Album Review: Metallica - ...And Justice For All

Metallica - …And Justice For All

Elektra Records - 1988

10/10

Working behind two albums that more or less offered the same taste of thrash under mildly varied guise, Metallica came into the end of the decade in the same fashion of many of their peers. By that, I mean they co-opted the final blow of cold war/nuclear fallout propaganda mixed with general political corruption, and a side of slightly progressive songwriting. Though I use that term pretty liberally, And Justice For All comes close in the same way that Iron Maiden’s Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son did the same year in terms of longer songs with useful repetition and irregular rhythms. Despite this, there’s no loss of fury and rage that was presented on the record prior, combining all of these aspects to hold the title of my favorite record by the band.

Most criticisms outside of the lack of bass (how original) align themselves with these very aspects that I praise, rather than complain about. Moreover, I would argue that Lars’s drumming is some of the best here, not the worst. It’s accented by the dryer production, clicking through with a powerful ear for rhythm alongside the jarring riff structures. His fills are also notable, highlighted in the title track and the instrumental “To Live Is To Die,” boosted by their longer runtimes. Actually, the explosive drumwork accents the energetic release opening things up on “Blackened.” This song in general does an incredible job of setting the state with all of its lyrical aggression and hoarse vocal delivery.

With that, I think everything mentioned thus far is also enhanced with the flatter production. The absence of audible bass subtracts nothing from the songwriting or the flow, and the burning riff tones under advanced leads do this justice (ha). Songs like the doomy “Harvester Of Sorrow” boast another layer of heaviness thanks to that, which has the same effect on “The Shortest Straw.” This one has some of the tightest chops in terms of aggressive speed meeting intricacy, breaking in higher layers of intensity as the song progresses. The shifts are very subtle though, especially because it slowly ascends in pitch, not speed; a unique touch, if you ask me.

Let it be telling that we still haven’t touched all of my favorite tracks yet. And Justice For All works wonders sequentially, held up by the foundation that built everything thus far discussed, but its individual outlier songs are supreme. For starters, “The Frayed Ends Of Sanity” not only rakes in blistering suspense, several different speeds, and the most advanced solo on the record, but it also channels feelings of insanity through this and James’s menacing delivery. If I had to pick a favorite Metallica song of all time, that’s it. On the topic of emotion, “One” drives in the opposite direction, using some of Kirk’s cleanest and swift leads to convey hopelessness that still swings back into the groove of things; truly a great way of utilizing guitar licks in place of extra lyrics, making a nice balance. “Eye Of The Beholder” touches a similar cadence to “The Shortest Straw” just with its attitude concealed, and closer “Dyers Eve” lets out a personal barrage of rage that packs all of this influence into a dense, five-minute jawbreaker.

If anything, the lack of bass, the dryer production, the repetitiveness, or whatever else someone might complain about only shows that the band was able to touch their peak without needing assistance from compelling bass, better production, and straightforward writing. It’s really the last Metallica album that falls into my category of having no real complaints, or very minor ones. This wouldn’t happen again until Death Magnetic two decades later, one that I see as this disc’s true successor. I have a soft spot for plenty of things between the two, but the energy is miles apart, and I’m glad they could finish off their four-record streak of classic perfection with a bang.

Album Review: Wild Beyond - Wild Beyond

Wild Beyond - Wild Beyond

Gates Of Hell Records - 2023

6/10

Wild Beyond came across my radar as a result of the intriguing album art and my constant consumption of Jimmy Viola involved projects. It’s no surprise, then, that they hail from Philly, being an outfit that identifies itself as blackened thrash metal aligning closer to the black metal side. Simply titled Wild Beyond, there’s a high velocity of pummeling drums and shrieking vocals under a coarse atmosphere. Yet, there is a decent dose of riff orientation that likely gives it the thrash tag.

However, I wouldn’t really say the riffing fits that description too well. There’s a very aggressive amount of distortion and dissonant soundscapes through the frets that combine with the lightest dash of melody, making for a unique touch. I may say this nearly borders on what one thinks when they hear the term “post metal.” In other words, much of the music’s focus is about the feeling curated rather than any melody you might discover. Jarring shifts from the ferocious blackened foundation of blasting drums and faster riffs to whinier, string-bending notes on the forefront should be less than surprising.

What helps Wild Beyond is the loud bass presence, oftentimes shaking up the cloudy foundation. “Frenzied At The Skull” is easily the best track, rumbling in with that high velocity, before slowly placing otherwise isolated drums and more whiney guitars overtop of it. Here and there, riffing that sounds closer to the black/thrash realm will break these long benders of noise walls, which are usually what I look forward to with this; don’t expect them to stick around too long. Unfortunately, I had a tough time getting this to grow on me, as hooks really aren’t the main focus and the niche output didn’t stick the way I’d like it to.

Regardless, Wild Beyond has certainly achieved what they’re clearly going for with this record, it just isn’t really for me. It’s best enjoyed on its own with few distractions, and make sure you have a listening setup where you can feel everything. If nothing else, the bass is not only loud but also has some tremendous kick to it. The brief thirty minute runtime certainly made this a step easier, but I would say this is mostly going to appeal to black metal fans that also have a soft spot for proggy makeup and post rock/metal.

Album Review: Metallica - Master Of Puppets

Metallica - Master Of Puppets

Elektra Records - 1986

9.5/10

Seeing that Ride The Lightning expanded on the thrash metal sound that was in the works, Master Of Puppets more or less reinforced this by cranking out eight more songs in a similar vein. Metallica, if anything, came in clutch and made what is likely their cleanest record from the thrash run in 1986, giving way to not only more memorable chops, but sophisticated outlets for similar emotions. The Bay Area legends boast elements of depression, anger, and likely the clearest expression of reality to date in their third record. Its constant in that manner only adds loads of muscle to the already beefy riff foundation from cover to cover.

By this, I mean that it takes a pretty immense level of skill to make the likes of “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” and “Disposable Heroes” fall back-to-back without feeling inconsistent in the least. The production as a whole is truly flawless, from everything to the deep but swift distortions of the rhythms to the echoing weeps of the softer leads. Moreover, “Welcome Home” utilizes the latter to carry an entire armory of depression represented in somber passages, and it truly wouldn’t feel the same without taking on a resentful angle for the back half of the song. This in particular is why it still fits so well with the fury of “Disposable Heroes,” one that utilizes Metallica’s strong ear for proper repetition for suspense in the early days; it’s a shame that that wouldn’t last forever.

Both the repetition precision and the use of build-up work as key factors to Master Of Puppets, something notable on the previous release as well. The infamous title track is likely an even more obvious example of this, especially with how it inverts the formula by cooling down only in the center. Opener “Battery” has the same energy, but focuses on the speed metal element, much like closer “Damage Inc.” (though I would argue that the writing on the closer is far inferior). That leaves the doom influences that make up the bulk of two of the songs. “The Thing That Should Not Be” takes a creeping approach, focusing on the lyrical narrative of unsettlement. Alternatively, “Leper Messiah” reinjects the element of anger that swings off of “Disposable Heroes,” likely being my favorite tune on the record. You could argue that “Orion” does this strictly in the form of instrumental, but the lead guitars here take down the heat a notch. Regardless, not a note feels out of place, and for that I love this.

Really, I would say that the most highly-praised disc of the entire thrash metal scene is also one of the most accessible strictly because of how well the production is able to let the heavier parts appeal to a greater audience. It was an expansion of what came before it, and while I still may prefer that first iteration in 1984, it’s an absolute masterpiece in its own right. By this point, the band was long into focusing on specific ideas, and their potential as songwriters was absolutely noticed. If I had to start someone off with a thrash metal album, it would be this one, strictly because of how much ground it covers. It isn’t all about being fast and hostile, but taking that attitude and applying it to all corners.

Album Review: Metallica - Kill 'Em All

Metallica - Kill ‘Em All

Megaforce Records - 1983

9.5/10

Being the case with every Metallica record, Kill ‘Em All is clouded with discourse around things that matter little; Mustaine wrote half of the songs, it’s the “first” of its kind, it's got all the punk influence, and the list goes on. While all of those statements may hold some level of truth, I don’t really think they’re imperative to setting the thrashers’ debut apart from not only the metal scene as a whole, but their own discography. From Ride The Lightning onward, there’s some level of derivative past the bare-bones characteristics of the genre, but here we basically see James and co. playing speed metal with an extra kick, that happened to land with full impact. In other words, I don’t think this genre-defining sound was intentional; rather, it just stuck because there was a personality already brewing that only realized itself upon its release.

And because of that, nothing else has been conjured up in the same vein, no matter how hard a band might try to replicate it (I would say the same about Slayer’s debut from a different angle). The sheer recklessness of the band’s influences made for a disc that chose speed as its defining factor, and it weaved the songs together nicely before realizing that not everything had to be played fast to fit the style. Opening the album with the hot power-chord burn and cymbal crashes that hardly sound like much of anything couldn’t have been a better way to set the stage, and I don’t think anybody really acknowledges that. Whether you’re at one of the album’s faster songs or the steadier ones, the adolescent energy that started here never lets up. “Hit The Lights” is as basic and to the point as you can get, yet its repetitive nature that descends into a string of solo-duels closing us off has such a chaotic undertone that it keeps you wanting more.

I would argue that this is carried over to everything to some level except “The Four Horsemen,” that being the only track that really feels like it had intentional phases by sticking a concise solo between the bridge and the final verse. The rest are furious sequences that happened to produce some of the best riffing and attitude we’ve heard to date. “Whiplash” truly feels like a filler that the band just pulled out of their ass, using a very simple riff backed by a steady bass-drum combo, and lyrics that could have been improvised. Closer “Metal Militia” does the exact same thing, but with even more fury, and “Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)” quite literally could be a bass-warmup/soundcheck. 

Yet, we eat every bit of it up. That’s why I’m bothering to point all of this out, because regardless of that, it’s still immaculate. Metallica very clearly had talent out of the gate just from being able to play these noodly solos and come up with rhythms that would boost any angry young man’s blood-pressure. But I don’t think they truly tried writing music from a precise angle until after this record. You could argue that “Seek & Destroy” has some pretty clear direction due to its steadier composition and slight dash of poetic flow, but I really can’t see even that measuring up to “The Four Horsemen.” “Jump In The Fire” and “Motorbreath” come off flat, yet their catchy nature and rhythm trade-offs allow them to stick like glue, with enhancement from the honest and brash atmosphere. “Phantom Lord” and “No Remorse” tamper with the longer structures, but ultimately feel pretty all over the place despite still being bangers themselves.

What it comes down to is that Kill ‘Em All was like scratching a lottery ticket and hitting the jackpot. Plenty of bands were making music like this at the time, but none could turn such a basic idea that yields little structure into something so furiously compelling and equally good regarding quality. I won’t say it was an accident, since there was clear talent since the No Life Til Leather demo, but there was a serious awakening after this record’s groundwork. Calling any of this “musical genius” would be a lie, even though I love everything about it. Not only did it pave a path for the band to more accurately define the thrash metal genre down the road, but as we know, it would inspire an entire movement of bands already working in the same vein to break into their own unique outfits. I like to compare it to the debut Kiss album, or David Lynch’s Eraserhead; it was never supposed to be as good as it was, despite the potential being there, but it certainly was anyway.

Album Review: Cloak - To Venomous Depths

Cloak - To Venomous Depths

Season Of Mist - 2017

7.5/10

Sometimes I come across albums that are a bit difficult to discuss in a vacuum, particularly when I work backwards in a discography amidst a new album being imminent. Black metallers Cloak are a good example, as their album The Burning Dawn is a masterpiece, but the debut before it doesn’t quite measure up. This makes sense when you observe history in motion, you just may have to peel away some layers. Nonetheless, To Venomous Depths is an enjoyable enough spin, and very much laid the groundwork for what’s to come, just some certain potentials weren’t realized.

Stylistically, this is more aligned with pure black metal workings that still resides on the fairly melodic side without releasing any menacing features. No gothic toppings or extra emotions are really introduced, but the sense for catchy hooks and memorable chops are present. Intense writing is very much the key ingredient, seldom moving into breakneck speeds but keeping even, slow moments very compelling. “In The Darkness, The Path” has some beautiful leads, particularly in the solo that’s backed by steady but advanced drum work, and “The Hunger” stood out as rather striking in its consistent drive.

Where To Venomous Depths kinda falls is that the band hasn’t yet understood how to utilize repetition properly. The riffing itself is always fine, but my attention suffers due to much of it going on for longer than it needs to. Without really having extra layering to introduce new feelings, harsh vocals with constant recharging of the same rhythm will inevitably drag on too much. Certain parts are easier to overlook, usually thanks to rumbling bass passages like in “Forever Burned,” but even that could have stood to lose a minute or two. Nothing is over the top to ridiculous, unenjoyable levels, it’s just a small case of a little more than necessary in almost every otherwise good song.

And that’s really the crux of the matter. Cloak very much had the chops down in their first run, but splicing them together and working in standout elements in an ideal fashion wasn’t fully realized yet. Thankfully, this gets expanded on in their follow-up, and I can only hope that the upcoming one does the same. Too much of a good thing isn’t always a good thing, but it’s a promising way to get things moving.

Album Review: Metallica - Death Magnetic

Metallica - Death Magnetic

Warner Bros. Records - 2008

8/10

Remember that thing about the discourse around Metallica always being on whether or not they made a thrash metal record or not since the classic run? If there is one that we can say achieves this in full form, being completely honest with ourselves, this is it. Make no mistake, it’s sheerly a coincidence that this is the only record by the Bay Area veterans that holds that title while also being the only one I would call great; very little of this review is going to be about its thrashiness. Why? Because at the end of the day, what matters is the songwriting, and this is their only disc since Load that I only have minor complaints about and no others. Continuing the trend of releasing albums beyond the hour length, Death Magnetic is, in my eyes, the truest realization of something that could sequentially follow And Justice For All in complexity, style, hookiness, and attitude. The only real difference is that by 2008, the music was divorced from the angry youth sensations that their early efforts had. That, and the musicianship doesn’t quite lean into the more technical chops that boosted the 1988 masterpiece.

However, the repetition factor is still utilized wonderfully, and only really oversteps its welcome here and there. Many of the tracks take on the repetitive riff style due to the sheer fact that they’re super catchy and lay explosive groundwork to build superior songs off of. I would argue that “Broken, Beat & Scarred” uses rhythmic fills better than just about any song James and co. did prior, particularly with those rigorous jumps between Kirk’s fret-happy, screaming lead guitar bursts in the solo. A few spots do over do this, such as the obligatory instrumental “Suicide & Redepmtion,” one that would have been just fine cut in half, as well as “The End Of The Line.” Even that one is still structurally sound, but little effect was added from its repetitive nature.

On the other hand, suspense is pulled off in a masterful fashion, staying away from repetition; the combination of both approaches truly aided this album significantly. Opener “That Was Just Your Life” is a shining example, slowly introducing guitar passages over the beat of a heart. Moreover, the speed, clarity, and poetic flow of the vocals in the meat of the song make this one magnificent. The pre-chorus and chorus sync up like none other, and I really can’t think of a better way to open the album. To the opposite end, “The Unforgiven III” blows both of its predecessors out of the water (hot take, I know), laying down a mournful yet compelling piano lick that introduces suspense by gently placing clean guitars atop, under the same scope. And of course, we really can’t not mention “All Nightmare Long,” the bass heavy rager that shatters its security glass early on by jumping from steady rhythms into ballistic thrash driving. Like the record opener, the poetic flow on this one is ferocious and concise.

All that really leaves is the more straightforward tunes that didn’t deviate far from the thrash formula, but are boosted by loud production and refined energy. “Cyanide” is basically a classic at this point, known for its swift chorus repeated just the right amount of times. “The Judas Kiss” is like its inversion that lives on the same nutrients but channels them into angrier emotions, rather than unsettled ones; the same can be said about the closer “My Apocalypse” with its shorter runtime to send us off. If any song could have been cut, it’s “The Day That Never Comes,” only because there’s nothing on it that wasn’t achieved better in “The Unforgiven III.” The main riff feels like a “Fade To Back” rewrite, but I can’t pretend that I don’t hum this one as well, and its presence doesn’t take anything away.

Essentially, the only issue with Death Magnetic is that a few songs could have had some fat trimmed off for a sharper finished product. Had that happened, I’d likely place this alongside the ‘80s records in quality. Otherwise, it far surpasses anything Metallica has done in the last twenty-five years. The songwriting is memorable, explosive, emotional, and heavy. The loud production is not only clear, but boosts the refreshed energy that washes over the listener after five years of St. Anger being the latest. If nothing else, it’s one of the most fun Metallica efforts to talk about, and I’d be thrilled if they just put something this good out again.

Understanding "Left Wing" Communism, an Infantile Disorder, by V. I. Lenin

While maybe not as in-depth or instantly essential as The State And Revolution or Imperialism: The Highest Stage Of Capitalism, “Left-Wing” Communism: An Infantile Disorder is a pretty runner-up work in regards to importance. I would start with those first two works mentioned above. However, I see this as an important one to read once someone has a basic grasp on what Leninism is, which can mostly be understood from those first two works. I do also think that Left Wing Communism is a little less dense, and can be summarized and explained without the section-by-section breakdown that the other two may require for a full understanding. That said, this work may make less sense without the principle Marxist or Leninist understanding, but it really only comes down to a few principle ideas in a historical context.

The work begins with a history of the revolution from 1902 through 1917. This is important to understand, namely because of the 1905 revolution’s necessary lessons to precede the February and October ones in 1917. Lenin talks of party discipline, especially when it comes to the spontaneity aspect of the proletariat and the vanguard. This in particular is expanded upon in What Is To Be Done?, a work that I would also recommend holding until understanding the other aforementioned works. It talks of the dangers of anarchist tendencies and the Mensheviks, and their similarities to petty bourgeoisie politics; how not having a plan and disorganization can lead to failure, and opportunism. Moreover, it covers how the first world war managed to give way more force against Czarism during extreme tensions within Russia, and how the end goal was to give soviet (worker council) control. This is stressed to not having been possible without the entire backing of the working class, which leads us to our next point.

Participation in legal and illegal struggle tactics are said to be important, discussing where it can still be helpful to partake in bourgeoisie parliament, elections, and trade unions. We can see the benefits of a lot of this today, as it’s used to win the backing of the working class regardless of their own beliefs or personal identities. Lenin addresses how “left-wing” communism isolates itself from that mass following, or in other words, doesn’t take the time to meet workers where they are. Again, this is something rather important to organizers that already have a good grasp on Leninism and perhaps are part of a revolutionary struggle. It’s also important to recognize what is worth compromising to work towards the same end goal of socialism. There’s a funny comparison of getting held up by bandits, as you would compromise your car, wallet, and keys for your life. However, this shouldn’t be viewed as a final victory, but a setback that has to be overcome. The bandits are compared to western imperialists. Sometimes it becomes strategic to work with them in order to spare yourself, but you don’t want to become them or let it get out of hand. 

Looking into real life examples seems to be one of Lenin’s favorite ways of explaining things. The split of the Communist Party Of Germany is observed due to reasons mentioned in the prior paragraph. In capitalist society, the masses are divided into classes, a trait Marxists hate from the gate, and this is something to consider. In Germany, much of the masses were used to the legal framework of democracy, and were overwhelmed at the idea of revolutionary crises pushing these tactics into illegal territory. Timing and calculation of how much support a vanguard might have is to be understood. We turn our attention then, to German “left” communists’ refusal to work in trade unions, which also was wrong in the eyes of Lenin. Much of this was written to Germany, and Lenin expanded upon their own example in Russia. The organization of soviets was led by the Bolsheviks, in order to consider the relationship between classes, parties, and leaders. Keep in mind that by April 20 of 1920, the Bolsheviks had roughly 611,000 members, according to the work. Thus, larger amounts of representatives are necessary for proper people representation within soviet organization. The party was then able to rest on the trade unions, rather than refuse to work with them, which consisted of a far heavier 4,000,000 people. Note that this doesn’t discount the struggle with Mensheviks and reactionaries that it allows, which is why connection solely through trade unions isn’t enough, but total control over the state by workers is needed. The importance here is to show the method of organization, rather than isolation. We have some serious issues of this in the United States currently.

Most who have made it this far in revolutionary study understand that capitalism leaves behind the necessary tools to transition to socialism, which is also part of the importance of everything said so far. Keep in mind, the level of development in one capitalist state can heavily influence how easy this transition will go. That’s less from Lenin than it is from myself, as a general note when considering historical dialectics in this transitional phase. This is worked into the importance of trade unions in the earlier stages of capitalism here, which is why conserving them is unavoidable under the dictatorship of the proletariat. Lenin mentions the difference in struggle in the “advanced” countries of the west, that were far further along than Russia at the time. It’s stressed that left wing communists are those who would not work where the masses were to be found, despite the need for sacrifices in these areas of proletarian gathering. Regarding participation in parliament, it’s a bit more direct in how it doesn’t cause any harm, and can sometimes show the backwardness of capitalist “democracy.” Think about the illusion of choice, how little participation most civilians have in government, and how rotten it appears to just about anybody even before you introduce Marxist principles. It seems rather confusing, I know, but in a way, it reveals that simply voting and doing nothing else under this class ruling doesn’t accomplish anything, and that you should vote and carry out activist work and outreach. This is, at least, my understanding of this point.

Ultimately, this is to show that oftentimes it is worth compromising as long as you don’t drop your values entirely, and that you can use the services under a liberal “democracy” to further your move. It comes down to the need for that working class backing, and that not budging anywhere, whether it’s legal vs. illegal action, trade union participation, parliamentary participation, or whatever, is harmful to the socialist movement. This is what is meant by “left wing” communism, even though we know communism as an entire idea to be left wing on the political compass. There’s another entire section of “left communism” in Britain, and along with the German examples and the Russian criticisms, it should be clear that this work relies pretty heavily on the historical context of the struggles.

We conclude with the final result of the fact that Russians were able to bring soviets to complete development on a national scale, following the Russian Revolution, which was only done by meeting the working class where it was. It must experience a struggle in order to grow, and alienation will never allow for this growth. Lenin notes how this shows the importance of studying the unique struggles within every country, and how its differences impact how all of this struggle is carried out. Think about Maoism, or Juche, and how policies were needed for the specific material conditions of the countries each were born in. While many (myself included) would argue that neither of those have any place in the U.S., policies in regards to each were necessary for development in China and Korea respectfully, especially with a large peasantry still remaining at the time. In conclusion, the vanguard is only powerful if it’s seen as a means to spearhead the staff of the entire working class and its material conditions. Proper use of propaganda, party work, tools that the liberal class leaves us, and outreach are important, and while I probably sound repetitive at this point, that is more or less the point of “Left-Wing” Communism: An Infantile Disorder.