ST. ANGER

On to an album that many fans, and the band members themselves, don't like at all. I don't know what the band was trying to achieve here - the first few tracks are just a jumble of coherent noise in the rock vein with patchy drumming and riffing. Were these guys trying to make a statement in the Korn, Papa Roach, Limp Bizkit field - if so then why? Where the previous two albums were very much standard hard rock fare this is a strange animal indeed. It is definitely an exercise in experimentation by the band and there is nothing wrong with a band flexing its muscles in a different direction if what they are doing something coherent and if they don't lose their identity in so doing. This is far far away from Metallica's initial identity. The drums are not well mixed into the fray and as with at least one of the previous albums I get that bashing on a paint tin sound.

I can't find any merit in this album whatsoever other than as a curiosity - if you really want to hear Metallica attempting a Nu Metal sound then by all means give it a shot but for goodness sake don't go spending hard earned money on it. From me a very clear cut one star release.