Metallica - St. Anger

 Rough and rocking
I'm very happy with this album, a nice breakaway from the over-polished Metallica that was becoming a bit of a parody of itself. This is back to the energy of Kill 'Em All and, thankfully, much heavier than anything they've done since Master of Puppets. May 4, 2008

 Ouch
My son, a rabid Metallica fan, (after he listened to my collection) bought this when it came out in spite of my advice against it. He told me it was a sad day in his life when he tried to listen to it and did not listen to it all the way thru. I thought I'd give it a go, thinking it couldn't be THAT bad. It is that bad, worse even. This is one of the worst releases by a major artist I've ever heard and I believe anyone who loved the band prior to this atrocity feels the same way I do. Hardly a one out of 5 stars for this dreck. April 24, 2008

 A sad attempt to return to the "Glory Days"....
It's over, boys.

My wife and daughter bought this for me as a gift, and I was kinda stoked, reading about the alleged nod to "Justice", etc.

This album shows what a pitiful shell Metallica has become.

I WILL NEVER, EVER, SPEND ANOTHER DIME ON ANYTHING THEY PUT OUT. April 23, 2008

 Cliff Burton is rolling in his grave!
Way back when (80s), I was a little, long-haired, skateboard-riding punk that lived and breathed heavy metal. Metallica, Slayer, Black Sabbath, Celtic Frost, etc.; were my heros. In 1991, Metallica released the 'Black' album and they lost me. I didn't buy 'Load' because I knew it was another Bob Rock production, nor did I buy 'St. Anger', but I did listen to them. For an album that's over an hour long, there is not one guitar solo on 'St. Anger', or at least a memorable one. What was Kirk Hammett's role in this album? It sounded like it was recorded in a garbage can. No rhythm, no grove, nothing. I've heard that Metallica is know working with Rick Rubin, I don't know if that's true, but I don't think even the best record producer of all time can breath life back into Metallica. They've lost their original fans, and I don't think any effort Metallica tries will win us back! April 22, 2008

 Abomination
I once was the epitome of a Metallica fan. I had every album, a closet full of t-shirts, and seen them live multiple times. I bought this album the day it came out. I listened to it 3 times, each time trying desperately to find something I liked (or at least didn't hate) about it. I realize that bands tastes change and evolve over time, but isn't the goal of this evolution to improve? I stuck with them through Load and Reload, and bought St. Anger on the hope that they would revert to their tried and tested formulas. After all, it is these formulas that gave Metallica's music the sound and complexity that fans fell in love with. Why would you abandon the sound that made you great and your fans along with it, for something with the complexity of a paint by numbers picture that sounds like it was recorded between the Buick and the trash cans in Grandma's garage? I don't know what else to say. "All this I cannot bear to witness any longer." Suffice to say I will never buy another Metallica album on faith again.

-A jaded Metallica fan April 12, 2008

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