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Man, to be sixteen years old again. I had no responsibilities (at least, I don’t remember any as bad as paying for insurance and gasoline in this day and age) and yet somehow, I was constantly pissed off. I think every male goes through that around that time. We don’t know why we were so upset, but we all know that it was this “causeless anger” that ran our everyday lives. I constantly searched for a release for it, and, thus, became a fan of heavy metal. I remember playing Sega Genesis in my bedroom with the volume turned down as I blared the music of Metallica, Megadeth, and Pantera via tape. Brutal, huh?
It was this first band, Metallica, that inspired me to play guitar. I can only assume that there are about 23,412,341,273,948,126,348,973.4 more people out there that can say the same thing. There was something about the attitude, the speed, and the melodies on Ride the Lightning that just spoke to me. I wore that cassette out. Day after day, you could walk into my room and find me doing everyday things with this music as the soundtrack to my life. Playing “Sonic the Hedgehog” to Master of Puppets. Re stringing guitars to Trapped under Ice. Brushing my teeth while listening to Dyer’s Eve. I mean, how mad are you at EVERYTHING when you can’t brush your teeth without listening to metal?!? I listened to this music so much, that I felt it was a part of me. It wasn’t just what I listened to, but rather, what I wanted to do, and who I was. Also, growing up in a town of 700 people who considered this “the devil’s music”, I found my self resenting their opinions, and embracing it even more.
I think this is why, even at 28 years old, I still get excited when I hear that Metallica is releasing a new album. Even though my tastes in music have broadened from just metal to, well, everything over the years, I still feel connected to them. I want them to succeed. I want them to put out something that makes me feel like a teenager again. I want them to put out something that makes me feel like they haven’t lost a step, especially after St. Anger. (I could go on and on about that record, but I am working under the pretense that you have heard it, and were as displeased as I was.)
In September of 2008, Metallica released Death Magnetic. This album was rumored to be a throwback to the days of producer, Flemming Rasmussen. It was said to be a mix of …And Justice for All and the self titled album, oft called The Black Album. (I like the word oft, so back off.) I feel like this album is MORE than advertised. That’s right. More. M.O.R.E. OK, maybe my happiness that it isn’t St. Anger part 2 took over for a second, but this really is a great record. I feel like it’s the best thing they have released since MOP, even though in my heart, I will always love Justice more.
The riffs do well to recall the thrash genre, but bring a freshness with them that is obviously current. They wave a scent of 1986 under your nostrils, and then take you someplace new. The guitar sounds are as crunchy as every, but this time, there is no mid-range scoop, which allows the guitars to breathe more. I think mid-range on guitars is the secret to making them come alive in the studio, and there is no lack of mids on this album. The drums are back to sounding like drums, so that is a triple jump in the right direction. However, saying that they sound like drums doesn’t really do them the justice they deserve. They sound like good rock drums, crisper and punchier than the old records. Even the bass was thumping every second of the way, which I was concerned with, what with all the references to Justice. And Solos! There are guitar solos on it! Solos that will make a new generation of kids stay home and bang their heads against the wall while they try to learn them, just as I did!
Listen, I can sit here and give you a song by song rundown of the album, but you have either heard the album already, or have already read a review like that, so I will resist telling you how much the chorus riff to “The Judas Kiss” rocks, or how tiring it is to play “All Nightmare Long”. Instead, I will just tell you to go buy it. The album is heavy, it’s melodic, it has some killer grooves, and some really tasty guitar work. Plus, when you listen to this album, you will be quickly reminded that James Hetfield has the best right hand in the history of heavy metal music, and he won’t let you forget it for the entire duration of this record.
It’s nice to know that Metallica still had the desire to put out an album like this. I think we all knew that they had the ability to do it, but it was the desire that most of us doubted. A doubt that crept in sometime in the nineties and snuck up on us. A doubt that allowed us to forget how good the first four records were. A doubt that they would ever return to the glory days of the eighties. A doubt that they would ever play metal again, or at least make an attempt to. A doubt that they would put down the eyeliner, tune back up to A440, and play as fast as they can. Death Magnetic lays all of those doubts to rest. This is an extremely solid album, and should keep an entire new generation of sixteen year olds pissed off for quite some time.

T…

September 3rd at Hailey’s in Denton, TX was a monumental occasion. The reason I say that is the fact that consistently good bills are hard to find. 95% of the time, I am having to stand around listening to a band that doesn’t fit the bill and is totally out of place. Not saying that they are bad, but they just don’t fit. Promoters and booking agents need to do a little research before booking. Just a listen on MySpace is all I ask. With that being said, this show was a fantastic display of musicianship and texture. With mom being one of my favorite local bands, I can always expect a good show out of them. They rely heavily on samples and activated sounds. The duo overlays these prerecorded samples with lush strings and acoustic guitar, which to me, is a wonderful thing. I have seen them many times precedeing this show and plan on seeing more proceeding. The Lymbyc Systym is another duo hailing from Austin. They consist of only keys and percussion. Both of them very good at their instruments. The two brothers who are the band, impress me more and more with every show I see. I was originally introduced to them when they were on tour with The Album Leaf, and I’ve made it a point to see them, whenever they are in town, ever since. After them was one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. Their new release, “This Will Destroy You” is currently a contender for my personal favorite CD of the year. TWDY is, by all means, a post-rock, Explosions In The Sky type band, but they are more epic. They have more build-up and they are definitely not for the impatient. All in all, I would say it was an amazing show and I highly suggest seeing any of the 3 bands, if you get a chance.

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