Artist: Metallica Album: LoadFor my first post, I’m going to review a double album. The first album is a rather old, releasing in 1996 on and in contrast to popular opinion is my favorite Metallica album. The album starts out with the hard hitting Ain’t My Bitch. Songs like Bleeding Me and Until It Sleeps show Metallica can slow down from time to time. Deeper cuts on the album include Poor Twisted Me, features a musical pattern rarely used by the band, Thorn Within, while not the most original lyrically features one of my favorite guitar riffs during the chorus, and 2X4, which sounds like Battery remade into a blues song. The closer The Outlaw Torn gradually builds from a slow pace to an all out jamming session lasting for minutes if you find the original version on Youtube.

Since this was during Metallica’s “experimental years,” many changes to the formula were implemented. Instead of thrash picking, Hetfield and Hammett are incorporating blues techniques and using chords other than their typical 2-3 string power chords found in songs like Until It Sleeps. Ulrich’s playing includes more low tom fills than previous albums in songs such as Cure and Thorn Within. Hammett’s solo’s and Ulrich’s heavy use of the Hi-Hat remain in full use from previous albums. Hetfield keeps his mid range growl type voice present throughout the album especially heard on 2X4. I would call this album easier to play than previous entries, if you’re used to older Metallica, this will be a challenge to adapt to. If you’re just starting out, I would recommend Hero of the Day for guitar for it’s repeating pattern and not to challenging guitar solo, The Outlaw Torn for bass for an easy riff you can hear throughout the verse, and King Nothing for drums because it follows Ulrich’s simple drumming pattern. For more of a challenge, Until It Sleeps uses plenty of complex chords, and The Outlaw Torn during the bridge will challenge coordinated drummers.