“72 Seasons” will be the eleventh studio album by the biggest metal band in the world. Unfortunately, most likely the first one that I honestly don’t love despite its flaws. After the release of the single “Lux Æterna” I wasn’t particularly impressed, but I had to admit that the band still knows how to “make hits” and keep up with the trends while keeping their own style. The chorus eats at the head, and the “counting-out” verses known from the group’s earlier achievements perfectly match the riffs and the galloping pace of the song. Then, unfortunately, it only got worse. “Screaming Suicide” and “If Darkness Had a Son” merged into one for me. Listening to these pieces, it’s hard not to have the impression that they are rejects from the album “Hardwired… To Self-Destruct” from 2016, which in itself was far from the top in the band’s discography.
Metallica releases more singles promoting “72 Season”. And I’m getting more and more sorry
I was afraid to turn on the fourth track announcing “72 Season”. And rightly so. Don’t get me wrong, Metallica doesn’t have to do anything anymore. Whoever has albums such as “Master of Puppets”, transitions such as after the death of Cliff Burton or during the recording of “St. Anger” and merits in the form of transferring heavy playing from underground to stadiums – can really sleep peacefully. No one questions the greatness of this band, and if they try to do so, I will personally throw Meta’s discography at such a delinquent and shout arguments why he is wrong. But this does not mean that I will stop demanding the absolute basics from my favorite band – the fun of playing and emotions, which in its history often won over technology, and at some stage even ingenuity, and I really had no problem with that.
The end of Metallica was announced before the band even meant anything – the saying that the group ended with “Kill’em All” (the band’s first album) is familiar even to those who have not heard any track from the album. Almost every artist’s album ended some stage in the life and sound of the band. The formation created by Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield was supposed to sink “Black Album”, and then basically every subsequent album. It never happened and will never happen. As long as Metallica plays, their loyal fans will listen to these recordings, go to concerts and proudly wear T-shirts with the band’s logo. And I belong to that group.
However, after listening to “72 Seasons” it dawned on me for the first time that something was really over. It’s not a band anymore, it’s a money making machine. I’m sure a lot of people just snorted and thought it took me a while to figure out this obvious truth. Common sense, I know that 60-year-old musicians do not have so much youthful rebellion, anger and are guided by completely different values than their versions from years ago, but for me there was always something behind all their songs. I will use here the hated album “Lulu” recorded with Lou Reed, whose fans around the world can probably be counted on the fingers of one hand. I won’t lie, I don’t include this CD with my morning jogging every day, not even because I don’t do it, but listening to this creation is more tiring than an hour’s jog. However, this album is not an example of cool financial calculation or whim, but passion, childish joy of doing things that do not necessarily have to be perfect, make sense and be liked by anyone. The band produced material that was difficult to understand, even cacophonous for many, breaking their rules in order to experience new emotions and get to know the work of the man who inspired them better. The musicians arranged non-author material and released a CD with music written for theater plays. The album can be accused of many things, but not that it is hackneyed and you can’t hear mutual commitment and passion in it.
Today, I have the impression that Metallica has buried itself in a comfortable pattern, from which it does not want – and most importantly – it does not have to leave. The title track from the latest album sounds generic through and through. There is no emotion in this song, although the theme of such is terrifyingly calling out. It’s a shredded patchwork of riffs, transitions and melodies, which from the description may sound like references to the times of “…and Justice”, but it only takes a few seconds to hear the abyss between these albums. The drums are clumsy, the rhythm, though simple, is not catchy, and the production is so twisted that the best band would lose any style. The strongest point of this piece, as well as the three previous ones, is James’s vocals, whose form is simply astonishing.
And it’s not like I’m one of those people who say “it used to be playing”. I think metal music is in a great place in the historical timeline. I also do not succumb to the fashion for criticism of everything that has been known and liked for years, simple or commercial. I can immediately recommend the latest album by Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne or Sodom, who are not younger than the authors of “72 Season”. Did I expect my favorite band to record another classic that will go down in history? NO. I only hoped that I would get a lot of mediocre songs with soul and passion from him and some really good ones that I would use as arguments to defend my favorites. Instead, I listened to another mediocre single and got soreness on my face from tightening my lips in a horseshoe. I’m sorry.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
