After Metallica drummer, Lars Ulrich announced the band’s progress on their upcoming album, Kirk Hammett has shed some more light this past week surrounding the musical direction of their new release. Since he has stated that it will be “heavy” and “along the lines of Death Magnetic,” we are given a better idea of what is to come. This update reveals Metallica’s desire to stick to its thrash roots, however many fans expect nothing less after the band’s extended production time, string of bitterly received albums and further competition hot on their heels.
Metallica’s fan-base has been divided for years between those who appreciate the band’s experimentation and those who don’t. The community that opposes Metallica’s diversity is going to be all ears once the album hits stores. Although Death Magnetic met most die hard fans’ needs, using the band’s original tone across each track, that put Metallica on a high pedestal and urged many to pressure the band to work even harder next go-round.
Another factor that weighs Metallica down are the constant delays springing up month after month. This album has been in the processing stage for so long that each member of the band has given their own individual report to assure everyone that this project hasn’t been abandoned. During these tedious studio sessions, all the remaining forces of The Big Four seem to be zipping past the largest component in the group with their album releases and tour dates being publicized left and right.
Metallica’s last few productions leave many anxious for fresh material. It’s arguable to defend the Load era on the account of the band’s exploration for a hard rock tone. Some can even stick up for St. Anger considering the internal struggles within the group. However, everyone can assertively support Metallica trying to fall back on their early influence and return to the qualities that made Death Magnetic a great comeback.
All these drawbacks hold the upcoming album susceptible to failure but it’s up to the band to ignore these distractions and thrive on the success of their 2008 release. We can confidently expect the band to take their developing ideas in the right musical direction yet it will have to compete against all the backlash from Metallica’s past and their future rivals.
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