Three albums and three bands with huge reputations and visibility within the shpere of metal are under the microscope in this article. These bands may well feel pressured to put out high quality material due to what they have achieved in the past.
Metallica - Death Magnetic
Since Metallica reached its peak audience with 1991’s self-titled album, the road has been very rocky, with band member departures, shoddy albums and bad press (Napster, band counselling!?). September 2008 casts its eyes upon a refreshed and happier Metallica about to release Death Magnetic.
Ego clashing between James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich has diminished since the Some Kind Of Monster documentary and hopefully this has allowed focus to be on the music not the battle of the personalities. Another St. Anger (2003) might just cancel the get out of free card that Metallica have due to their near untouchable status and alienate many fans.
The songs are relatively long on Death Magnetic with average songs surpassing the 7 minute milestone. This will no doubt lead to speculation of a hark back to …And Justice For All (1988) with riff-laden songs and an element of progression.
According to Hetfield on the recent BBC Culture Show Special, Robert Trujillo has contributed creatively more than Jason Newsted ever did, especially on Death Magnetic. Hetfield also admitted that when Jason joined they may have restricted him in terms of creative input.
This is hardly surprising considering the band’s recent loss of Cliff Burton, dear friend and the perfect bass player for Metallica. The band admit to cathartically taking out their grief on new member Newsted and hazing him, and that inhibiting his input was part of this process.
Trujillo’s experience in Suicidal Tendencies and reception by fans and band alike have been welcoming, but Death Magnetic will be the test for Rob and the whole band in the eyes of many as to whether they can cut it anymore.
The Haunted - Versus
Swedish bringers of cutting edge metal The Haunted are revered and rejected in equal measure it seems. The Haunted Made Me Do It (2000) first album to feature Marco Aro on vocals is seen as a semi-classic by some but a faux-thrash waste of time.
The departure of Peter Dolving after the self-titled debut is seen as a loss, but objectors hail Marco Aro as the superior vocalist. The re-introduction of Dolving on rEVOLVEr (2004) marked the begging of phase two of the band. The simplistic and groovy thrash tinged metal of the heyday and the more ‘mature’ and mid-paced incarnation of current times. Basically they used to sound like At The Gates, and now they sound like Katatonia.
Despite a divisive history, The Haunted have made their name and are here to stay. With the outspoken and intense Peter Dolving - a target of ridicule and humiliation due to his supposedly pretentious rants and blogs - back in the driving seat, The Haunted plan to release Versus in September via Century Media.
The last album The Dead Eye (2006) exhibited a more reflective and restrained outlook, possibly more intelligent and progressive, but less fun than earlier material. This trend is likely to continue and any reference to older material might be a dusting off of “Bury Your Dead” or “Trespass” for the live shows.
Amon Amarth -Twighlight Of The Thunder God
Another troupe of Swedes, this time with a more consistent career, Amon Amarth are set to release the tantalisingly titled Twilight Of The Thunder God on Metal Blade on September 17th. Many exciting guest appearances on this record include Entombed vocalist and fellow Swede L.G. Petrov.
Amon Amarth have a dedicated fan base, and rightly so because they are an honest band, always have been Viking Melodic Death Metal and always will be and that is what they are best at. Since the release of debut (among many critics favourite metal albums of all time) Once Sent From The Golden Hall (1998) the pillaging crew have made many solid albums not deviating from their sound one iota, just a bit of variation in song structure.
With Oden On Our Side (2006) was a grower for sure but spun enough times reveals its strength and integrity. Delights such as the unquenchable “Asator” and the mighty “Valhalla Awaits Me” are signs that the band are still firing on all cylinders and that a high octane and battle-ready opus awaits in the disc layers and vinyl grooves of Twilight Of The Thunder God.
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