Metallica

This 1991 release signalled Metallica's entry into the mainstream with the explosive success of its singles and videos, widening the band's fanbase to unheard of (in Metal) parameters of acceptance. While the songs are simpler and more direct than their earlier material, none of the power is lost. Not their best album, but the definitive starting point for beginners.

The first thing you notice about Metallica's new album is that it sounds great. The band's
previous disc, . . . And Justice for All, seemed a model of hard-rock clarity and punch
when it was released in 1988. Played back-to-back with Metallica, Justice sounds almost
thin; the new record's sonic textures and audio depth of field are a revelation. But
Metallica isn't simply a superspiffy engineering job. Its detail and dynamics are es... More >