Metallica: Album (The Black Album)

What makes Metallica's "Black Album" resonate so profoundly with fans, even decades after its release? Today, we explore the monumental impact of this iconic album, which has achieved platinum status over 16 times, and dive into its legendary tracks like "Enter Sandman" and "The Unforgiven." We'll share our contrasting musical tastes—Chris's love for fast-paced rock and Tim's affection for jam bands—as we reveal our top three underappreciated tracks and discuss the band's innovative fan-friendly taping policy, reminiscent of the Grateful Dead. Moreover, we shine a light on Lars Ulrich's pivotal role in battling Napster and how producer Bob Rock meticulously shaped the album.

Discover how "Enter Sandman" grew into an anthem across sports arenas and delve into the dark, haunting lyrics that captivate listeners. We'll also break down "Sad but True," examining its braggadocious tone and the sinister duel of personalities it portrays. Our discussion extends to the influence of Bob Rock, touching on the transition to Drop D tuning and the unique structure of "The Unforgiven," characterized by its heavy verse and soft chorus. This segment provides an in-depth look at how these tracks became cornerstones in Metallica's live performances and the broader rock landscape.

To wrap things up, we share personal stories tied to Metallica's legacy, including their unforgettable Moscow performance during the Monsters of Rock tour and James Hetfield's harrowing hand-burning incident in Montreal. Relive the emotional power of "Nothing Else Matters," explore the thematic depth in tracks like "Of Wolf and Man" and "The God That Failed," and reminisce about the release of the "Live Shit: Binge and Purge" box set. Lastly, we'll reveal our favorite tracks from the Black Album, celebrating the joy and camaraderie these songs have brought into our lives and the indelible experiences they've forged. Join us in honoring the album that has left an everlasting mark on the world of rock music.

Transcript

Metallica's Black Album Analysis

Speaker 1 0:00

Hey, loser, we got a ride from a real fan. I used to sleep with Lars' grandmother. Never listen to our music again.

Speaker 2 0:19

Alright, thank you for listening to the Greatest Nine Hits. I'm Chris, and with me is my co-host, tim, who normally plays guitar but still recovering from a bike accident. But today we're going to be listening to the Metallica album, or commonly known as the Black Album. So it's a fifth studio album by Metallica. It was released in August of 91 by Electra records, the record company born steps, from where we're recording this podcast, in Annapolis, maryland. So this was their biggest album to date, like up to this point in time, and this is an album that's gone platinum over 16 times. So it's a classic. It's got a bunch of hits Enter Sandman, the Unforgiven, nothing Else Matters Wherever I May Roam, and Sad but True. So all those are like. Of the 13, I think there are 13 on here there are five singles, so the other songs are what we're going to be focusing on today and we're going to be ranking our top three non-hits, as we always do. So, again, thank you for listening and maybe we can introduce Tim was playing Tiddlywinks or something.

Speaker 2 1:40

I don't know what he was doing. I don't even know what that is Like. It's the old pog or whatever. I don't know what he was doing. I don't even know what that is. It's the old pog or whatever. I think it was like tiddlywinks. Anyway, he was just kind of moping around, but he came back here. He's ready to talk. How's it going? Bud?

Speaker 4 1:54

It's going well. It's going well. Light and dark, black and white, metal and wood. You know, I like it all. I like it all.

Speaker 2 2:10

Well, yeah, here's what you told me before. Because there's a little bit of a schism in our musical tastes, as it is like in the background. So I'm more of a fast-paced kind of a rock guy. I mean I like this. This is like in my wheelhouse back in my day. Tim's from the jam band era, so it's a little bit more ebby and flowy, that kind of thing.

Speaker 4 2:35

It's not fish, but it's technical.

Speaker 1 2:40

A little hard to repeat, it's technical.

Speaker 4 2:44

And I like it.

Speaker 2 2:45

Fish does technical stuff too. I mean of course.

Speaker 4 2:48

Of course Everybody, yeah, all bands have their technicalities, that's for sure.

Speaker 2 2:55

It's the speed of it, though, I think.

Speaker 4 2:58

It's the unrelenting, just the distortion, the repetitiveness maybe. Yeah, it's a lot of power chords, it's very authoritative and it seems just very. It's like come with me if you want to live and I'll take you there and I'm your life. Oh, I'm sad, but true. You know what? That's true? I don't know, it's just very authoritative, yeah your dream, make you real I feel like they're shouting at me and I'm just more docile, okay, at times.

Speaker 4 3:36

Um all right, I I was reading up and watching some of their interviews and in 91 they actually uh had a taping system, uh a taping area for the fans, which is interesting uh, and they likened that aspect uh to the grateful dead even in one of their interviews oh about yeah they allowed a taping, so it's very interesting. And how napster was a thing and they were fighting napster for all of that the illegal downloads and the black and they talked about the bootlegs.

Speaker 2 4:10

That's later on, yeah.

Speaker 4 4:12

But it's just interesting. Now you know, the methodology of music dissemination with Spotify is, you know, the wave was just too big. Yeah, the wave was just too big that everybody wanted it at their fingertips in a sort of organized way where you can sort by genre and bands and albums, and that was always, I guess, the way it's going, with Spotify being an international kind of thing with record labels.

Speaker 2 4:41

Yeah, lars was a leader, consolidation, yeah, of that movement, like like the pushback from the industry I'm sure they would be about pushback for spotify and getting more.

Speaker 2 4:50

You know well he was also. I mean along that line. I mean taking it back to this album. I a part of it may have been like he is response. He and james hetfield did a lot of the writing of these songs, with Hetfield being the lyricist and probably writing a lot of the music, and so royalties may have really impacted him, maybe in a greater way than the other two guys that were in the band, like Kirk Hammett and Jason Newstead. They were told that they contributed in certain with certain concepts, like in on my friend. Misery was was something that newstead intended to be an instrumental and incidentally, this is the only album that doesn't have an instrumental.

Speaker 4 5:34

This was supposed to be the one, but anyway well, what do they really are creating with bob rock, their own sort of, you know, metal rock genre niche? There are metal bands and we are fond of rock and roll here.

Speaker 1 5:52

Let's, let's not take away from that hey, how about this brand new thing called rock and roll? Even though it was just invented, we already remember it.

Speaker 4 6:01

Finally, and this Metallica is on classic rock stations now. Have have you noticed that?

Speaker 2 6:06

Yeah, it's been kind of for a while.

Speaker 4 6:08

I know, but I don't know Whatever.

Speaker 2 6:12

So the guy Bob Rock, he's the producer. It was his first Metallica album.

Speaker 2 6:18

And we're just reading from Wikipedia the album Wikipedia page. It was his first metallica album. I guess they were very perfectionist about this and I I think bob rock thought it was disappointing. Uh, I guess he wasn't really pleased with it. But the what? Well, there was a ton of take, they made a bunch of takes and it was taxing on all of the band members. Like three of the guys' wives divorced them. I think it was like what Kirk, jason and Lars Because of Bob Rock.

Speaker 2 6:53

I don't think you can say it was because of him. It was just like the collaboration between them and him like led to more like Angst.

Speaker 2 7:02

Yeah, like, and they took that home to their wives I guess, or just like you know, nitpicking at every little thing, and I mean it turned out that it like it was a great album, you know because of all the hard work that they put in, but they didn't know that they were making that kind of an investment at the time. And well, yeah, I think you know, while it was happening it was just probably like a really miserable experience for them. Ulrich Hammett and Newstead divorcing their wives. This is from Wikipedia.

Speaker 4 7:30

Well, it is a dark album. I mean, there's yeah.

Speaker 2 7:35

Definitely Do we want to listen to it.

Speaker 4 7:39

Well, we're tapping our toes. We got a little Rob Lowe maybe. No, actually, let's start. We were also watching some of Kimmel.

Speaker 3 7:52

Oh yeah, we'll play some.

Speaker 4 7:54

My aunt actually gave me a CD when I was in middle school and it was Injustice for All. Metallica this is a true story. I was in my backyard and she assumed my cousins. Metallica this is a true story. I was in my backyard and she assumed my cousins, you know, since my cousins liked Metallica, that I would like Metallica. But I didn't. And I literally just looked at her and she saw my face and she's like, oh, you're not a big fan. And I was just like, no, I'm sorry.

Speaker 1 8:24

The Black Album. I called it the s***ty album.

Speaker 4 8:27

Yeah Well this is. Injustice for All and I just literally politely handed it back to her.

Speaker 2 8:35

That was a great album. I loved that.

Speaker 4 8:41

I didn't throw it off a bridge to have a truck smash it, but this is one of the members reading their reviews off of Jimmy Kimmel One star reviews. One star reviews. They are lousy. Buy a Dire Straits or Foreigner CD instead. I would have liked that. Oh, and we have one more here.

Speaker 2 8:56

This album sucks.

Speaker 1 8:58

Sad but true. I bought this when it came out. I was horrified when I listened to it.

Speaker 2 9:05

I threw it off the bridge and watched a truck smash out. I was horrified. When I listened to it, I threw it off the bridge and watched a truck smash it.

Speaker 4 9:11

That was James. That was good. I mean, yeah, but it is good workout. Music Keeps your mind busy, your body what is it?

Speaker 2 9:19

If I keep my body moving and my mind occupied at all times, I will avoid falling into a bottomless pit of despair. Yeah, so what you're talking about are like guys at the gym who listen to Metallica and work out, and they're all like using it to get pumped up.

Speaker 4 9:34

That's Rob Lowe on Parks and Rec. But yes, no, I do like it for that and I can embrace it. I mean, we were talking also how it's like it was in your wheelhouse and you've kind of gotten older and the pace and it's a little really loud and maybe it's not like you know you're more of a steely Dan and Edge is sort of like, and I was never really into this kind of music, so I think this experience will. Um, it's just still not my favorite.

Speaker 2 10:11

Gotcha, anyway, well, let's, uh, well, let's take a listen, you ready?

Speaker 4 10:15

I'm ready.

Speaker 2 10:16

All right.

Speaker 4 10:17

I'm not afraid.

Speaker 2 10:19

You're not afraid anymore.

Speaker 4 10:23

Uh, we'll, we'll be. Uh, following up and see if Anakin Skywalker likes the song afterwards.

Speaker 2 10:32

Okay, yeah, I'll be interested to hear his take on it.

Speaker 4 10:39

Great drums, there we go.

Speaker 2 10:43

This is referred to as the Black Album.

Speaker 1 10:45

How much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black, all right.

Speaker 4 10:55

Here comes Mariano Rivera for the New York Yankees.

Speaker 2 11:01

Yeah, this is probably the song that batters and Major League Baseball want to be introduced to.

Speaker 4 11:09

Oh relief pictures yeah, it went enter the Sandman because he runs through the.

Speaker 2 11:14

oh yeah, they would, that was a thing for sure doesn't virginia tech come out of the tunnel and run out while this song is playing?

Speaker 4 11:26

ah, this is like the first seven nations army. You know what I mean.

Speaker 2 11:30

This this is an anthem, or Jack White? Oh, I never drew a line between You're talking about Jack White and the Seven Nation Army.

Speaker 4 11:44

Yeah, this was the first Seven Nation Army. Much like that song is popular in arenas, I see.

Speaker 2 11:51

Oh, you're talking about at sporting events. Yeah, God it got me.

Speaker 1 11:55

Yeah, that, it got me.

Speaker 4 11:57

Yeah, that was slow, slow is good, it's about babies in cribs, yeah, something like that. It's got a dark meaning.

Speaker 2 12:15

Take my hand.

Speaker 1 12:28

It's your heart. I'm just enjoying the music.

Speaker 2 12:46

Talking about yourself.

Speaker 1 12:53

A little mamba stride, take my hand To never, never land yeah.

Speaker 2 13:00

I love this guitar sound.

Speaker 1 13:09

It's called Black Album. It's called Black Album Now. It's called Black Album. It's called Black Album.

Speaker 2 13:18

Now they're like I'm on drugs. Metallica.

Speaker 1 13:22

I am drugs, metallica. Get the door. I'm praying, goddammit.

Speaker 3 13:43

Now I lay me down to sleep. Now I lay me down to sleep. Pray the Lord, my soul, to keep me.

Speaker 2 13:48

Pray the Lord, my soul, to keep me.

Speaker 4 13:50

I die before I wake up, isn't that special. A little prayer. I'm in this heath, this heathen song Sight.

Speaker 1 13:58

Sight Brothers, don't shake hands.

Speaker 4 14:22

I always thought they were saying Amstel Light. I thought they were Dutch. Yeah Well, yeah, Lars is Dutch, oh well, because.

Speaker 1 14:33

Yeah.

Speaker 4 14:38

Yeah yeah, the Sandman takes the baby from the crib.

Speaker 1 14:46

It's creepy. Get the door.

Speaker 4 14:48

I'm praying goddammit.

Speaker 1 14:52

The baby's like very hurt today, Mr.

Speaker 4 15:03

Han. All right, mr Hound. Aloha, mr Hound.

Speaker 2 15:21

There's nothing more to be added.

Speaker 4 15:24

Nothing more.

Speaker 2 15:26

All right, all right, well, stop, there is nothing more to be added to it. All right, yeah, that was good timing. All right, yeah, that was good timing, all right. So Sad but True. This is also a hit, but we'll listen to it. Great song. Anyhow if you think that I'm going to sit around and wait for you, you can forget it. That was Sad, linda from Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

Speaker 4 15:50

She was sad over? Was it Doug, our older boyfriend, who doesn't care about her?

Speaker 2 16:24

Yeah, I mean she was sad, but true, sad Linda. Yeah, this is a song that Tim doesn't like. Yeah, I got you. It's okay, it's a little braggadocious, I get it.

Speaker 1 16:38

I'm no one who takes you there.

Speaker 2 16:42

Hey, I'm your life, I'm no one who cares. Actually, you're influencing me now. Now I'm starting to be like you know what? Fuck this guy.

Speaker 4 16:50

But where I want to know who from what point of view. Yeah, I want to know from what point of view. I think this is. Maybe he's talking universally or something like ethereally, which I kind of like it when you think about it like that.

Speaker 2 17:16

I didn't take the investment in getting into this.

Speaker 4 17:18

He's got really big eyes. It's a nefarious duel between personalities. Oh, is that it the devil on the shoulder?

Speaker 1 17:40

Okay.

Speaker 4 17:45

This is like an evil puppet, actually the bad side of your conscience. Yeah, and then kind of just saying go Do, Do my day and then kind of just saying, well, I'm going to embrace it. It's sad but Right.

Speaker 1 18:00

Make you real On your eyes, when you must steal, on your pain, when you can't feel Sad but true On your dreams it's like the mean alter ego within. On your eyes while you're away On your pain, while you repay.

Speaker 4 18:17

It's like the mean alter ego within. This was huge for their live audience Right as well as Enter Sandman. Sandman was their encore. Usually Uh-huh, it's a teaser.

Speaker 2 18:30

People went and go for that. This is a good middle-of-the. It's a teaser. You know, people went and go for that. This is a good middle-of-the-pack song yeah, but you play the big one at the end, you play the second biggest one in the beginning and then you play the biggest one at the end. I think that's a good way to go, or at least at that time.

Speaker 3 18:53

Yeah, poor. Thing.

Speaker 1 18:56

Anyhow, if you think that I'm going to sit around and wait, for. How much more black could this be? And the answer is none, none more black.

Metallica's Unforgiven Analysis and Memories

Speaker 4 19:11

It's so heavy. It's so heavy. Okay, all the songs are in E. This says Bob Rock recalled. He recalled that no one else had made them go through their songs so tediously than him, and everybody was struggling with this, but maybe that's why it comes off as authentic.

Speaker 2 19:42

They themselves were going through a lot of pain, and really up until that point this is around a time that Jason News said he'd been with the band for like four or five years, but they were still sort of it was like their second album after. Death of Cliff Burton so.

Speaker 4 20:00

Also, bob Rock told them to go down to Drop D for this and he said once they went down to Drop D, according to Songfacts the riff really came alive. Oh.

Speaker 1 20:19

E to D Drop D. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 4 20:32

I wonder what the other side of the shoulder would sound like. Do we have a? That's a little dragon on one shoulder, maybe? Yeah, shout out to the Fufu Island. The residents of Fufu Island Shout out.

Speaker 1 20:54

We gotta play that you are, but that really is Metallica. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm late for a gumdrop parade on Foo Foo Island. Ha, ha, ha, ha ha, all right yeah.

Speaker 4 21:07

There he is. Hold on, let's get an auto here.

Speaker 2 21:11

Metallica rules. All right, shout out to you saved you saved me that night bro so we're talking about. This is the first non-hit. Holier than thou. So here we go. This is up for uh uh, that's special oh, it's coming out, coming out in a blaze.

Speaker 4 21:51

No more, none more black Wow 35 seconds. This is like a car racing song. Yeah, it's a car. Chase Around the track with a Lamborghini. Yeah, mariano Rivera sitting in the seat next to you.

Speaker 2 22:14

Shout out to the bench pressers.

Speaker 4 22:18

Go get that hand ready. That's it. Shout out.

Speaker 2 22:26

You're on the Peloton, no worries, shout out to you bud, oh okay, okay, shout out to you bud oh, okay, okay, oh, bob Rock thought this was about him. Oh really.

Speaker 4 23:05

It's about James Hetfield's irritation with those in the music industry Quick to point a finger at others' mistakes. Oh, like people that don't play the music yeah, armchair, uh, experts maybe, yeah, not, not like us, we're not, you know, ripping into shreds I'm digging it.

Speaker 2 23:33

I'm not like that.

Speaker 4 23:38

I like the syncopation of the vocals and the drums. It's very interesting just vocals and drums popping at the same time. And then this crazy like just vocals and drums popping at the same time Sure. And then this Very effectively Crazy, like Reaper on a train track just coming at you.

Speaker 2 24:03

Yeah, they come in with guitars and sing occasionally. I guess they were doing this live versus remotely from putting the tracks together. Yeah, they played it all at the same time.

Speaker 4 24:21

They were reading their reviews and they were like it's very hurt today.

Speaker 2 24:32

They seem like they have a strong brotherhood, though Brothers don't shake hands.

Speaker 1 24:37

Brothers, gotta hug.

Speaker 4 24:44

So coarse it's like sand. Yeah oh, triple time.

Speaker 2 25:05

All right, shout out to Nancy Kerrigan, and all right, so we're off. So I liked that this is the unforgiving right, we're off. I liked that this is the Unforgiven, though right. Another hit Tim's not even sad.

Speaker 1 25:28

Where am I going?

Speaker 4 25:32

You got to forgive both sides of yourself okay.

Speaker 1 25:46

Well, you have to have a bow.

Speaker 2 25:49

Kind of Like we'll put this right after Holier the Bough. That was pretty fast. Let's bring it down. That's what they're doing here, right. Holier Than Thou, that was pretty fast. Let's bring it down. That's what they're doing here, right.

Speaker 4 25:58

You have to For a classic album. I mean, that's what I'm hearing, alright, but now it's not really a ballad anymore, but to them it's more ballady, it's a heavy ballad.

Speaker 2 26:20

Yeah, they were doing this on the other albums. I remember I used to listen to the other ones, the ones that came before, and again just were all master puppets Ride the lightning. This is classic. It's just more polished and a lot of people have like a lot of the purists have problems.

Speaker 4 26:38

I don't. It's good. They switched and did a heavy verse with a soft chorus, something rarely heard in hard rock.

Speaker 2 26:46

Say that again.

Speaker 4 26:50

You hear it Heavy verse, soft chorus yeah.

Speaker 3 26:58

It's rare.

Speaker 1 26:59

Yeah.

Speaker 4 27:00

Which makes it a great song. They took a risk right.

Speaker 2 27:06

Well, yeah, I guess it's of the songs that people listen to Answer. Sandman is number one, nothing Else Matters is after that, and then this one this is really the third most popular song and then Sad but True, wherever I May Roam.

Speaker 1 27:28

I think Wherever I.

Speaker 2 27:29

May, roam is a cool song. I have seen it Of the hits that might be the best hit.

Speaker 1 27:38

Your favorite, that beginning Dun dun dun, dun, dun, dun dun.

Speaker 4 27:43

Oh, we've got some Easy Rider clips for that.

Speaker 1 27:51

I can't wait, easy Rider. Yeah, it does.

Speaker 2 27:57

Or yeah, they're rovers right, peter Fonda.

Speaker 4 28:04

The spont of rock and roll.

Speaker 3 28:14

Never be never see, won't see what might have been.

Speaker 4 28:19

Is she taking from a Western movie the score?

Speaker 2 28:22

Never shine doing what I'm doing. It says Well, there was a movie called the Unforgiven.

Speaker 3 28:30

I don't know.

Speaker 4 28:34

The band won't reveal the movie for legal reasons, but it is probably a 1965 Clint Eastwood movie for a few dollars more, oh, interesting. Oh, this is good. Okay, it's very beautiful.

Speaker 2 29:01

What do you call that?

Speaker 4 29:04

It's beautiful. All right, make my love.

Speaker 2 29:08

Something I've been playing around with D minor. You know his work on his solos really bringing me back. This is really good.

Speaker 4 29:28

Amazing.

Speaker 2 29:30

Rock and roll. Yeah, I didn't realize I get this much enjoyment out of this after so many years.

Speaker 4 29:45

Well, I'm really liking this song. I think this for me is gonna be in the rotation. Maybe I got jam band times here Six minutes and 27 seconds.

Speaker 2 30:19

I was also wrong earlier. There's 12 tracks on this 13.

Speaker 3 30:25

No.

Speaker 4 30:25

Baker's does it? No, baker's, they couldn't muster it with the Bob Rock.

Speaker 2 30:35

Get the hell out of here. Bob Rock won the Baker's Dust. Here's a second Like sorry, sorry, bob, that's enough.

Speaker 1 30:43

That's a wrap.

Speaker 4 30:49

James Hetfield was also inspired by Chris Isaac's Wicked Game. Says oh, bob Rock, james James Hetfield singing Chris Isaac's Wicked Game.

Speaker 3 31:01

I hear it, I hear it, that's a good song.

Speaker 4 31:06

Oh, it's classic, classic. Does he have any other hits? Chris Isaac Maybe.

Speaker 3 31:13

Yeah. Oh, I want to fall in love with Maybe. Yeah, oh, I want to fall in love with you.

Speaker 4 31:18

Right.

Speaker 2 31:20

Something like that.

Speaker 1 31:21

It's very hurt today.

Speaker 2 31:28

All right, so we've got Weird.

Speaker 4 31:29

Riding Road coming up here. Let's keep it going.

Speaker 2 31:31

You've got to get those. I'm just going to let it play right through, get it ready. Let's keep it going. You got to get those. I'm just going to let it play right through, get it ready.

Speaker 4 31:37

Let's see.

Speaker 1 31:38

Hey we can't even get into like a second-rate hotel, I mean a second-rate motel, you dig.

Speaker 2 31:49

It's like an Egyptian kind of a thing.

Speaker 3 31:50

The Egyptian magician.

Speaker 1 31:56

And it's just like. But you gotta understand that Jason's been in the band almost five years now and he's Talking about the basses there.

Speaker 4 32:06

I love that.

Speaker 3 32:11

Oh.

Speaker 2 32:11

I think it was like In 91 they played in Orlando. I didn't go. My roommate at the time Came back and was like oh, at the beginning, when Metallica came out, they had the like Flashpots in the front Just going off One at a time, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, wow. And then they Like Fireworks. No, it's just, you know they had like they called flashpots. You know like they had.

Speaker 2 32:32

They have like they call them flashpots you know like how they have like a spark, a fly, you know a wire and stuff like that. You know that's big at the metal shows. Yeah, and this was like it took the cake, because it was like a stadium and they have like a flashpot here, here. Here it goes from one end of the stage to the other and then, when it was like the crash, all people at the same time oh, I thought, it was going down.

Speaker 1 33:03

I think it was on this tour when James got his arm cooked and he stepped in front of one of those flashlights. Oh man, I'm fine. It's like watch me, I like that, I like fine. It's like watch me, I'll be fine. It's like that, it's me.

Metallica Album Track Analysis

Speaker 2 33:24

My wife, but it was like a festival thing. Guns N' Roses came out after that, or I guess they cut it short. He had a story for it. They were pissed off at Guns N' Roses. He had a sore throat. There's a lot of drama in this whole thing. I saw him in Tallahassee for this tour. They kicked ass. It's on YouTube, check it out. They kind of did it like UFC style. Wow, like before the concert they followed him behind in the locker room or whatever.

Speaker 3 34:05

Gotcha.

Speaker 2 34:05

They're like hey, how you feeling? They're like, hey, what's going on, motherfuckers? I was like, hey, we're coming out in five minutes, We'll see you soon, yeah yeah. It kind of had an MMA kind of vibe. I was like we're coming out in five minutes, we'll see you soon.

Speaker 2 34:20

Yeah, yeah, it kind of had an MMA kind of a vibe, mma wrestling, even though I never got into that. That was when I understood why that appealed to me with the whole RC thing, even though I'm not a fan. I kind of get it from that experience.

Speaker 4 34:33

Macho man, Randy Savage comes to mind oh yeah, brothers, brothers don't shake hands.

Speaker 1 34:48

What do they do? Brothers got a hug. Oh yeah, bring it in for the hug, brother.

Speaker 2 35:05

I don't like sand.

Speaker 4 35:05

Oh yeah, that was Anakin. Right, that's it. This isn't Sandman Anakin. This is actually wherever I may roam. It's a course it gets everywhere, doesn't it? But yeah, no, this is. I love this solo. I thought this would not be a hit and this would have been up there, oh, okay.

Speaker 3 35:31

But it was a hit the Egyptian magician Shout out to the Jerky Boys. We laugh when we think of the good times.

Speaker 4 35:50

I like the drums man. We need some fire department for this. They are on fire.

Speaker 1 36:32

This is some fire. Call the fire department. This is out of control.

Speaker 4 36:40

All right, we got it. I like that. Speak your mind anywhere.

Speaker 1 36:52

Read it finally, this is like another one of these alpha songs.

Speaker 2 36:54

It's like I do what I want when I want, where I want. Oh for sure, I'm a road, I'm roaming like an animal.

Speaker 4 37:01

Road warriors. Baby, I bought a house last year and I haven't even seen it yet, says Kirk Hammett A year after this song, wow, yep. So year, and I haven't even seen it yet, says Kirk Hammett a year after this song, wow, yep. So we have an electric sitar in the beginning which Kirk played.

Speaker 1 37:29

I love that intro.

Speaker 4 37:31

The odd cracking sound heard throughout the song is a 12-string bass that James Newstead used on the track he's trying to emulate. Jimi Hendrix says Kirk on this one. Okay, I can hear that.

Speaker 2 37:53

Yeah, do you want to go to a one-star review? Oh, okay.

Speaker 3 37:57

All right.

Speaker 2 37:59

The black album was the dictionary definition of a sellout. I have more respect for Michael Bolton than Metallica. Michael Bolton.

Speaker 4 38:10

You thought about changing your name.

Speaker 2 38:14

Why? Okay, this next one feels kind of almost like a hit, but it isn't Number six.

Speaker 4 38:23

I'm a snake.

Speaker 2 38:24

All right, slippery little snake. Okay, don't tread on me. There's an image of that. Don't tread on me. There's an image of that don't tread on me. Snake. In the bottom right hand corner of this sort of like a silhouette, you ever had any snake encounters?

Speaker 4 38:47

Encounters, yeah, what would you call an encounter? I stepped on a snake once and then I almost got bit by a baby rattler Came out of a pallet under some moving some stuff on a forklift. Yeah, at a nursery there was a snake under one of the pallets that I was moving. That gave me the willies. You've got to get out of there.

Speaker 2 39:21

You've got to have reflexes like a cat. I had a friend in college ask me to snake sit, you know, like that snake has something I don't know, I went out and then I came back at night, you know after the bar or whatever.

Speaker 4 39:35

It's gone. It's gone. No, that's my story, isn't it? Same thing? Yeah, that happened to me in college. Layla Layla's still in the walls, oh really yeah.

Speaker 1 39:45

Yeah.

Speaker 4 39:45

Chip, you got Chip, yeah, layla Jay.

Speaker 2 39:52

House Snakes. What a great idea, people. I found he was in between the stove and the cabinets. Oh he's hiding. Yeah, Okay, because I was going to cook something, Stepped out for a second, came back in and all of a sudden, chip's head is dangling.

Speaker 4 40:06

That is creepy AF, oh my god it was creepy.

Speaker 1 40:12

He was like don't tread on me.

Speaker 4 40:14

Chip was like let me just be loose in the house, asshole, I'm going to get rid of your mouse problem for you. Thanks, Layla, eating all those mice. I know Both of them should have had red hats and said make America great again.

Speaker 2 40:29

They were like. They were like maggot snakes.

Speaker 4 40:36

Like don't tread on me. This is like definitely troop music. Shout out to the troops the tea drinking troops out there.

Speaker 1 40:46

Of course, settle the score. Touch me again with the words and you will hear evermore.

Speaker 4 40:57

Shout out to the.

Speaker 2 41:00

Jungle Book. You found label there, right?

Speaker 4 41:08

Oh, yeah, well, for a second on the stairs and then they tried to control the snake into the glass and it fell down the stairs and it coiled up and freaked out at them and then they went to get their shoes, because there's glass everywhere, and then the snake was gone again. They went back into hiding somewhere, wow, and it it was double the size and thickness had increased. Months later, yeah, months later, I found it. Oh, months, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah.

Speaker 2 41:43

When it gets bigger, it's like less yeah.

Speaker 4 41:48

More conspicuous. She was just like I'm a snake, I'm a slip or say Okay, she was just like I'm a snake.

Speaker 1 41:56

I'm a slippery snake.

Speaker 4 41:59

What is this one about here?

Speaker 2 42:02

Other than I don't know. Soviets Friends no More, or something like that Soviets I mean this is like when the Soviet Union was breaking up.

Speaker 1 42:10

Ah, the wall.

Speaker 2 42:13

This is like when the wall was going down. It was April 1991. It was fashionable. Anyway, this is through the never.

Speaker 1 42:30

This is almost like.

Speaker 4 42:34

Well, the only way out is through sometimes. You know what I mean.

Speaker 2 42:39

Yeah, especially through the never If I keep my body moving.

Speaker 4 42:54

Once in a while I just yell and scream stuff at the TV.

Speaker 1 42:56

If I keep my body moving Once in a while I just yell and scream stuff at the TV.

Speaker 2 43:10

And my mind occupies it. I do like the tempo change, the time signature change.

Speaker 4 43:17

It's good, it's closed down like that Human understanding All time.

Speaker 1 43:31

I will avoid falling into the bottom of the fifth.

Speaker 4 43:35

The fifth oh, that's what might be my favorite part in the whole album. I've never heard a band do that.

Speaker 2 43:55

See, that's what makes this a great album. Every track is really good.

Speaker 4 44:06

It's like Deep Purple almost. It's reminding me a little bit of that Like a modern tea purple.

Speaker 2 44:24

Yeah, dave Mustaine, who's the. He was in the band Megadeth. He's the leader of Megadeth, so this is kind of like Megadeth. They sort of took a similar path. California metal.

Speaker 3 44:52

Both really big Hardly Wow.

Speaker 4 45:11

Wow, bob Rock was slow to get on board with this one.

Speaker 2 45:23

Bob Rock the next guy to this. Shame, because I think this is really good.

Speaker 4 45:28

Yeah, no, he said once he's in. He was in but I don't know. He seems like a harsh critic of the band. Seems like kind of a dick.

Speaker 2 45:44

Yeah, I mean Dr Fiocca was a pretty decent album. Didn't he think that those guys were dicks? I don't know. I like Crew.

Speaker 4 46:08

It's like way worse. At this point in the song I need an adult. Help me.

Speaker 2 46:13

Help me, we could do a power concert, oh.

Speaker 4 46:26

I'm ready for some Kingston Trio and Santiano Okay.

Speaker 3 46:30

After that one.

Speaker 4 46:32

This is it Route 77. Shout out to the Bay of Frisco and good old boys and the kingston trio give it a listen. Uh yeah, shut out okay, yeah only 10 bones more for a quarter.

Speaker 2 46:48

Okay, all right. All right, so that was through the never. Nothing else matters is next, okay, so this is that's what we open with. You know, that little intro. There is nothing more to be added to it.

Speaker 4 47:16

Just as a courtesy.

Speaker 2 47:17

I'm wondering if I should just skip ahead 30 seconds, since I did this on the loop like 40 times.

Speaker 1 47:22

Okay, here we go.

Speaker 3 47:23

They're scared man oh they're not scared of you.

Speaker 4 47:37

Yeah, this is a good one.

Speaker 1 47:39

This is a great song oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, this is the battle.

Speaker 2 47:45

They're like yeah, through the never man. Let's break it up with this. I can't understand where Bob Rock is coming from this is a really great album.

Speaker 4 48:03

Well, he liked. Obviously he produced it, but he made them make the best version of the song, yeah.

Speaker 2 48:15

I think, hopefully, yeah, sometimes, yeah, some work that you do is like that was really really hard to make. Like right after it's done, it's hard to determine whether or not it was worth it. When something's that exhausted and there's prices to be paid to achieve it, you question whether or not it was worth it To go through the bad experiences, the things that came along with it shout out to Michael Kamen orchestration oh, and the Frisco Bay Symphony orchestra.

Metallica's Deep Album Analysis

Speaker 4 49:00

Look at that right by Santiano. This is James Hetfield's solo.

Speaker 2 49:22

Never cared for what they know, but I know. Yeah, so during this tour also, they did Converge in Moscow and it was like the first open-air rock concert to be held in the Soviet Union and it was part of the Monsters of Rock series. Yeah, it was this tour that I was referring to earlier. Yeah, and it was like the following year, august 8th of 92, where he burned his hand oh shit, in Montreal. I think you were going to say something, oh.

Speaker 4 50:05

Well, hetfield says, I remember going to the hell's angels clubhouse in new york and they showed me a film that they put together for one of their fallen brothers and they were playing. Nothing else matters in the background, and so this song means a lot more to me than me missing my chick. Right, it's brotherhood. The Army could use this song. It's pretty powerful.

Speaker 2 50:30

Yeah, it's some chick.

Speaker 1 50:33

Brothers, don't shake hands. Brothers, gotta hug it's brotherhood baby.

Speaker 4 50:38

Yeah, it is brotherhood.

Speaker 2 50:39

All right, all right. I guess there was like some box set that came after it like live shit, binge and purge was the name of it. It was the first box set released November 19th.

Speaker 1 51:03

I didn't know that. Oh, maybe I heard about it. Yeah, yeah, ah, that feels.

Speaker 3 51:31

That feels better.

Speaker 1 51:50

Ah, that feels, that feels better yeah. Forever trusting you Nothing else matters.

Speaker 2 52:11

He's like holding that note.

Speaker 4 52:18

This reminds me of like Mozart now.

Speaker 2 52:22

The way he's playing it.

Speaker 4 52:23

Yeah, it's like a mock piece, not really.

Speaker 2 52:28

I'm really influenced by Mozart and Bach, sort of like a mock piece.

Speaker 4 52:34

It's LLMP, llmp.

Speaker 2 52:44

Or LML, lmlp, lmlp or lml, like my lmlp. Yeah, lmlp, that's the shorthand. Are we making that up? I hope that sticks. The lmlp. I like the idea of this Of Wolf in the Air.

Speaker 1 53:03

Hey, what are you doing?

Speaker 3 53:12

Hey.

Speaker 4 53:21

Hey, hey, hey listeners, how you doing.

Speaker 2 53:26

Bob Linda, get in the pool. There's a lot of hunting and predator shit going on.

Speaker 4 53:55

James says. I'll be honest. At first I thought it was silly to write about a wolf. What Shapeshift.

Speaker 2 54:17

Yeah, this is a bunch of stuff to laugh about.

Speaker 4 54:20

Oh, great A song about a wolf. Yeah, what are you getting at May as well? Write about a wolf, yeah, what are you getting at May as well? Write about pyramids or something what? That's a quote from James. Yeah there's so many boogeymen. It's a boogeyman song. It's your own boogeyman again.

Speaker 2 54:56

Wherever I may roam, enter Sandman. A bull for them. Yeah, struggle within, struggle, struggle, struggle.

Speaker 4 55:10

Knee, tying my shoelaces, now with a bunk elbow, struggle, struggle. Only ten bones. More for a quarter, okay, shred. Man he's good Is this? Uh? Is this Kurt or James? I think this is Kurt. No, it's Kurt, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 55:53

Shout out to George Marino, shout out to Bob Ludwig, great mastering.

Speaker 4 56:10

They're in there, adding the final touches.

Speaker 3 56:11

Yeah, fans like where's our album?

Speaker 4 56:13

what is, I feel, the change? You turn into a wolf in there back to a better day.

Speaker 2 56:25

It's like what do you do for a living?

Speaker 1 56:27

I do mastering.

Speaker 2 56:29

It's like you know you can make money. That was a great joke.

Speaker 1 56:35

That was a great joke.

Speaker 4 56:49

I think this is really about the preservation of nature, the brotherhood in which we can all loop around and save thus mentioned nature, okay, and the wolf family guys okay, this is the god that failed.

Speaker 2 57:20

I haven't heard much of this getting into that part of the album that I've always overlooked, which is why we're doing this.

Speaker 1 57:38

Well, isn't that fast y'all.

Speaker 4 57:43

Church Lady thinks so well, they're not scared of you.

Speaker 2 57:50

They scared of what you represent and tim again kind of deep there, man.

Speaker 1 57:58

Pride. You feel Pride that you feel when you kneel. Not the word, not the love, not what you thought. From above, it feeds, it grows, it clouds. All that you will know. Deceit, deceit, deceit does what you believe. I see faith in your eyes. Never you hear the discouraging lies. I hear faith in your cries. Broken is the promise, betrayal. A healing hand held back by the deep end.

Speaker 2 58:47

Follow the gun and fail. What are you thinking, man? It's dark, it's, I think so too. I like the music, though still.

Speaker 4 59:06

I think we're teetering on the edge of fear and love here, right the solution was there all the time.

Speaker 1 59:42

I'm not afraid anymore. Wow, some amazing playing going on in this song.

Speaker 2 1:00:01

Wow, some amazing playing going on in this song, even though at times the certain things don't fit. For some reason, it rips.

Speaker 3 1:00:17

He has guitar solos, Ooh wow.

Speaker 4 1:00:38

Bob Rock said the band is trying to, you know, cover a complex matter in religion here, not just a cheap shot at religion. Yeah, Well. Yeah.

Speaker 2 1:00:48

Oh yeah, just with the title it's pretty bold the God that Failed, yeah Right To get people pissed off. Yeah, I mean You're asking for it, uh, this is Not a Christian rock band.

Speaker 4 1:01:03

Right, this is not a Christian rock band. The overdubs are really good in this track. They kind of overlaid that yeah.

Speaker 1 1:01:37

Yeah, this is going to be up there on my list, I think.

Speaker 4 1:01:42

Third listen. I think I like it more, yeah, oh the God that failed.

Speaker 2 1:01:49

I'm starting to read like oh the God that failed. I rediscover how, just how talented they are. Like all their music now is like technical Betrayal betrayal yeah, a little hard to repeat, it's technical that was a great ending too thanks don knots.

Speaker 4 1:02:17

He loved metallica I could see him you know it's been a while since we've screamed something. Maybe we should. I could see him yeah no, do it.

Speaker 3 1:02:28

You know it's been a while since we've screamed something. Maybe we should. Oh, okay, oh, Kyle Gimel.

Speaker 1 1:02:30

No, damn, you ref you burn in hell Chad's BB.

Speaker 4 1:02:41

Chandler being uh enthralled by a sporting event instead of helping Monica with Thanksgiving.

Speaker 3 1:02:48

Yeah.

Speaker 4 1:02:48

Gonzalo Floyd. I know Metallica fans love Friends. It's about brotherhood. Is there any crossover? No, there's not. That's why it's funny, hey.

Speaker 1 1:03:12

Hey.

Speaker 4 1:03:17

They were all secretly miserable. They weren't even friends. How did they afford that apartment? Oh, the show, the show.

Speaker 1 1:03:45

Yeah, they secretly want each other to pay off. Your own voice must soothe you, Hearing only what you want to hear and knowing only what you learn you.

Speaker 4 1:03:50

You're smothered in tragedy and you're out to save the world Out to save the world Misery.

Speaker 2 1:04:11

You insist that the weight of the world Should be on your shoulders, Not like that. We're not at a barn dance. You know, this album has really hit me good today. I don't know what I'm going to choose.

Speaker 4 1:04:36

I've got mine. I think You're still stood there screaming, no one caring about these words you tell James has such a distinct voice. It's almost raspy like Pearl Jam's. What's his name? Eddie Vedder, yes, but it doesn't go over that edge. It's like about to crack, but it never does. Almost Right.

Speaker 2 1:05:11

It's very strange, but Pearl Jam is more of a. They're more. They've got a wider range of emotions in there. Yeah, they're grunge, it's not this.

Speaker 4 1:05:26

This song was about mood, Very cinematic and feel says Bob Rock To Death. Magnetic album or magazine. This interview from Rick Rubin produced one of their albums.

Speaker 2 1:05:53

Oh yeah, I think it was later, that was Death Magnetic.

Speaker 4 1:05:57

That's not an album. Okay, yeah, 2008. 2008.

Speaker 2 1:06:08

Yeah, this is sort of like a palate cleanser, like they even put a palate cleanser into their song.

Speaker 4 1:06:13

That's cool. Yeah, that was really good.

Speaker 2 1:06:15

Yeah, that's why this is starting to be. This is why I'm having a hard time. Wow, thinking through my top three.

Speaker 4 1:06:23

That part was awesome.

Speaker 2 1:06:25

Yeah, I liked it. Right. Okay, I liked how they brought it down. Oh, how do they do this kind of guitar sound?

Speaker 4 1:06:47

What is it? Some kind of flange mixed with, yeah, computer synth. Oh yeah, there's like computer synth overlay effects pedals. This is also a seven-minute song. I mean they had a lot of music composed for still apparently making these songs simpler than their previous albums. It's a lot of music. They just went into a more bluesy solo there. It's a two of music. Like they just went into like a more bluesy solo there. It's a two-part solo series.

Speaker 1 1:07:35

Yeah, there's much more to life than what you see, my friend of misery.

Speaker 2 1:07:51

This sound looks kind of froggy. It is almost froggy.

Speaker 4 1:07:55

Oh.

Speaker 2 1:08:00

My friend of misery. I can see these two songs, though. Probably the religious establishment that really hates that's probably going to get these Negative opinions From people with strong faith, probably without the socks Trash it like that Well. But also Metalheads don't like prog. This kind of sounds prog. Oh my God, kirk Hammett was just crushing it. I can't believe he did this. I love this, and Chase Huston too contributed to this song. Yeah, this is so overlooked, man. These songs are overlooked. I think Vidalica rules. They do rule. I love them all.

Speaker 4 1:09:07

Right, uh last song the struggle within. All. Right, we're at the finish line. Folks get you to bed soon. Same man's coming watch out.

Speaker 2 1:09:24

Sandman's coming. Watch out, clench your pillow tight.

Speaker 3 1:09:30

Just clench your whole body for hours at a time. They're gripping. It's not clenching, it's gripping your pillow tight. Oh my God, what is it what?

Speaker 1 1:09:50

have you got to lose? What the hell? What is it you think you're gonna find Hypocrite? Boredom's a dick to the boring mind. Struggle with it. Struggle with it.

Speaker 4 1:10:23

That's what I sound like when I get up from a stretch Struggle with it.

Speaker 1 1:10:25

Struggle with it. It suits you fine. Struggle with it. That's what I sound like when I get up from a stretch, ah-ha.

Speaker 2 1:10:28

Yeah, this is the workout. This is the workout song.

Speaker 4 1:10:31

Shout out to those trying to get more flexible you want to be flexible too, not just strong, okay.

Speaker 3 1:10:40

You know, check out the girl to your left.

Speaker 2 1:10:45

But, you know't, don't be so obvious about it it's a cool black album

Speaker 1 1:10:49

it's a cool black album.

Speaker 2 1:10:51

The struggle no no grabbing be subtle no eye contact, be subtle.

Speaker 1 1:11:13

No eye contact.

Speaker 2 1:11:20

It's kind of fast for the treadmill on this one. I mean, you just get back into it. Maybe you stay away from the sun that owl just came. Get back into it. Maybe stay away from the song that all just came screaming back to me.

Speaker 4 1:11:32

Yeah, Shout out to Phoebe.

Speaker 2 1:11:56

Rampant yeah.

Speaker 1 1:12:17

This is fun to me.

Speaker 3 1:12:32

I heard it, that all just came screaming back to me.

Speaker 1 1:12:40

Pull those napkins right, Phoebe Struggle with it, you steal your own coffee. Struggle with it, struggling with it.

Speaker 4 1:12:52

This song is about the struggle. Struggle is real folks. Oh, I thought they were going to go into another solo. Another solo, wow, go into another solo. Another solo, wow, one more solo.

Favorite Metallica Black Album Tracks

Speaker 2 1:13:09

Let's catch our breaths. But yeah, the solos were great. All of these songs are great. What do you think?

Speaker 4 1:13:13

Well um.

Speaker 2 1:13:15

Differ if you need to.

Speaker 4 1:13:17

Yeah, I am not afraid of it. I'm not afraid of the dark rock, dark metal here.

Speaker 2 1:13:27

Yeah, you're not afraid anymore. That's good. I think it's par for the course, man, for a lot of these metal albums, man, once you get through it, you're not afraid anymore.

Speaker 3 1:13:37

No.

Speaker 2 1:13:38

That's good, so we got to get into the top three. What's your number three? What are you thinking?

Speaker 4 1:13:44

Oh going friends and misery. You liked that one, didn't you?

Speaker 2 1:13:49

It was good.

Speaker 4 1:13:49

It had. I mean, yeah, the yelling, the screaming, the friends Gotcha Need.

Speaker 2 1:13:59

I say more no man. I think you said it all you need. I say more no man. I think you said it all. I'm going to make my number three Don't Tread on Me. Oh wow, I thought it was a heavy song. The guitar solo, I loved it, it was so I mean there's a couple of other songs that were far and away better.

Speaker 4 1:14:27

But, um, that's my number three. All right, I'm gonna go number two holier than now. Oh yeah, shout out, father cummings, what's up? Um, yeah, it's. Uh, it's good, it rocked, it gets, it's special. You know, they could have used a jazz solo to break some of the tension but it was, it was good.

Speaker 2 1:14:50

Yeah, uh, my friend of misery is my number two, um that. Uh, nice, that blew me away man, just the the prog.

Speaker 4 1:14:59

It was like three, four solos.

Speaker 2 1:15:01

Yeah, I love that. Yeah, and the tempo changes and it was just so well-crafted. It's my number two.

Speaker 4 1:15:14

Okay, I'm going. Number one the God.

Speaker 2 1:15:19

That.

Speaker 4 1:15:19

Failed.

Speaker 2 1:15:20

Oh yeah, you know I'm choosing all the controversial ones that it's a great song.

Speaker 4 1:15:26

Yeah, yeah, it's. Uh, they take on religion. They're not trying to be too deep, they're just catchy. You know, be your own. You know, be your own savior. What's up? Number three the god that failed, all right. Number one for you.

Speaker 2 1:15:44

Oh yeah, number one. My number one is going to be um through the never. Oh, I just like, yeah, it was just uh, I just thought that must have been really just tough to you know, to to record and I just love the, the toughness of it and it's just so like um yeah it's like summoning up strength, you know.

Speaker 2 1:16:21

So felt like I was getting stronger. I could see how this is a workout kind of an album and why all those guys listen to it while they're doing it, so it pushes them All right, man, you picked some good ones too. I'm jealous of yours.

Speaker 4 1:16:36

We laughed, we had some good times. Yeah, it was good. We laughed and we think of the good times. It was good. It's a good album.