Metallica - 72 Seasons

A band as big as Metallica has no problem gaining attention when they release a new record, they will continue to be the figureheads of the metal community (the genre is literally in their name). However, for some time now they have been nothing more than just fine. Metallica is at no means a bad band, far from it. In fact, they are the best at what they do, a masterful group. We've heard that all before though so no new words are uttered here.

On '72 Seasons' they still flaunt that level of expertise, though at the expense of producer of Greg Fidelman whose been working with the band for the last 15 years. Now, I am no data analyst but it doesn't take a genius to figure out why the bands music has been so surface level for ALMOST 20 years...

The energy is there, the band that we know and love is there, but the fire is dimming and they have no one to keep it lit. What Metallica lacks on this album is stronger song-writing. Surely in my opinion none of the songs are bad, they are all tolerable and have some sense of cohesion to them. Though, in the long run, I don't see myself stepping away from this album with any highlights except for the first single that was released for this record "Lux Æterna".

"Sleepwalk My Life Away" and "Crown of Barbed Wire" are not to be overlooked either, though they are sort of in the same realm of ideas as the other songs on this record, lengthy and overdone. "Inamorata" closes the album on a strong note, but that just leaves me wanting more of what that last track had to offer. They make you sit through an entire hour of derivative songs that lead up to what I wanted most of the album to be.

At the end of the day, it's Metallica, we know what we are getting into. Hopefully in the coming years the band find someone who doesn't have the most barebones approach at recording a rock album and actually can try new things. Because I'll tell you, there is nothing new here.