82 replies to this topic

[HEYitsED]

Just better songs in general. Just compare the songs from Death Magnetic to any of their songs from their first four albums. It doesn't even compare.

[Evil Eye]

I agree with Fizd.
Just give Rob an acoustic/flamenco and let him write everything.

[fixxxerah]

I agree with Fizd.
Just give Rob an acoustic/flamenco and let him write everything.

That would be pretty interesting, by the way... a Robert Trujillo solo project... maybe someday? After they retire and release all of their unreleased material?

[dss]

Might as well do a more detailed list of what I'd like on the next album:

- If shorter songs = more songs, then I agree with some of you. However, they shouldn't be too short. At least 5-6 minutes.
- Keep it thrash. Don't start experimenting again, you finally returned to the roots, so stay there for a while.
- Less wah in the solos. Make them more like the old days. We all know Kirk can do it.
- More complex drumming. Not saying it should be at AJFA level, but DM was just pathetic at times.
- As I said earlier, more harmonies and great middle sections would be great.
- Make Rob shine! Let him do some bass solos.

Exactly!

[dirtcharmingg]

To be completely honest, keep it simple.

Death Magnetic had a lot of great riffs and a lot of incredible moments, but it suffered from arrangement issues. Now that it's been out for a few years, we've obviously all gotten used to the songs and how they are arranged, but I still feel that it's forced and NOT organic, contrary to what Lars said in interviews before the album came out.

Imagine if there were 3-4 minute songs that were worked around the main groove riff from The End of the Line, or the chorus riff from The Judas Kiss. I agree about tuning down to eb and letting Hetfield shine more with his cool overdubs and harmonies. He's a great singer, he needs to flaunt it, we don't need him yelling, or even a mix between both. He's come up with some incredible vocal melodies and should continue to do so.

I've always thought about what I'd tell them if I were to produce their next album, and I'd tell them to keep it simple. I've always imagined Metallica being able to come up with something similar to Born To Be Wild, but heavier and without those lyrics obviously. Imagine a riff like the main one from Innagaddadavida with the drumming from Minus Human, played by Metallica, it would sound HUGE! Listen to the riff they used for White Heat/White Light with Lou Reed, that would have been a kick ass riff for a song.

[DOGMABLADE]

Aye yo James' riffs don't work, his tone is soft as a pillow
His wife lookin at him like "You for real dude?"
I think there might be something wrong with his riffs
Tone's like a melted stick of butter
So soft that his strings sound like rubber
Aye yo I think James broke his tone in the sink
It's so small and ugly, all smashed and flat like it was playin rugby
Yo for real though, James suffers from stinky riff
Every time he plays something it sounds just like shit
His rig looks like the fat that you cut off a steak
Smashed in like amp went and stepped on a rake
Yo straight out the box with his shitty little riffs
Tone is a eight year old girl as long as he stays with that shit
Tone sounds like I messed the bed, makin me say "Wut?"
Like it recorded when I slept and stuck a laxative up
I got hepatitis c from his tone, but no confusion
All because my ears needed a blood transfusion
With his tone he keeps playin, I say "What the fuck?"
Even Weezer got more crunch, that's like a kick in the nuts
I got a friend named James' tone who lives down at the dump
Better tone than him even when I'm crappin' my lunch
IMA CALL IT RIGHT THERE, GAME OVER MOTHERFUCKERS!
METALLICA, WE STARTED THIS CRAP TONE SHIT! THE WORLD NEEDS US!

[MastroofPuppetz]

Metallica are not angry nor hungry anymore, nothing can fix that. The metallica of old are and will always be in the past sadly. DM is prob the closest we will get to a real metal album, and it was still not close to their first 5. The songs on Dm at times feel forced, the guitar sound is way to thin, some songs drag too long, the arrangements at times was off, and they just dont flow as well as their earlier stuff.

In Metallica;s defense, you cannot expect a band to keep putting out classic albums everytime like they did in the 80's.

Why did they stop making concept albums? When they were at their best, the entire album had one central theme, concept. Now it is just a bunch of random singles. Their creativity is way off from what it used to be it almost felt like they were telling you a story. Now its just a bunch of random rhymes/lines. James writing has gotten worse over the years.

A better name for an album, Death magnetic might be the worse album title ever. LOL.

They also lacked melody, harmony. You can make a heavy/fast album and still have melody, see master of Puppets. Again, something they have not done really since justice.

Edited by MastroofPuppetz, Jul 17 11 - 04:27 PM.

[Evil Eye]

That would be pretty interesting, by the way... a Robert Trujillo solo project... maybe someday? After they retire and release all of their unreleased material?

While that'd be cool, doing it within Metallica would mean James would write killer riffs around it, and translate it to metal, etc, and Lars would arrange it perfectly. Which might mean an album of Nightmare quality and style songs. Which, if I'm not mistaken, would be quite sexy, not to mention would piss on DM.

Edited by Evil Eye, Jul 17 11 - 05:53 PM.

[Moderus Prime]

Here's what they did wrong:

Rick Rubin.

Here's what they should do to fix it:

No Rick Rubin.


Thank you.

[BLACKYS]

Hire Mustaine & have Him write the next Albums for Metallica then fire him again like the first time.

[BLACKYS]

No seriously, Hetfield needs the Bass & Hostility back in his voice & stop being a characterization of Himself.

[Evil Eye]

They should mute the bass on the next album and replace it with raised sub-bass levels on James' voice.
Then use this setlist for its tour:

[Wolfish]

Keep it more organic; don't rely on pro-tools to write songs.

[MastroofPuppetz]

Keep it more organic; don't rely on pro-tools to write songs.

Megadeth, Testament, Exodus, Slayer, etc... All have been releasing awesome thrash/heavy albums, when is he real metallica gonna show up? Or did it dies in 89? Sure seems like it. Metallica, metal made them who they are, they are known as a metal band, start acting like one. Too soft.

Edited by MastroofPuppetz, Jul 19 11 - 07:03 PM.

[!!DM!!]

I think they need to go back to if at first it doesnt feel right or its just not happening then sack the song right there. dont keep working it into a song that is just OK.

[That Was Just Your Sandman]

Interesting that a majority of these comments all say shorter songs may have helped DM, cause I've watched an interview with James, and he said that was something he actually fought for. He wasn't keen on having 8 minute longs songs anymore, but Lars really pushed for it, and I guess something had to give. I do like the occasional long song, when it's epic like Fixxxer or Outlaw Torn, but if the guys focussed on making strong concise songs, I think we would hear great things, there is no denying the great song writing skills they have, when used properly.

Oh and turn the bass up, let Kirk have full reign on his solos, in terms of composition etc, and give the guitars a bit more body to to the tone.

[Wolfish]

Megadeth, Testament, Exodus, Slayer, etc... All have been releasing awesome thrash/heavy albums, when is he real metallica gonna show up? Or did it dies in 89? Sure seems like it. Metallica, metal made them who they are, they are known as a metal band, start acting like one. Too soft.

Nah, man. Metallica shits all over those 4 bands because they have been known to keep things fresh and varied. All they need is to tweak a couple details and they would be ok.

BTW, what do you mean when you say DM sounds "bloated"? I've seen several posts of yours claiming that but I can't get my head around that notion. Lol.

[Fedryktulu]

Interesting that a majority of these comments all say shorter songs may have helped DM, cause I've watched an interview with James, and he said that was something he actually fought for. He wasn't keen on having 8 minute longs songs anymore, but Lars really pushed for it, and I guess something had to give. I do like the occasional long song, when it's epic like Fixxxer or Outlaw Torn, but if the guys focussed on making strong concise songs, I think we would hear great things, there is no denying the great song writing skills they have, when used properly.

Oh and turn the bass up, let Kirk have full reign on his solos, in terms of composition etc, and give the guitars a bit more body to to the tone.

To me, James' work in DM was almost flawless, he's as good a song writer as he's always been.

[Evil Eye]

Nah, man. Metallica shits all over those 4 bands because they have been known to keep things fresh and varied. All they need is to tweak a couple details and they would be ok.

lol
3 of those 4 bands have released slightly to moderately better albums than Metallica recently.

[Wolfish]

lol
3 of those 4 bands have released slightly to moderately better albums than Metallica recently.

What I was getting at is that Metallica is what it is, a renowned and respected band, because of their whole history, not becaue of their thrashy days only.

[fixxxerah]

Why did they stop making concept albums?

They have never released a concept album. Ever. Maybe Puppets, but not all songs in it talk about the same thing. When Lars was asked back in 89 if Justice was a concept album, he said it wasn't so I trust his word.

[Fedryktulu]

They have never released a concept album. Ever. Maybe Puppets, but not all songs in it talk about the same thing. When Lars was asked back in 89 if Justice was a concept album, he said it wasn't so I trust his word.

Actually, all songs in master are about manipulation (except for orion). Ride is all about death, except for Escape.

[Wolfish]

And Justice for All and DM could be concept albums too in a way. The Metallica-Lou Reed project is definitely a concept album.

[MastroofPuppetz]

They have never released a concept album. Ever. Maybe Puppets, but not all songs in it talk about the same thing. When Lars was asked back in 89 if Justice was a concept album, he said it wasn't so I trust his word.

yes they have.................... The entire justice album is a concept album......... So is puppets... A CONCEPT album does not need to sing about the same sing in every song, but they all have a central theme. Shocking a metallica fan doesn't know this.

What I was getting at is that Metallica is what it is, a renowned and respected band, because of their whole history, not becaue of their thrashy days only.

Wrong, they are mostly known for those trashy days, and mainly play those songs live..,. Ask any joe on the street and they think metallica are a heavy metal band (Even though they are not really anymore). Without thet trashy days that got them noticed they would not be around today.

[Evil Eye]

First of all... it's spelled thrash, kthx.
That out of the way, no, the majority of "joe"s on the street would know the Black Album, at best. TBA got them where they are, to deny that is simply ignorance.

Actually, all songs in master are about manipulation (except for orion). Ride is all about death, except for Escape.

Never really saw Trapped as being about death either. And I guess you couldn't say for Ktulu.
I also would say Battery, Thingy, and Damage don't really fit the "control" theme.