Metallica - St Anger

Motley Crue

So, I was thinking recently (when I purchased a Digipak version of St Anger at a car boot sale in Edinburgh for 80p) that perhaps we have been a little too hard on Metallica. True, it sounds more like an Alice In Chains album then a Metallica album, but to paraphrase James Hetfield it was the album that Metallica needed to make so they could make Death Magnetic.

So, 5 years on, does St Anger still deserve the shun Metallica fans give it or has it redeemed itself!

LightofDarkness

Ahem... St. Anger is truly one of the most aurally displeasing, torturous disasterpieces of all time. I hated it so much that it caused me to punch my own mother in the back of the head for having birthed me unto a world that allows such horrors to exist.

Thank you.

Motley Crue

LightofDarkness wrote: »

I hated it so much that it caused me to punch my own mother in the back of the head for having birthed me unto a world that allows such horrors to exist.

Wow

Pyr0

Motley Crue wrote: »

So. True, it sounds more like an Alice In Chains album then a Metallica album,

Wow wow ! Lets not get too generous now !

I still think it's an unbelievably dire album.

r3nu4l

I'm an old school Metallica fan so the short answer from me is 'No, the reputation St. Anger has doesn't deserve to be revisited'.

For me, Metallica stopped being any good after the excellent Justice album. The so-called 'Black' album had a couple of good tunes and since then they've had maybe 2 good tunes across the whole range of albums released in that time (imo only).

I have sadly, fallen out of love with Metallica

gucci

Motley Crue wrote: »

True, it sounds more like an Alice In Chains album then a Metallica album

Really? First time I have ever heard that comparison, but I wouldnt ever think of describing it in that way!
(I hate the album, and that's from listening to it a number of times as my housemate at the time insisted on giving it a longevity / familiarity test)
There are about 2 riffs in the whole album that sound good, rest is absolute dire noise.

Ghetto Cornetto

The title track really, really had potential. But, like the rest of the album, it was marred by Ulrich's rampant battery of a plethora of empty tin cans.

I can also safely say that St. Anger had the word mixing/master process of any album I've ever heard. The "band in a garage" vibe that they were aiming for went completely over the sound desk's head, and they are just as much at fault as Metallica themselves.

Honestly, from any possible standpoint, this is a truly terrible album and deep down, Metallica know that too.

Hellrazer

r3nu4l wrote: »

I'm an old school Metallica fan................

I have sadly, fallen out of love with Metallica

Likewise.Everything after Justice was sh**e.

St Anger annoyed me on every level.

hyn-zie

Motley Crue wrote: »

it sounds more like an Alice In Chains album then a Metallica album, QUOTE]

Are you serious!!! This album doesn't come anywhere close to anything got to do with Alice In Chains!

This Album is Crap, Very Disappointed with it! Load and reload would get a listen before st anger!

Het-Field

With the exception of "St Anger", and "The Unnamed Feeling", the album has very few bright spots. Songs like Purify and Invisible Kid are sooooo bad, while the lyrics in Frantic are pure hopeless.

Im really glad that Lars was not given his way in letting the album be named "Frantic".

120_Minutes

Motley Crue wrote: »

True, it sounds more like an Alice In Chains album then a Metallica album

if aic were being sodomised by red hot pokers.

NIBBS

The album really is a sack of ****.......I gave it a good chance early on, and didn't think the title track was all that bad, but having revisited the album a couple of times since I really just can't stomach it at all........

having said that I really like the latest album, huge step up from St.Anger....

ladystrange

After virtually totally avoiding at first I've been listening to it again recently, giving it a fair chance & I actually think its not that bad an album. Sure its in no league with Puppets or Ride the Lightening & Death Magnetic blows it away but I've found myself playing it more & more!! Just my own HO of course!!

Ostrom

Motley Crue wrote: »

to paraphrase James Hetfield it was the album that Metallica needed to make so they could make Death Magnetic

Death magnetic was bad too

robby^5

I actually like the song some kind of monster, other than that I thought the album had some potential but ended up sounding like a bad unfinished demo of of some nu-metal band.

I liked a few tunes from Death Magnetic but it's nowhere near as good as the old stuff but a step in the right direction if you ask me...I'll be interested in their next release, but honestly I think the need to take a few years off and spend a very large amount of time on a new record and possibly make it their last, would be nice to see them go out on a bang with a universally well-received album.

They definitely don't have many more albums left in them imo.

ChocolateSauce

The title track was OK, but I just didn't like the rest of it.

r3nu4l

r3nu4l wrote: »

I'm an old school Metallica fan so the short answer from me is 'No, the reputation St. Anger has doesn't deserve to be revisited'.

For me, Metallica stopped being any good after the excellent Justice album. The so-called 'Black' album had a couple of good tunes and since then they've had maybe 2 good tunes across the whole range of albums released in that time (imo only).

I have sadly, fallen out of love with Metallica

I agree with all this except the last line.

PattheMetaller

It's the one Metallica album that is torture to listen to in one sitting. Just can't stand the sound of the drums / tin cans. Having said that, there's a few good songs on it.

Personally, i like all of Metallica's other studio releases.

Mental Mickey

St Anger is a truly AWFUL album, but they had to make it to keep going as a band. IMO, Death Magnetic is no better. I can't listen to either album from start to finish.

Hyperbullet

Sweet Amber was an alright track....

..but the rest of the record is a bit ropey to say the least...

sweatingbullets

r3nu4l wrote: »

I'm an old school Metallica fan so the short answer from me is 'No, the reputation St. Anger has doesn't deserve to be revisited'.

For me, Metallica stopped being any good after the excellent Justice album. The so-called 'Black' album had a couple of good tunes and since then they've had maybe 2 good tunes across the whole range of albums released in that time (imo only).

I have sadly, fallen out of love with Metallica

the last two times i saw them they were absolutely terrible,nowhere near as powerhouse as they used to be and ive seen them 6 times,now its all about the money,no care for the music,i my friend are in total agreement puppets and justice was there pinnacle in terms of there metal years before selling out.to be honest i did buy st.anger because of all the hype but by the time i reached my house from the record shop i had thrown it out the car window the whole of five miles.......opening riff in frantic and the snare drum,no thanks id rather listen to abba.

buck65

Did y'all see Some Kind of Monster? It basically showed how they made and wrote this record. Basically they jammed some half assed riffs - said- that sounds good let's build a song around this , add some off the cuff lyrics, search for a cool song title for about 3 minutes and voila - St. Anger!

Don't have this or many of their recent albums - what I've heard of them makes me glad that I kept my dollars and not got ripped off like all those other mugs who are still trying to justify Metallica to themselves.

Metallica left the building in the early 90s - what we have now is some mutant bloodsucking cashhungry band that have locked up the real 'tallica. Like those aliens from the Simpsons.

rovert

This album would be a guilty pleasure if every track was cut in half.

starflake

Motley Crue wrote: »

So, I was thinking recently (when I purchased a Digipak version of St Anger at a car boot sale in Edinburgh for 80p) that perhaps we have been a little too hard on Metallica. True, it sounds more like an Alice In Chains album then a Metallica album, but to paraphrase James Hetfield it was the album that Metallica needed to make so they could make Death Magnetic.

So, 5 years on, does St Anger still deserve the shun Metallica fans give it or has it redeemed itself!

Death Magnetic was a steaming pile of dog **** too

Lucifer31

Interesting that on their current World Magnetic tour, going by statistics I've been looking at, they've only played Frantic once, at one gig ! Once!! The St. Anger tune hasn't even had a look in. That says it all. They don't wanna play it and we don't wanna hear it.
I listen to a LOT of metal written in the last 30 years, old and new, but St. Anger is very difficult for me to listen to throughout. A grower it ain't.

Big Nasty

Have to agree, last album I bought was Black. Have listened to Load and Re-Load but wouldn't be too bothered. Death Magnetic is ok but I wouldn't taint my post by mentioning the 'other album' here! Any gig I've seen them at the last few years they seem to be able to read the crowd and don't play much of this ****e anyhow!

iseethelight

Look St. anger is not and can never be deemed anywhere near average let alone the word beginning with g that I can't even type in the same post.

If you really must reappraise a metallica release try load.I hated it now I like it but hey I'm odd.

Max Power1

I think it is summed up by the fact that any of the recent (in the last year or 2) metallica gigs, the only album to have zero songs on the setlist was st anger.

Rented Mule

I don't think that the band did themselves any favours by trying to capture the recording of album on film.

SKOM really destroyed my 'idea' of what they were supposed to be.

hexagramer

i for one on this thread choose to be the smarter type and look for the good in st anger.

i enjoy s.k.o.m, i think the unnamed feeling has a dark erie creepy feel when i hear its tones and i also enjoy the thrash parts envolved.

obviously shouldnt be compared to the likes of battery an justice etc

but for those of you out to bash this album - i take pride in knowing to look for the parts i like rather than be whingy about the parts i dont. kids.

corkthai

i just cannot take to metallica ever again after some kind of monster....regardless of what material they bring out..

and those lyrics on the newish albums.....my god, a kid would come up with better....

gerocks

St.Anger is muck

Hellrazer

hexagramer wrote: »

i for one.........look for the good in st anger.

Care to point it out for me.

Ive looked for the good in anything after Justice and I really really cant find it.

r3nu4l

hexagramer wrote: »

i for one on this thread choose to be the smarter type and look for the good in st anger.

i enjoy s.k.o.m, i think the unnamed feeling has a dark erie creepy feel when i hear its tones and i also enjoy the thrash parts envolved.

obviously shouldnt be compared to the likes of battery an justice etc

but for those of you out to bash this album - i take pride in knowing to look for the parts i like rather than be whingy about the parts i dont. kids.

Sorry kiddo but I've really, really tried to like Metallica's stuff over the past few years. I absolutely LOVED Metallica from Day 1 and was pretty much disgusted that I couldn't take to their new stuff for a long time. Now I'm over it and have accepted that for the most part, apart from the odd gem, they're a middle-of-the-road band that have run out of steam and are living on past glories. They did brilliantly, changed Metal forever and I'll always love their earlier stuff but I'm not going to kid myself that they are still a great band, it's the kids today that do that

Patricide

St. Anger is terrible, the music, the lyrics, the production,the mastering, and most anoying of all lars snare sound....i seriously dont know why anyone didnt ever say ehhh lars your snare drum sounds like tin cans.

The unnamed feeling, some kind of monster and sweet amber had potential but in the end not one of them lived up to it.

gerocks

gerocks wrote: »

St.Anger is muck

Death Magnetic is great.

LightofDarkness

I'd say Death Magnetic is ok, it's certainly not great. The opener is quite good and there's some cool parts in the others, but overall it's no masterpiece by any stretch.

D.Q

im a huge metallica fan. to this day.

im not just a "thrash metal supplements my lack of penis!!METALLL!!!" type of guy.

I like load and reload etc but after master of puppets, while the songs are still great imo, they lost that atmosphere. Their only true masterpiece i think was MOP.

overexcitedaj

hexagramer wrote: »

i for one on this thread choose to be the smarter type and look for the good in st anger.

i enjoy s.k.o.m, i think the unnamed feeling has a dark erie creepy feel when i hear its tones and i also enjoy the thrash parts envolved.

obviously shouldnt be compared to the likes of battery an justice etc

but for those of you out to bash this album - i take pride in knowing to look for the parts i like rather than be whingy about the parts i dont. kids.

the problem with the album is that after trying to scavange out good parts you are left feeling even more angry at this pile of s**te.
its like being being promised a trip to disneyland as a kid and being brought to a landfill instead. Such a dissapointment of an album. imo anyway

coady

I blame Bob Rock ! it all went down hill after meeting him

lord lucan

PattheMetaller wrote: »

It's the one Metallica album that is torture to listen to in one sitting. Just can't stand the sound of the drums / tin cans. Having said that, there's a few good songs on it.

Personally, i like all of Metallica's other studio releases.

I can't listen to the whole thing from beginning to end tbh,it's just too hard on the ears!! Some tracks in isolation are pretty decent but its rare that many tracks would make a playlist on my ipod.

Red Sleeping Beauty

buck65 wrote: »

Did y'all see Some Kind of Monster? It basically showed how they made and wrote this record. Basically they jammed some half assed riffs - said- that sounds good let's build a song around this , add some off the cuff lyrics, search for a cool song title for about 3 minutes and voila - St. Anger!

Don't have this or many of their recent albums - what I've heard of them makes me glad that I kept my dollars and not got ripped off like all those other mugs who are still trying to justify Metallica to themselves.

Metallica left the building in the early 90s - what we have now is some mutant bloodsucking cashhungry band that have locked up the real 'tallica. Like those aliens from the Simpsons.

Yeah this guy is right ^.

I didn't like the album at all . Very weak and juvenile sounding. Great documentary though.

sweatingbullets

DieselQueen wrote: »

after master of puppets, while the songs are still great, they lost that atmosphere. Their only true masterpiece i think was MOP.

true,MOP was a masterpiece,i think they lost that momentum when cliff burton(r.i.p.) died,they lost the driving force of the band and no-one was ever gonna replace him,although fair play to jason newstead he was good but not cliff burton good.

Motley Crue

&-E wrote: »

The title track really, really had potential..

I have to disagree, the lyrics in this track are beyond appauling, and whatever good we can take from this album as I said in my original post this is not something we can take as good

"I feel my whole world shake, like an earthquake, hard to see clear - is it me, is it fear? I'm madly in Anger with you!"

No, im sorry, thats just terrible

lord lucan

Motley Crue wrote: »

I have to disagree, the lyrics in this track are beyond appauling, and whatever good we can take from this album as I said in my original post this is not something we can take as good

"I feel my whole world shake, like an earthquake, hard to see clear - is it me, is it fear? I'm madly in Anger with you!"

No, im sorry, thats just terrible

If Bono came up with them lyrics he'd be lauded as a poet laureate!!:pac:

Patricide

Motley Crue wrote: »

I have to disagree, the lyrics in this track are beyond appauling, and whatever good we can take from this album as I said in my original post this is not something we can take as good

"I feel my whole world shake, like an earthquake, hard to see clear - is it me, is it fear? I'm madly in Anger with you!"

No, im sorry, thats just terrible

Gotta agree here, all the lyrics are appauling. Fran,tick,tick,tick,tick,tock....*shudder* And lets not forget the lyrics to invisible kid. Anyone who thinks the lyrics on this album are good...well i dont even know what to think

Motley Crue

For that you matter what ever happened to that mysterious file on the Audio CD of St Anger. It was a Quicktime trailer for 'Metallica: The Game' that never happened. The file seemed to be only available on early pressings of the Digipak St Anger with the DVD

I checked it again yesterday on my copy of St Anger I bought on release day (it's been a long time since I used it for anything) and still can't understand what happened to that game?

The Frayed Ends

Motley Crue wrote: »

For that you matter what ever happened to that mysterious file on the Audio CD of St Anger. It was a Quicktime trailer for 'Metallica: The Game' that never happened. The file seemed to be only available on early pressings of the Digipak St Anger with the DVD

I checked it again yesterday on my copy of St Anger I bought on release day (it's been a long time since I used it for anything) and still can't understand what happened to that game?

The game got cancelled. Actually saw the trailer for the first time the other week I never even heard of the game before :pac: it seemed to have a class soundtrack

but yeah I actually like St Anger... okay its not great and yes its badly produced... snare sounds etc etc but a good 4 or 5 songs I like . Tis a good album I think and still gets a listen every now and again :cool:

orestes

It's a complete abortion, end of.

Nevyn

I would have said an incomplete abortion with the remains of it going on to fester with in the band and make everything they do putrid and toxic, mind you there is the debate that the incomplete abortion was load and then re load was when the rest of the aborted reamins were scraped out and recovered but by then the gangerous toxins had started to take thier toll.

Gary ITR

They turned ****e when Cliff Burton fell off the bus


Although I do like some of the guitar riffs on load/reload and like to jam with those albums but they are nothing compared to ligtning/puppets etc