EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

"Eye of the Beholder" is a single release by US thrash metal/heavy metal act Metallica. There are three different versions of the single. A promotional CD version which features an edit of the title track, a promotional 12´ vinyl version which features the title track and the Budgie cover "Breadfan" and a 7´ vinyl single version which features the title track and the edit of the title track. As always with singles where the title track is taken off an album (in this case "...And Justice for All (1988)"), it´s the B-side that´s the most interesting thing. The Budgie cover is well played and as always Metallica put their mark on a cover version. As "Breadfan" is both available on the "Harvester of Sorrow (1988)" single and on the "Garage Inc. (1998)" compilation album, "Eye of the Beholder" is a hardcore fan release and a 2.5 star rating is warranted. There´s nothing wrong with the quality though.

This single was the first single lifted from the fiendish over technical and genre creating And Justice For All. To say that Eye Of The Beholder does not have any hit single qualities is an understatement. But the momentum of Metallica's career carried it on. They had lost their bassist Cliff Burton under tragic circumstances and they were a part of a gigantic stadium tour with Scorpions and Van Halen when this single and album was released. Hence, the single sold well.

Eye Of The Beholder is a very complicated, multi faceted song with several different melody lines crammed into one song. It is not one of the best songs from the album, but it is still a good song. The single though is only for collectors and them alone. In short; don't bother.

2 stars