Surprised Nothing Else went before the fillers. Yeah Yeah it's a slow song but it was an anthem for all the drunk, recently separated, Canadians, hanging out in a Joe's Basement style bar.

I don't care what they dressed like, but it just fed into my discontent, the whole thing, music, image, was just so fucking dull to me. There was no excitement, no energy, nothing enticing about it really. I mean, you talk about taking chances, but the likes of King Nothing were just an even more watered down version of what was on the black album from what I could hear, and the more blues/hard rock approach had nothing creative in its delivery for me.

The Outlaw Torn was a decent song and there was the odd riff I liked (e.g. Wasting My Hate) but there was nothing there that made me excited at all. It was just average rock music (even if it was well played and crafted) and the world didn't need any more of that, especially not from Metallica. And Reload, the likes of Fuel, and The Unforgiven II? No thanks.

As far as their peers go, they certainly weren't doing anything more worthy of attention than Anthrax were at that point, and at least they had some piss and vinegar (and not just a song with a similar title) and John Bush, who managed to make their average songs listenable. They were better live at that point too, as were Slayer.

Agree with Wretch about 'Load'. 'Youthanasia' was a far more daring and interesting album than 'Load'. Ditto Fight's 'Small Deadly Space'.

'Load' was ok but it was the sound of a band with nowhere to go

This.

Death Magnetic is nowhere near as creative as the Load albums TBH. It's the sound of a band making what they think the fanbase wants to hear, and it sounds forced and limited.

Weirdly enough I agree about Death Magnetic. Its certainly more "metal" but the overall quality of songwriting isn't any better than the Load/Reload era. I honestly don't know why people were wetting themselves over it.

I agree with you. "Death Magnetic" didn't have as many cringe-worthy moments as "Load"/"Reload" did but it also didn't have the few standout moments that those records had. It was just a pretty flat record all round. I'd rate them all pretty similarly as far as overall quality but if pushed I'd go with "Death Magnetic" over "Load" followed by "Reload".

St. Anger > both Load records...by a country mile

Don't be fucking soft. They at least showed some song craft on the Load albums. St Anger is grade a horseshit, with zero redeeming qualities. Lyrics like a 12 year old goth, not a single decent riff, directionless fucking shite made by a bunch of deluded whiny cunts. Its not just a bad Metallica album, its a bad album full stop.

Pretty much

agree with all that except i think there are a few decent riffs on it.

That's ok mate, we all make mistakes. Obviously not me when it comes to that album.

Name a song on either of the Load record better than the title track of St.anger?

Until it Sleeps.

"Bleeding Me" from "Load".

I prefer all of these.

Until It Sleeps
Ronnie
King Nothing
Wasting My Hate
Mama Said
The Memory Remains
Cure
Aint My Bitch
2 x 4
Fuel
Better Than You
Devil's Dance

Wasting My Hate, The Outlaw Torn. Or you know, pretty much any of them.

All of them. By miles.

You are all insane- I'm not huge on Anger...but the Loads.....omg they are a whole other level of bad

Are you sure you don't mean it the other way around?

Load and ReLoad have songwriting and melodies and drums that don't sound like a steel tin.