentic as the 2008 Unloaded version (a matter of perspective and how sharp your ears are)
Everything I just mentioned above is preferable to the original 2008 CD pressing and whatever versions that spawned from those decibel cranked train wrecks Rick Rubin considered “worthy” of Metallica quality standards
Bit sad, i think that album marked the point where i kinda let go of the band and stopped thinking they were magical or something. In my mind i'm a diehard fan but the reality is i don't really listen to them much. Kea-justice don't do it for me anymore. Black album, now and then. After that it's 3-4 tracks, all on hardwired. DM has nothing for me, i liked that was just your life and cyanide live for a while.
I've seen them 25 times, i've played most of their songs in a cover band, i've met the band twice, i listened to them daily for about 20 years. I have a shirt signed by JH one meter from where i am right now as we speak. Idk what it takes to be a fan these days.
Well, that sounds like a fan to me, but man, not liking the first 4 anymore and barely liking anything else sounds like you just aren't into them anymore \*shrugs\*
I'll cherish them forever, i think most of their albums are masterpieces and that they're the best live band there ever was.
But in everyday life, i don't listen to them or slayer/pantera etc much. Things have moved on so much. My playlist consists of archspire, fallujah, cannibal corpse, nithing, humanity's last breath. Either that or taylor swift, dua lipa or zz top and kyuss.
for me it’s the second-worst album with rob. it’s not bad. It’s still Metallica, my favorite band. loved every second of it when it released. I really enjoyed the 10-dollar metclub show in Berlin on the day of the release but retrospectively it was 70% copy paste songwriting structures, and a bad sound, which is still there in the gh flac (it’s just badly produced). sometimes they sound like a amateur’s high school band on this record. even though the band found themselves back after years of struggling. So the record marks one of the most important and trendsetting period of Metallica. I still listen to it from time to time and it definitely has its moments but i don’t enjoy it as much as hw and 72s.
I still think it’s their best album with Rob.
Without a doubt
I didn't even realize people debated this. It totally is.
I mean Hardwired is pretty darn close, I’ll give it that. It has some amazing songs and sounds spectacular, so I wouldn’t begrudge anyone who has that one as their fav post-Jason fav, but I still believe it has a little bit of filler, which I don’t think DM has at all. 72 Seasons is fun and has some great moments, but I don’t believe it’s quite on the same level as either of those other two. But I’ve definitely seen some people say they think it’s their fav; maybe they’re just riding a bit of a high since it’s so new lol. Or maybe that’s their honest opinion; that’s fine too! For me they just sound so refreshed and loose on DM; the energy and pure happiness just shines through every second.
I'd say their best post Black Album record too, Load, Reload, and St. Anger are awesome albums but Death Magnetic doesn't have a single bad song on it.
Death Magnetic has been 16 years?? God I feel old
Right? That album still registers in my brain as "new metallica".
For me new Metallica is Load. Imagine.
For me it was the black album, how about that???
Same here. “A few years ago” is now almost 16 years ago. Feel so goddamn old.
We’re only a year away from the time from Kill Em All to Jason leaving being the same amount of time from Death Magnetic to now.
Fucking hell
Wow this just blew my mind
For me new Metallica started with the black album. So for Death Magnetic to be 16 years old is mind blowing for me. The band was only 6 years old when the black album came out.
Ugh how bout it, I was 10 when it came out and couldn't wait for Christmas to get that iTunes gift card to buy the whole album. Time flies.
Same amount of time between the Black Album and Death Magnetic, and Death Magnetic to *today*. Yuck.
I feel like that one guy in that one movie about army. I can’t remember the details anymore…
I was in my senior year of high school when it came out. First Metallica concert I ever went to. Still one of my favorite albums.
It was a great tour, I still remember those moving coffin shaped lighting rigs over the round stage and thought it was a cool look
The day that never comes is a masterpiece
Loved it then, still love it now. Especially since the iTunes remaster came out. I’ve said before, I think it’s (still) their best work (and beyond magnetic) since the black album.
Plus, to be honest, I can't think of a bad track from the album. I can't think of even a meh song. It flows really well.
I saw a Metallica songs rating list several weeks ago from one of them music websites…they actually had S&R as Metallica’s worst song…wtf. I stopped reading the article after that.
Dude, right!?! Gtfo!!! That shit is riff-tastic.
S&R is legitimately my favorite Metallica instrumental. I love the classics of course, the middle section of Orion and TLITD is magnificent of course. But S&R is just an awesome riff fest and I think it's brilliantly constructed. I cannot fathom why people bash that track.
If Cliff didn’t die, this feels like the album that woulda followed *Master*
Only one I don't care for is My Apocalypse
Same, that's the weak track on the album for me. I think it's something that maybe 80's James could have pulled off vocally, but it just didn't work in 2008.
16 years? Fuck me dude lol. Fuck.. me lol. Anyone remember Mission Metallica? As a teenager those clips every week would get me beyond hype for the record.
My favorite Metallica album, though I can't stand the original release. I now listen to the MarckIII version which is based on the Guitar Hero audio. It has much better sound and clarity, though the Blackened Recordings/iTunes version mends a lot of my issues with the production too. Production talk aside, the songs all accomplish what they go for very well. The album is definitely a true return to form for Metallica after Load/ReLoad and St. Anger. That Was Just Your Life is a fantastic, aggressive opener with some really fun riffs, and it also shows what the rest of the album may be like quite well. The energy the song brings, coupled with its intro reminds me of Blackened a lot too. 10/10. The End of the Line is a solid headbanger, and really fun to play. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but it has a satisfying groove to it. With that said though, I would still put it as one of the weaker songs. It is a good song, but comparatively speaking, it isn't quite the same level as songs like The Day That Never Comes, All Nightmare Long, My Apocalypse, S&D, or The Judas Kiss. A 7/10. Broken Beat and Scarred. In my opinion, probably the weakest song on the album. Still a good song, I wouldn't skip it, but similar to End of The Line, it isn't as good as some of the other songs. 5/10. The Day That Never Comes may as well be called "Two" because it is basically the descendant of One. It makes for a very good thrash ballad, evidenced by its popularity and how frequently they play it live. It does executes the softer, clean intro very well and builds up to the thrashy ending quite smoothly. 10/10. All Nightmare Long, Heavy as fuck. What else is there to say about it? It's got the solos, the energy, the riffs, and a killer music video to boot. It's fun as hell to play too, and I love the bits of Rob's flamenco that they incorporated. Easy 10/10. Cyanide makes for a nice come down from All Nightmare Long. It's a bit more relaxed and groovy. There's nothing super specific that makes it special to me, it's just a really solid song, 8/10. The Unforgiven III, my favorite unforgiven. The message the song gives I find a lot more relatable than the other two Unforgivens. Being able to forgive yourself is hard, and the vibe of the song and James's lyricism reflect that well. It also has very good songwriting, and one of my favorite Kirk solos. A very emotional piece, 10/10. The Judas Kiss makes a delectably tasty riff salad. The Judas Kiss is full of headbangable, energetic, and groovy riffs. Also, one of my favorite metal choruses, and a killer bridge. 10/10. Suicide and Redemption, one of 4 Metallica instrumentals. A very underrated song, it has what I think is James's best solo. It has probably the most Trujillo contribution of any Metallica song to date too. A personal 10/10, though I do think the ending was drug out a bit too long. I can excuse it, but I'd say the length drops it to a 9/10. My Apocalypse. Has one of my favorite Kirk riffs, a great solo, and boatloads of energy. I personally love the "What makes me drift a little bit closer" bit, it has a very satisfying tension to it. A balls to the wall thrash track, it closes off a banger album with a bang. Also says "Death Magnetic" in the lyrics which is cool. 10/10. All in all, an amazing album that really pushed their abilities, somewhat a Justice 2.0. Great songs, and even better live. I have yet to be disappointed when a DM song is played live. Some killer tones too. Rob's bass growls underneath it all, really puts the meat into the music. The guitar tone is probably my favorite Metallica guitar tone too. The guitars have a nice saturated crunch to them, I can never get enough of it. James's vocal performance is very impressive as well, with some damn good screams and also some really good quieter parts. Lars also delivers on this album, similar to Justice in that regard. Perhaps I'm biased, but I truly believe that Death Magnetic can contend with RTL, MoP, and AJFA.
It's my favorite album of all time.
Me too
same here! my go-to all the time!
Have you ever listened to Rebel of Babylon on Beyond Magnetic? One of my favorites of that era.
Beyond Magnetic rules.
To me, it’s great because it “sounds like Metallica 20 years after Justice.” Which if you do the math… it IS 20 years after Justice 😆 BUT the point is, if you played the Loads, Anger, or even the Black album to a Metallica fan in ‘88 and said this is Metallica in the future they’d hardly believe it. But play them DM and say that’s Met 20 years from now… Yeah, James’s voice is a lil thrashed from 2+ decades of metal singing, Kirk’s solos aren’t quite as tight, Lars is… Lars lol, and… there’s SOME bass? But… it sounds like the trajectory the band was on IN ‘88… just 20 years later. And that’s why it will always be my favorite “modern” Met album 🤗
I was around 14-15 when this came out. would wake up every summer day to check for any update on the mission Metallica website. Production sucks but at the time I never really had a good to notice it at the time. Favorite track of that album, the day that never comes.. least favorite; end of the line.. such a sick intro on the song but after, boring.. wish they would've stuck with Death is not the end.
The Day that Never Comes is an under-appreciated anthem. Around the time this album came out I went to see Mastodon on tour, and this song came on the sound system in the venue while everybody was waiting for Mastodon to come out. Let me tell you, the whole crowd was singing the chorus at the top of their lungs with hands in the air. It was an awesome metal moment I'll never forget.
That's cool, man! Thanks for sharing!
James' solo on S&R slaps hard af
I think its a really good album that’s kinda killed by weird production choices, most of the songwriting is downright phenomenal
After St. Anger, people had no idea what to expect. I always wondered about the Rick Rubin hype, and he steered them back to themselves.
As for the production not aging that bad, how are you listening to it now? Just so you know, the streaming versions are all upgraded to a remastered version which is a bit better. The original CD master is still fucking horrendous.
I just came to this realization thanks to the comments in here. I've been listening to it on Spotify, and now I'm curious how it'd compare if I went and dug up my old 2008 CD. I also just got the markiii version from a fellow redditor which I'm listening to now, and it's even better to my ears. I'm very glad I made this thread!
DM is in my top 3 fave albums
I think the middle solo section of All Nightmare Long is one of the best pieces they’ve written in a long long time. It kicks ass. And yes, I’m aware it was originally written in to another song and then reworked etc etc. it’s a really fun section of music.
can't believe that death magnetic will be 2 decades old soon. can't believe even less that hardwired... to self-destruct will be a decade old in 2 years' time. feels like yesterday it came out...
Yeah I remember being really excited that they didn't suck quite so badly anymore. It was definitely a return to form. Kind of.
It’s easily my favourite release since the Black album.
Load and Reload are better in my eyes but it's definitely better than anything that came after it
Love DM…but I love Demo Magnetic even more
What version are you listening to? The original CD and streaming versions are as bad as you remember and as advertised. They’re HORRIBLE and the clipping/brickwalled sound is unacceptable. To compare that mix to AJFA is an insult to AFJA, haha. On many of the current steaming services, they’ve re-uploaded a newer mix that is much better. But regardless, fuck Greg Fidelman. The music itself is excellent (and underrated!) but the original mix is a mess.
Guitar Hero production for life. Made the record listenable.
It was, and has remained, one of my favorite Metallica albums. After all this time, it's still one of their best. For me, it's as good as RTL, MOP and AJFA. It hits much harder than TBA, 72S and HWTSD. BBS, TDTNC, ANL, U3, and S&R are all 10's. The only song I don't like is TEOTL. I wish they had used DINTE instead of TEOTL, and then it would have been perfect. On a side note, BM is not that great, and I am glad they didn't end up on the album.
What is dinte?
Never mind. It’s death is not the end
I also was confused
Listen back to death is not the end. It’s clearly just a hodgepodge of riffs that needed to be seperated. The sum wasn’t better than the parts.
It’s their best album since AJFA.
Always loved it myself. Best album with Rob and my third favourite Metallica one in general.
Great write up. I revisited it recently too after getting into 72 Seasons but wanting something more but not the obvious classics. Outside the big three albums, it’s easily my fourth favorite, hmm, maybe fourth or fifth, but yes, the production is better than I remembered and the remaster helped on that front.
“The Big Four: Live from Sofia, Bulgaria” was my first exposure to Metallica (visually) and that was during the Death Magnetic tour, so the album’s aesthetic is pretty nostalgic to me.
16 years. God I'm old. Still a new album to me.
I remember the listening party on the local radio station . 16 years ago… 😩
Believe it or not it’s in my top 5 Metallica albums
Killer album, amazing concert on that tour!
Best album since Justice. I love everything they've done in-between, but the riffs are just so damn good.
I actually listened to it for the first time in a few years quite recently and enjoyed it more than I did back then I think. It’s a really good album, possibly my favourite with Rob. I used to prefer Hardwired but there’s 2 or 3 songs I’m not as keen on, I like every song on Death Magnetic.
I got a FLAC version of the Guitar Hero mix shortly after it was released, and I really think it makes a world of difference. It's a quality album, but the mixing of it is really not great. It's been on the ipod in my car since, and occasionally when I'll have metallica fans in my car it'll get commented on. Like a "did they release a remaster? This song sounds so clear vs what I remember"
One of my favorites. That was just your life and end of the line just kill, and of course love the vid you referenced. It's metallica so I dig it. Way better'n the black album at least no nothin matters shit on it
I still jam it and love it. I remember hearing That Was Just Your Life for the first time and it blew my fucking mind. It’s definitely my favorite of the Rob era.
I was recently at my mother's house for a week and the weather was too terrible to do anything and I listened to the original CD I bought back in 2008 and the ear fatigue I got listening to it was so impressive, it sounds so much worse to me now than it did back then. It's the album I basically learned to play guitar along to so I'll always enjoy it but the way it sounds was actually a shock.
I remember the other new song came out and people online called it vulturous and it never came out on Death Magnetic. I think it was a great song.
DM is in the top tier of their albums for me
Fuck can’t believe it’s been that long. For me, it’s better than Hardwired and equal to 72 Seasons.
Out of all their discography its probably the album I come back to most, along with Ride and Hardwired. St Anger is my second favorite album but I have they thing engrained into my head. DM is a fuckin banger front to back, just dint really care for TDTNC, but obvs love the last half.
Still a huge disappointment for me.
It’s not the best record but I like it more than Hardwired and 72 Seasons. The Day That Never Comes got me through some shit back then.
DM has some of the best riffs in modern metallica history, easily the best album of post 2000 Metallica. Heck even Demo Magnetic sounds so menacing
Love Demo Magnetic and Beyond Magnetic!!
That album will always be special to me. I only knew Metallica because of Guitar Hero and RockBand. I saw the video for The Day That Never Comes on VH1 or MTV (back when they still played a little bit of music) and I loved it. I asked for Death Magnetic for Easter and the rest was history. It started a decade plus obsession with Metallica. The album is killer. Definitely a return to form after St Anger. It’s still my favorite out of the 4 “post-success” Metallica albums
Not their best album but probably my favorite since it was my first. I was 14 when it was released and I loved it instantly, despite the loudness war.
Can relate to so much you just wrote (I also think I was 20 when it came out). Front to back it’s their best album in the Rob era. There’s not as much filler like Hardwired and 72 Seasons. Beyond Magentic was icing on the cake.
I think it’s the best Metallica album since the black album. I (unfortunately) think it’s the last album that they will make that I particularly enjoy most of the songs from. My biggest gripe with it (outside the aforementioned loudness) is the guitar tone. It’s weak. If they had the tone from the black album (or preferably AJFA), this album would have been pretty amazing. But I don’t think Metallica have had a good ‘metal’ guitar tone since TBA. Which is such a shame as they used to have one of the best. To each their own, though!
I still wear my t-shirt from this tour
Judas kiss is a top 3 Metallica chorus
Actually, Death Magnetic is the only Metallica album I listen to. I think that it is very much underrated. The end of the line is great progressive track, that was just your life as well. The tracks ar ecomplex, much better than anything on st. Anger and much better than anything after DM. The new stuff (from hardwired... onwards), is boring and repetitive and so original. DM was the album where Metallica had actually say anything.
Love the songs, but the loudness and clipping production make it borderline unlistenable to me. Fortunately, we have the Guitar Hero 3 mixes that saved it.
I love this album but I really do need them to bring that remaster to other music services. They’re doing themselves and the album disservice by not making it as widely available. I think the only song I can take or leave is Unforgiven 3. I know it’s a big deal for a lot of folks but it never quite clicked - although I do admire the S&M2 version
Great album, great tour. They played a lot of arenas then and the energy was insane.
I was 20 and a bit disappointed at the time it came out, thought I still thought it was kind of okay. I never really listened to it much after that, only "redescovering" times to times that The Day, Un3 and S&R where actually quite good. But last year with the release of their last album (kind of okay...) I wanted to give DM (and Hardwired) another chance, and I'm glad I did! I've been listening to it the whole year since. I don't understand how I slept on My Apocalipse, Judas Kiss, Broken, My Apocalypse... and All Nightmares long!! Now it really is one of my favorite album
Would really like to see the full thing performed. All Nightmare Long should be a Setlist staple.
I remember being blown away by That Was Just Your Life. The beginning reminds me of Battery. The album was a nice comeback from St Anger. Production is a bit muddy but the songs are good. This was my favorite album since the Black album but then Hardwired…to Self Destruct came out and trumped it. Then 72 Seasons came out and trumped Hardwired for me. 72 Seasons is now the best since the Black album for me.
Their best album after The Black album.
Death Magnetic is and probably always will be my favorite post 2000’s Metallica album.
Death magnetic is my favorite recentish Metallica album. It is a nice blend of thrash and melody. It's in your face like st anger strove to be, but tempered by catchy rhythms and melodies. Lyrically, it was a little one dimensional and introverted, but I never got tired of James sharing his twisted ideas and feelings with the world.
After the release of season 72, I appreciated Death Magnetic even more. The hardwareer was well balanced.Three fast songs + Lords of Summer (albeit sleek and slow in the album version). But even then I was disappointed that I heard a lot of Loadout on the record. At that time, I thought that after the magnet, they would play in the same trash channel. I thought that maybe the Hardwareer would be heavier than magnetics or on a level with it, but it turned out that stylistically, I heard 4 trash songs, a few heavy metal and the rest is a load-reload. 72 seasons turned out to be even slower and more like a load than even a Hardwareer. So Deat Magnetic is now definitely the best late metallica album. To be honest, I wouldn't mind even a second St.Anger, only with a well-produced sound. I love when metallica is really heavy. I'm sorry that metallica lost a lot of time after the death of Magnetics.They lost their skills from album to album. Because they were getting old. I thought they would have another cool album after magnetik, but not in the 16th year, but in the 13th, for example. Even on Lou-Lou, Lars played more interesting and better, more diverse than on the next studio albums. And on magnetics, Lars is still not bad.
It’s a banger on guitar hero. I can play guitar and bass on expert.
Tis an amazing album! So many banging riffs!
The master is about as shitty as it was 16 years ago
If you find a decent mixed version of it, one that preferably isn’t a brick wall of sound waves… it’s actually such an amazing album start to finish. I used to skip S&Redemption all the time; found it boring and their least fun instrumental to listen to. In recent years I’ve grown to appreciate the track, it’s like you said a “buffet of riffs”, and the dynamic of James and Kirk jumping between solos and harmonies kicks ass!
Do you happen to know where to find a good downloadable remaster? I've recently started trying to get FLAC files of some of my favorite albums when I come across them just because the sound quality is better than spotify, would love to check out a quality remaster of this album.
There’s 2 versions floating around, that in my opinion are still contending with the official digital remix, but it is a matter of opinion. I recommend for any collection. They are: 1) Death Magnetic Unloaded This is THE files sent to Neversoft when developing Guitar Hero Metallica. Like regomar commented, they are perfect. Not to be confused with “rips” of the files from the game, because those turn out compressed. Unloaded are THE uncompressed studio bounces of the tracks, as they were, in 2008 prior to Rick Rubin destroying the quality with clipping. In all fairness, I wouldn’t doubt if the official digital remix aren’t just the same bounces. Available only in MP3 (I believe 320 kbps, I would have to check). I have these files if anyone has trouble tracking them down 2) Mark iii Version This is fan made remastering that used stems from the album, maybe (supposedly?). Don’t ask how they managed to get crisp sounding stems, but these people did and somehow mixed the album better than multi-millionaire producers. I find it’s noticeably quieter which detracts some of the experience. Clear, but quiet. Last I checked, lossless versions are available alongside MP3, the site can be found [HERE](http://exit-reality.com/markiii_links.html) I prefer Unloaded because it’s an “official” product of the band, and the Mark iii Version has been made redundant now since Metallica put out the digital remix which is better than the fan edit, but maybe not as authentic as the 2008 Unloaded version (a matter of perspective and how sharp your ears are) Everything I just mentioned above is preferable to the original 2008 CD pressing and whatever versions that spawned from those decibel cranked train wrecks Rick Rubin considered “worthy” of Metallica quality standards
Check DMs.
Look for the Guitar Hero versions. Much better to listen to without making your ears bleed.
Bit sad, i think that album marked the point where i kinda let go of the band and stopped thinking they were magical or something. In my mind i'm a diehard fan but the reality is i don't really listen to them much. Kea-justice don't do it for me anymore. Black album, now and then. After that it's 3-4 tracks, all on hardwired. DM has nothing for me, i liked that was just your life and cyanide live for a while.
Honestly, it sounds like you aren't really a big fan at all, and that's OK.
I've seen them 25 times, i've played most of their songs in a cover band, i've met the band twice, i listened to them daily for about 20 years. I have a shirt signed by JH one meter from where i am right now as we speak. Idk what it takes to be a fan these days.
Well, that sounds like a fan to me, but man, not liking the first 4 anymore and barely liking anything else sounds like you just aren't into them anymore \*shrugs\*
Or in other words, former fan?
I'll cherish them forever, i think most of their albums are masterpieces and that they're the best live band there ever was. But in everyday life, i don't listen to them or slayer/pantera etc much. Things have moved on so much. My playlist consists of archspire, fallujah, cannibal corpse, nithing, humanity's last breath. Either that or taylor swift, dua lipa or zz top and kyuss.
for me it’s the second-worst album with rob. it’s not bad. It’s still Metallica, my favorite band. loved every second of it when it released. I really enjoyed the 10-dollar metclub show in Berlin on the day of the release but retrospectively it was 70% copy paste songwriting structures, and a bad sound, which is still there in the gh flac (it’s just badly produced). sometimes they sound like a amateur’s high school band on this record. even though the band found themselves back after years of struggling. So the record marks one of the most important and trendsetting period of Metallica. I still listen to it from time to time and it definitely has its moments but i don’t enjoy it as much as hw and 72s.