Okay. I promised I wouldnt write a review or comment on St. Anger until I got a good feeling for it because, as previously stated, it does develop with every listen. I have listened to it maybe for about 15 times now.
First off, for this review I am dissmissing all other comments about "ranking" this album with other Metallica CD\'s. Face it, there will never be another "Ride the Lighting" guys. St. Anger is so different from the Metallica of the past that it would be almost impossible to ask if say "Some Kind of Monster" is on the same level with "Hero of the Day". Its almost genre-crossing.
So St. Anger is different from the Metallica of the past eh? Well is it better? Well it is different, but not the kind of "different" like when you try a horrible new food at a resturant and do not want to offend the cook "different". The word is more "refreshing". St. Anger is a middle road between the fast/heavy/hard/offensive Metallica of old and the confused/country alt-rock of Load and Reload.
Now more specifically?
Everyone is bitching about no solo\'s. Personally, I could care less. While I was dissapointed at first, solo\'s wouldnt fit into these songs. Now, and which i think is more effective, the solos have melded into heavier, more structured, intro\'s to songs that usually last about 2 minutes. These intro\'s are usually the best parts of the CD.
Lars. Lars really shines on this album. If you watch the DVD that comes with it he has just become a man possessed with drumming fast and rocking hard. The double kick drum paired with the what seems to be tighter stretched snares are incredible.
Its just that they have nothing to say anymore and they are getting older and laid back.
Laid back? This CD has overcome a bassist change, alcoholism, and millions of pissed off once-Napster users. They have put their heart and souls into this CD and it shows. As for nothing to say...
Metallica\'s lyrics have taken a turn. More broken, pieced together, but I think its a direct reflection of James himself. Previously Metallica\'s songs are all about telling a story, or about somebody else. St. Anger has taken a more introspective turn and the songs are full of regret and overcoming addiction. The result is again, different, but it works.
*God, thanks for reading this far*
The low parts? The first couple listens the CD seems choppy and amateur. It almost turned me off from it. Kirk does seem to be gone from it. Some parts of the songs I love and then some parts of the same song I find just corny. Invisible Kid is an example with the "Oooh\'s"
All in all I believe it is a great CD. Its far more epic and hard than ANYTHING that is out there right now. Pick it up at Best Buy for 10 bucks songs like "St. Anger", "Sweet Amber", and "Dirty Window" are worth that money alone.