Overall.. a good record, but nothing to write home about.
This new record combines the heavier edge of 80's era Metallica, with the vocal stylings of their post-grunge sound. The riffs are solid and heavy, the songs are long, with a lot to chew on. That said, there is really nothing new here. The tone of the riffs and rhythms picks up some where near the Justice era. I don't hear any stand-out radio smashes like The Black album.
This is a solid record and a good listen. It would pair well with a day of house work, or a work-out at the gym. If you have played out all your old Metallica records and are just hungry for more, this one will meet that need. But if you are interested in hearing guitars make sounds unlike what you have heard before.. you won't find much new ground broken here.
The vocals come across as after-thoughts.. like "we're a band, we sing songs, so here are some more songs" -- not really inspired or passionate. I haven't fully unpacked the lyrics, but I have a similar observation so far lyrically. It has the dark doom I would expect, but ok, what else?
On the plus side, if one is not yet familiar with Metallica, this would be as good a place as any to start. It has the musical themes from their previous records woven together into a new collection of polished songs that play as a microcosm of the band's sound.
If you only listen to 50 new records this year, I wouldn't put this one on the list. If you want something fresh and upbeat, give it a spin.
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