Going for something a little different this time as I didn't want to stick with just talking about new music and intend to revisit some major albums and bands from the past and present as I rank their studio album output from worst to best. I thought I'd take it easy to start with and go with a band that doesn't need any introduction: the mighty Metallica.
Their career has spanned almost 40 years as of this writing and they've only become bigger and bigger as time has gone on for better or for worse depending on your opinion. I know these guys are a love or hate band for most but they are the band that essentially brought me up on the world of metal and for that I'll be forever thankful. I'll never forget being blown away the first time 'For Whom the Bell Tolls" hit my ear drums and changed my perception of heavier music.
I don't usually do ratings for albums but in this case it helps with ranking so I thought I'd give what were my overall ratings as well as my general opinion of each album along with my top three tracks from each.
Again this is just studio albums so albums like Garage Inc and S&M won't be included. Lulu will also not be included as I've never listened to it and never plan to. Let's get on with it and I'm sure you've already guessed what our first one is.
10. St Anger (2003)
I know this is an easy target but I really couldn't put anything else before it. I do want to say that I don't hate or dislike this album at all, but it is easily the hardest of their albums to get through all the way through. I'm not even going into the snare drum issue because it's been done to death and everyone knows it sucks. It doesn't help that I've seen the documentary "Some Kind of Monster" where we see the band members (outside of the awesome Kirk Hammett) acting like spoiled brats and it really doesn't help the overall image and adds to the feeling that this is just the band throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks.
The biggest issue for me (as will be a running theme throughout these) is that the overall package is way too long. A mediocre album is one thing but a mediocre album that lasts 75 minutes in length is just too much. The album does start strong at least with it's two best tracks in the opening fury of 'Frantic' and the title track which was pretty much the thrashiest thing the band had put out since The Black Album but's all downhill from there.
I know this has been mentioned a ton as well but why the hell were there no guitar solos? I'm not saying you need solos to be considered a great metal band, but Metallica are know for their epic solos and there are some repetitive tracks in here like the average sounding "Dirty Window" that could have used one to take it to another level, or the 8 minute tracks that really need them because they really shouldn't be that long.
As for the 8 minute tracks there are three of them and only one is worth listening to in the pretty good but still a tad too long closer "All Within My Hands" as it's grown on me with it being performed rather elegantly on the recent "S&M2" release whilst the original isn't quite as good, it still has it's moments. "Invisible Kid" on the other hand is one of the worst and most boring tracks the band have ever came up with and "Some Kind of Monster" starts brilliantly but halfway through just turns into a farce, making me wish it was only 4 minutes long instead of 8.
It can't be all negative though as, like I said earlier, the first two tracks are great in my opinion, and there are a few hidden gems with some of the shorter tracks like "My World", "Sweet Amber", and "Purify" that are all decent thrashers in their own right. "The Unnamed Feeling" seems to get a bit of love nowadays but I'm not too big on it outside of a good chorus.
Not a terrible album by any means but I still can't recommend it and it's easily the worst the band have put out to this point.
Overall Rating: 5/10
Top three tracks: Frantic, St Anger, Sweet Amber
9. Reload (1997)
I've always wondered if this should count as an official studio album as the band have always stated that this was essentially the B-Sides from "Load" but everyone else counts it as an album so I may as well. Plus if this is just the B-Sides then they did a damn good job on them.
I do consider this a good album so it might seem like it's too low on this list but the one's after it just have more to offer and this is another that suffers from the album being too long as this one goes for 76 minutes and whilst it does technically offer more than "St Anger" it can still drag on especially towards the end with some of the least memorable tracks on offer.
The first half of the album is where it shines though, with multiple big hits like the opener of "Fuel" which is still one of the most energetic and blood pumping tracks the band has ever put out and the surprisingly good sequel that is "The Unforgiven II" and whilst it's not as good as the original it's still a good track in it's own right with a killer chorus that sounds like it should be played live more often.
I know "The Memory Remains" is a favourite on here but I've never been the biggest fan of the studio version and have only been able to listen to the much superior live versions that feel full of energy and crowd participation whereas the studio version has always been a bit dry to me.
I do love "Devil's Dance" and feel like it's one of Metallica's most underrated tracks of all time as it has such an addictive beat to it that you can't help but have it in your head all day. There are some other fun rockers like "Slither" which always sounded eerily similar to "Enter Sandman" to me with it's main riff, and the atmospheric "Where the Wild Things Are" that's almost the sleeper hit of the album.
The album is let down by some forgettable tracks like the long and uninteresting "Low Man's Lyric" or the cringy "Attitude" but it's saved a little by the final track "Fixxxer" which aims to be as big as "Bleeding Me" or "Outlaw Torn" that just falls a little short of those ones but still manages to be a fun, epic track in it's own right.
This is a good release that just falls short of being a truly great one.
Overall rating: 6/10
Top three tracks: Fuel, The Unforgiven II, Devil's Dance
8. Death Magnetic (2008)
I kind of surprised myself with how low this ended up on the list but after going over each album it was clear that this was pretty much the best placement for this album as it's not their best but not their worst either, plus I had a pretty tough tough time choosing between this and number 7 for this spot so it could have went either way.
After the rough time the band had with "St Anger" this was pretty much the shot in the arm they needed as they essentially went back to their roots with the thrash on display whilst still keeping to their bag of tricks from the 90s to spice up some tracks. Whilst this may not have been an album of the year contender it is still a damn solid release with some great tracks that were instant crowd pleasers at the time.
Really the only issues I have with the album are the (of course) length as it's a pretty meaty release at 74 minutes as it does start to drag a bit as we reach the last 20 minutes, and the production still hasn't aged well even 12 years later as it's totally overproduced and can come to the edge of sounding almost distorted at times, but it isn't enough to ruin the album finally. Of course with the band essentially trying to go back to their roots it means that whilst most of the tracks are good, some of them sound very similar to older tracks and so it doesn't really feel like they're breaking new ground. This is especially apparent with the track "The Day That Never Comes" and whilst this is a good track it sticks to the formula of their track "One" so much that it could be a copy. I still like it though.
There are some tracks on here that should have been cut way down though like the 8 minute "The Judas Kiss" which isn't bad but does feel like a filler track and drags way on, and the 10 minute instrumental "Suicide & Redemption" which I do like more than others but it should have been 5 minutes shorter at least and could have done without trying to sound too much like "Orion".
I've been moaning way too much already as there are a ton of positives in here too with a few tracks that could be considered new Metallica classics like opening thrasher "That Was Just Your Life" that feels like a welcome back to fans of the past for one of the most adrenaline pumping songs they've ever put out, and album highlight "All Nightmare Long" which might just be the heaviest track the band has ever put out and is just 8 minutes of pounding fury and glorious solos galore. We also have the ending to the Unforgiven trilogy with "Unforgiven III", and I'm not gonna lie, this is probably my favourite out of all 3 tracks. The piano intro leading into a nice throwback to the original is great and the solo with James screaming "Forgive Me" before it just gives me chills everytime. The album does end on a high note with the shortest track on here in "My Apocalypse" which is a thrash throwback to tracks like "Battery" and "Damage Inc" whilst creating it's own identity.
Overall rating: 7/10
Top three tracks: That Was Just Your Life, All Nightmare Long, The Unforgiven III
7. Load (1996)
"Load" and "Reload" essentially have the exact same issues with both of them having a good few album highlights but too much filler to pad out a frustratingly long runtime. So why did "Load" get a much higher place than "Reload"? Because there's much less filler and the highlights are way better.
Let's get the filler out of the way first. We didn't really need "Poor Twisted Me", "Thorn Within", or "Ronnie" did we? It didn't help that these come right at the end of the album and just make the whole ending feel like a drag.
Right, now for the good stuff. This album might be Metallica's most varied album ever and I love it. It's gotten a lot of hate given that it came out after the "Black Album" and is really more of a hard rock album than a metal album meaning that a lot of the tracks on here are underrated gems. Even the first couple of tracks with the dumb but fun "Ain't My Bitch" kicking things off and the brilliantly groovy "2x4" which deserves so much more attention.
Of course you have the big singles as well with the gothic "Until It Sleeps", the almost-ballad "Hero of the Day" and the almost-Sandman "King Nothing" all bringing the goods, but where this album really shines is with it's epic tracks as they are two of the most underrated tracks the band has ever released with "Bleeding Me" ending the first half of the album on a high note with a gorgeous track that starts soft and just builds and builds to huge finish as it becomes heavier and heavier as it goes on. It's part ballad and part rock opera and just works amazingly well. "The Outlaw Torn" is the album's closing track and another belter with no second of it's 10 minute runtime being wasted. Weirdly enough the "S&M2" version of this track was my most listened to track of 2020 so that tells you all you need to know. Brilliant stuff.
Overall rating: 7.5/10
Top three tracks: Bleeding Me, The Outlaw Torn, Until It Sleeps
6. Hardwired...To Self Destruct (2016)
Not sure if this is considered a controversial pick or not, but fuck it, I love this album and continue to love it more and more with each listen as it has so much to offer. It may be one of their longer albums even by their standards, but out of all them this is the easiest one to get through by far and has some of the best tracks the band have put out in years. Kind of hard to believe this one is turning 5 years old this year.
So to get the filler out of the way, there isn't really much as the only true filler track to me is "Am I Savage?" which isn't really a bad track but I just find it a bit too slow and plodding for my test and it's chorus just feels uninspired. There's also "Murder One" which doesn't have much going on but it is a nice tribute the the late Lemmy so it gets a pass from me for that reason.
Other than that this album is just filled with tracks that will be considered Metallica classics in the future like the brilliant "Moth Into Flame" which was inspired by Amy Winehouse and the dangers that fame and fortune can bring with a stomping track that will most likely be on all future setlists with it's catchy as hell chorus and great solos. There's also the epic "Halo on Fire" which just seems to build and build before the last 2 minutes unleashes a barrage of face melting solos and great vocals from James as the band just goes mental and it's brilliant. The band also brought back the mighty Cthulhu for "Dream No More" which honours his legendary mythos with one heavy as hell track.
There are quite a few underrated tracks on here as well with the main culprits being "Confusion", "Here Comes Revenge", and "ManUNkind" but I'd say these are definitely worth checking out again. The "S&M2" version of "Confusion" really made me realise just how good it was and hearing "Here Comes Revenge" live in person really made me appreciate it's epic main riff all the more. In "ManUNkind"s case, it's a fun track that also has a music video that shows black metal heavyweights 'Mayhem' playing the track as part of the Lords of Chaos movie so how can you not love that?
The cream of the crop here though is "Spit Out The Bone" which is easily the best track the band have released in years and maybe even decades. Yes it's that good. I've had it on my playlist pretty much non-stop since it came out. A brilliant thrashing track that just never let's up for 7 minutes as it details the doom of mankind being taken over by machines in a Terminator scenario.
Overall rating: 9/10
Top three tracks: Moth Into Flame, Halo on Fire, Spit Out The Bone
5. ...And Justice For All (1988)
Ok, now this placement may cause a bit of controversy. Whilst I do love this album, I do not place it quite as high as the top 4. Save your pitchforks and angry mobs for the end please. Of course it is hard to be too critical of the band at this point as well given that this was their first without bassist Cliff Burton who tragically passed away in a crash only two years previously in 1986 and I do think he was a huge part of writing their first 3 legendary albums and the band may have still been in the grieving process though.
Speaking of bassists, enter Jason Newsted of 'Flotsam and Jetsam' fame and you have to feel bad for the guy given that the production on the bass work is so bad on this album that you can never really make it out to the point where fans have since released an '...And Justice For Jason' remix version of the album to make the bass stand out. Still though, like the bad production of 'Death Magnetic' it's not enough to completely derail the album but it is noticeable and it is a negative.
Other than that there's not too much to be critical of as it is a hell of a tracklist on offer. The only track I'm not big on is "The Eye of the Beholder" which just comes across a bit dull outside of a decent riff but it is sandwiched between two of the best tracks on the album so at least it feels like more of a break than anything else. Whilst I do enjoy "To Live is To Die" as it's a lovely tribute to Cliff, I do feel that it does go on a bit too long at nearly 10 minutes and it's the weakest Metallica instrumental up to this point and ione I tend to skip when listening to the full album.
Everything else ranges from very good to all time great. Of course the best track on here is the epic horror war story of "One" which has remained a classic over 30 years later for good reason with it starting off like a ballad in the vein of "Fade to Black" before morphing into a huge thrashing monster as it nears its end. Huge props to the opener "Blackened" as well as this was the first Metallica album opener that wasn't a straight forward thrash all the way through track as it does start off that way but slows down midway through with some chugging riffs and elegant solos before going back to a furious pace again.
Really it's hard to go wrong with an album that includes great thrashers like "Dyers Eve" and the forever underrated "The Frayed Ends of Sanity". The title track as well is just fantastic and doesn't waste a second of it's near 10 minute runtime. This could be a perfect album if not for a few minor issues but I'll still take it as it is.
Overall rating: 9/10
Top three tracks: Blackened, ...And Justice For All, One
4. Metallica (The Black Album) (1991)
Man, I'm gonna get a lot of shit for putting this ahead of Justice aren't I? To be fair I do consider them to be pretty much on par with each other although I do have a lot more fun with this album.
It's a bit of a controversial one with Metallica and thrash fans in general as some love it for just for it's overall quality, but others hate it for not being a proper thrash album and Metallica's first real departure from thrash that led to their hard rock style that would take over during the rest of the 90s.
Of course I'm one of the ones that loves this album, I mean I grew up with it for gods sake. And that tracklist is just unbelievable good. "Enter Sandman", "Sad But True", "The Unforgiven", "Nothing Else Matters", "Wherever I May Roam" just to name a few? Sublime. "Nothing Else Matters" gets the most flack for being a big ballad but my god that guitar solo is something else and still gives me chills. Yes "Enter Sandman" is overplayed to hell but you can't deny it's impact on the metal scene and on music in general as it's forever been a gateway track for new fans into the metal genre. And you're lying if you say you don't still sing along to it every time its on.
Other than that there are a good few underrated tracks on here as well with "The God That Failed" detailing the horrific religious upbringing of James and is probably the heaviest track on here. There's also "My Friend of Misery" where Jason finally has a chance to show off his bass skills with a track eerie in nature but is pulled off beautifully.
Really I can't think of anything negative to say other than there maybe being one too many tracks overall but there's nothing I could really cut without feeling a bit of pain inside.
Overall rating: 9.5/10
Top three tracks: Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters, The God That Failed
3. Kill 'Em All (1983)
This is the debut album and you can't really ask for a better debut from a band. Have there ever been any as good as this one? Only Iron Maiden's self titled release comes to mind. This is easily the band at their rawest and most energetic and it turns out a record of absolute power. It really shouldn't work as the whole thing is basically just raging thrash tracks for over 50 minutes but it just works as even in the very early days of the band their songwriting was just spectacular.
There is only one real moment where the thrash turns off for a bit and that's with the Cliff Burton led instrumental track (Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth that starts off with a great bass solo before Lars comes in and takes it to the next level. Everything else just fires off on all cylinders from the rifftastic opener that is "Hit the Lights" to the mesmerising melodies of "Phantom Lord", to the stadium filling, sing along gem that is "Seek and Destroy" there's really no going wrong here.
Overall rating: 10/10
Top three tracks: Phantom Lord, Seek and Destroy, Hit the Lights
2. Ride the Lightning (1984)
You have no idea how difficult it is to choose between the top 2 albums and depending on what day you ask me, I might just changed my mind. These albums are like kids to me leading to a very metal version of Sophie's Choice, but one album had to take the second spot after all.
Again I don't have too much to say on this one as I do not have any criticisms at all as this is pretty much a perfect album all the way through with no bad or filler tracks to speak of and just flows like the calmest river you'll find.
What's not to love? You have the thrashing madness of opener "Fight Fire With Fire" and the fantastic riffing solos of the title track. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" got me into Metallica in the first place and it still has what may be the intro to any metal track ever made and never fails to get me headbanging along with it.
"Fade to Black" almost caused a bit of backlash with it being the band's first ballad,but they knocked it right out of the park as this may be the best track they've ever released with some hypnotic acoustic guitar work and a chorus that's essentially just an instrumental but works so well. Not to mention that final guitar solo is an absolute face melter. Just perfect.
You've also got your underrated thrash gems with "Trapped Under Ice" and "Escape". "Creeping Death" is an all time thrash classic and the band have proved this with just how well it works live with a bit of crowd anticipation, and the subject matter of the Pharaohs of Egypt really adds a bit of epicness to the whole thing. And finally it all ends with "Call of Ktulu" which is an 8 minute instrumental which never bores and it's opening guitar picks send chills down my spine. It really makes you feel like you're out in an arctic tundra. So how could you possibly follow this up? I can think of a way....
Overall rating: 10/10
Top three tracks: For Whom the Bell Tolls, Fade to Black, Creeping Death
1. Master of Puppets (1986)
It couldn't really have been anything else could it? Get ready for me to gush all over this like the last one.
For years this has long been considered possibly the greatest metal album ever released and it's really difficult to argue with that as it's a perfect album for sure.
I mean the album starts with the thrashing rage of "Battery" and the majesty that is the title track. They could have ended it there and everyone still would have loved it but thankfully it keeps going after that.
We have another entry in the Cthulhu saga with "The Thing That Should Not Be", a slow atmospheric track that still manages to be heavy with some thick riffs. Another favourite of mine is "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" which almost sounds like a precursor to one as it has a similar formula with a more melodic opening before descending into madness (pun intended) to finish the track off in brilliant fashion.
Of course you have the other heavy hitters like the war protesting "Disposable Heroes", the underrated "Leper Messiah" and the vicious ending of "Damage Inc." but for me it's really the instrumental track "Orion" that's the main standout towards the end. Due to the tragic death of Cliff, this song has really become a tribute to him in the years after his passing and it's hard not to get a little emotional whilst listening to it, but the track itself is just gorgeous as it weaves it's way seamlessly through thrashing riffs to cosmic sounding solos and all the way back to thrash again.
It's Master of Puppets. Of course it's the best.
Overall rating: 11/10
Top four tracks: Battery, Master of Puppets, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Orion
Thank you for reading and if you made it all the way through then you're a real trooper. I'm hoping to keep this going with other bands to come in the future and I have a few ideas for my next one in between the new reviews I hope to get down to soon.
If you want to throw some ideas my way please go ahead and let me know your thoughts on this ranking.
Cheers!
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