Metallica Essentials: The Black Album RD (REVEALING)

[dremolus - solarpunk]

OUR TOP 2

Welcome Home (Sanitarium)

vs.

Master of Puppets

Participants:
Red
macattack
singingrulebritannia
khan
rowellfarm490
DadJokes
Gonza'90
American Idiot
nathanalbright
tanooki
razorshark
Mayman
willapted33
and me!

[dremolus - solarpunk]

Cannot get over how creative Metallica fans are with their art (Artist: @minimalpulseart)


#2. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)



Points: 74
SD: 2.2336
Average: 3.7143
Movement: 2-1-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2

Condolences, singingrulebritannia

singingrulebritannia - 1
Red - 2
macattack - 2
rowellfarm490 - 2
nathanalbright - 2
tanooki - 2
razorshark - 2
American Idiot - 3
dremolus - solarpunk - 4
willapted33 - 5
Mayman - 6
khan - 7
DadJokes - 7
Gonza'90 - 7

Which of course leaves...



#1. MASTER OF PUPPETS



Points: 90
SD: 2.054
Average: 2.2857
Movement: 1-2-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1

macattack - 1
khan - 1
rowellfarm490 - 1
DadJokes - 1
nathanalbright - 1
Mayman - 1
willapted33 - 1
dremolus - solarpunk
Gonza'90 - 2
Red - 3
singingrulebritannia - 3
tanooki - 3
American Idiot - 5

And one who obeys no master:
razorshark - 8

Congrats to macattack , khan , rowellfarm490 , DadJokes , nathanalbright , Mayman , willapted33 , and myself for winning the RD. I believe this is the first time I've won this while hosting.

Hope y'all enjoyed it, see y'all in a couple of months when we do ...And Justice for All!

[razorshark]

This was bound to happen eventually, my last places haven't finished worse than second throughout this whole series. I feel like that will change when we get to ...And Justice For All though because I like the more popular songs from that album.

[khan]

10/10 album, just an uproarious moshpit/party/adventure for 40 straight minutes with no breaks, no boring parts, nothing disappointing. Only energy! And the title track is all of that condensed into some of the awesomest 8 minutes in music. This was a seriously fun, so thanks for putting it on Drem!

[DadJokes]

Thanks for running this! I hated even putting any song last, they’re all good.

[nathanalbright]

This album was a great one, and it was nice to be able to rank this one down.

[dremolus - solarpunk]

We’re back and oh boy what an album to return to.

Just as a refresher of where the band is at this time: they’d just finished recording Master of Puppets in Copenhagen. 6 months later, while on your in Sweden, there was a bus accident where tragically bassist Cliff Burton died. According to Lars, they didn’t allow themselves to take time off to grieve for fear that would actually make things worse for them (mentally) so with the blessing of Cliff’s family, they soldiered on. That’s not to say Cliff’s death didn’t affect them or the making of this album, in fact they paid tribute to the man on ‘To Live is to Die’. Off of the suggestion of Brian Slagel, they hired Jason Newstead, who’d also worked with Metallica on their The $5.98 E.P. – Garage Days Re-Revisited EP (a covers EP of 60s and 70s rock) and who would stay with the band until leaving in 2001.

Despite some hesitation due to the recent passing of Cliff, Jason clicked with the band relatively quickly, growing and maturing with them as they finished their tour. Lars described him like this: “He just had the right attitude, the chemistry and his personality and approach to his instrument were really unique. And he could not have been more of a 180 from Cliff, so it wasn’t like were getting a ‘Cliff Junior’ replacement.” That said, most of Cliff’s original work wasn't used (in more ways than one). When writing began, Newstead’s compositions and riffs were only used in ‘Blackened’, to date the only song on the album where he’s credited as a writer and producer.

The band went back to LA to record One on One Recording Studios. Inspired by Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite for Destruction and in particular Axl Rose’s energy in his music, Lars (James actually had reservations) wanted to maintain the harder edge that they’d cultivated with the public. He’d even gotten Mike Clink, the producer of AFD, to help with the project although their main audio engineer Flemming Rasmussen would be rehired later on after the band clashed with Clink.

And that brings us to the elephant in the room and why this album is so divisive: the mixing of the bass. The lack of an audible bass on this album has persisted ever since Jason Newstead was disappointed hearing the finished album.

There are different reasons as to why the bass ended up so muted. Newstead says that his playing style and general inexperience with their equipment is the reason for it. Hetfield also agreed saying “Jason tended to double my rhythm guitar parts, so it was hard to tell where my guitar started and his bass left off. Jason and I were always battling for the same space in the mix.” He also said that the band being burned out and even having hearing loss may have hindered things. Flemming, on the other hand, says that it was Lars’ request to turn down the bass in order for his drumming to sound better, with Hetfield approving of the changes. Flemming also had different ideas for how the album should sound like, ideas that flew in the face of the sound the band wanted. Mixing engineer Steve Thompson said a similar story, claiming that it was Lars’ idea to turn the base to the point where it was “barely audible”.

No matter what’s the truth and even despite the falling out that hard occurred, Newstead doesn’t hold any bitterness for the finished product, even in the face of fan mixes increasing the volume of his bass. “How it’s supposed to be is what came out and how it made a mark on the world”. He would’ve even gush about how good and important the album is in various interviews. The band has also shared similar thoughts and have no intentions of remixing the album, even with new remasters. For that reason and to be fair to the rest of the albums of this series, please don’t listen to remixed versions of the album, no matter how good the bass may be.

Even despite the odd mixing, this album is still considered a class metal record in its own right …And Justice for All came out on the 7th of September 1988. It went platinum in only nine weeks and by the end of the year had sold 1.7 million copies in the US. It was also the first of their albums to get nominated for a Grammy and also spawned the band’s first ever charting hit on the Hot 100 with their anti-war anthem ‘One’ (which was also their first ever music video that was a regular on MTV). Some have even gone on to say how the unique mix gives the album a different vibe and energy compared to other Metallica albums, maybe even their “hardest”.

Tracklist:

Blackened

…And Justice for All

Eye of the Beholder

One

The Shortest Straw

Harvester of Sorrow

The Frayed Ends of Sanity

To Live is to Die

Dyers E

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}

{Spoiler}{Tags}

312999 Adrian C. 🍓 alexcuse Alex1901 _ Daryl the Beryl Beno BlurryKyle House Lannister taylor is terrified castleoblivion26 cedric  Cody LBTrocks @crapkuki23 daniel1784 dremolus - solarpunk eidde  Gonza'90 GP newpower Sambalada ilikemilk CagedJuggalo The Third Tanker HamedM1 💔 @imhappy259 jamesflame janinho Leo ✔ born Juanca lyhom shootingstar16 Mayman MoD Mylo13 💜  Taiga razorshark RobbyFlorida rowellfarm490 sergejdordij OCDave SwiftlySheeran tanooki Au$tin toomuchboy trilogy Triple 9 twigs walt91 DadJokes wheatsquares33 willapted33 wrip  anthony11554 anorable avatar Az Paynter yuh yuh BB🌕  beyoncelover boysilver400 Private Dancer taylor is terrified castleoblivion26 cedric charmander78  Cody Wants Out... tim @crapkuki23 DJDaveMick69  eidde Crimsonio fearlessarrow Exclusive filthy gabe Gonza'90 GP GrinningLikeADevil hydraflare  ilikemilk  .indulgecountry 𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕖𝕓𝕤 @jadenlefranks  Kanenrá:ke  Mr. Thonk Eyes jtd Thee Stallion Fire kimberly lyhom mamooshka shootingstar16 M5 Mayman MoD Mylo13 💜  netti  Fanstar1  Nick P SHOOTER  Red RobbyFlorida samo🦕 sergejdordij  stallie SwiftlySheeran tallen2001 tanooki Au$tin thelegends Rose "Payola" Nylund 𝓲𝓽'𝓼.𝓰𝓿  Ty woods  weaver mako  wyckyd  macattack Doc Indie Party Rock  nathanalbright  singingrulebritannia  @nevada  macattack

[tanooki]

[dremolus - solarpunk]

Deadline postponed a month due to my internship. Gonna be too busy and drained to focus on this but ideally, I should be done by the time July is almost over. Shoutout however to singingrulebritannia for being the first sender. Please send more lists :)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}

{Spoiler}{Tags}

312999 Adrian C. 🍓 alexcuse Alex1901 _ Daryl the Beryl Beno BlurryKyle House Lannister taylor is terrified castleoblivion26 cedric  Cody LBTrocks @crapkuki23 daniel1784 dremolus - solarpunk eidde  Gonza'90 GP newpower Sambalada ilikemilk CagedJuggalo The Third Tanker HamedM1 💔 jamesflame janinho Leo ✔ born Juanca lyhom shootingstar16 Mayman MoD Mylo13 💜  Taiga razorshark RobbyFlorida rowellfarm490 sergejdordij OCDave SwiftlySheeran tanooki Au$tin toomuchboy trilogy Triple 9 twigs walt91 DadJokes wheatsquares33 willapted33 wrip  anthony11554 anorable avatar Az Paynter yuh yuh BB🌕  beyoncelover boysilver400 Private Dancer taylor is terrified castleoblivion26 cedric charmander78  Cody Wants Out... tim @crapkuki23 DJDaveMick69  eidde Crimsonio fearlessarrow Exclusive filthy gabe Gonza'90 GP GrinningLikeADevil hydraflare  ilikemilk  .indulgecountry 𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕖𝕓𝕤 @jadenlefranks  Kanenrá:ke  Mr. Thonk Eyes jtd Thee Stallion Fire kimberly lyhom mamooshka shootingstar16 M5 Mayman MoD Mylo13 💜  netti  Fanstar1  Nick P SHOOTER  Red RobbyFlorida samo🦕 sergejdordij  stallie SwiftlySheeran tallen2001 tanooki Au$tin thelegends Rose "Payola" Nylund 𝓲𝓽'𝓼.𝓰𝓿  Ty woods  weaver mako  wyckyd  macattack Doc Indie Party Rock  nathanalbright  singingrulebritannia  macattack

[dremolus - solarpunk]

Y'all have 3 weeks left, get to sending!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}

{Spoiler}{Tags}

312999 Adrian C. 🍓 alexcuse Alex1901 _ Daryl the Beryl Beno BlurryKyle House Lannister taylor is terrified castleoblivion26 cedric  Cody LBTrocks @crapkuki23 daniel1784 dremolus - solarpunk eidde  Gonza'90 GP newpower Sambalada ilikemilk CagedJuggalo The Third Tanker HamedM1 💔 jamesflame janinho Leo ✔ born Juanca lyhom shootingstar16 Mayman MoD Mylo13 💜  Taiga razorshark RobbyFlorida rowellfarm490 sergejdordij OCDave SwiftlySheeran tanooki Au$tin toomuchboy trilogy Triple 9 twigs walt91 DadJokes wheatsquares33 willapted33 wrip  anthony11554 anorable avatar Az Paynter yuh yuh BB🌕  beyoncelover boysilver400 Private Dancer taylor is terrified castleoblivion26 cedric charmander78  Cody Wants Out... tim @crapkuki23 DJDaveMick69  eidde Crimsonio fearlessarrow Exclusive filthy gabe Gonza'90 GP GrinningLikeADevil hydraflare  ilikemilk  .indulgecountry 𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕖𝕓𝕤 @jadenlefranks  Kanenrá:ke  Mr. Thonk Eyes jtd Thee Stallion Fire kimberly lyhom mamooshka shootingstar16 M5 Mayman MoD Mylo13 💜  netti  Fanstar1  Nick P SHOOTER  Red RobbyFlorida samo🦕 sergejdordij  stallie SwiftlySheeran tallen2001 tanooki Au$tin thelegends Rose "Payola" Nylund 𝓲𝓽'𝓼.𝓰𝓿  Ty woods  weaver mako  wyckyd  macattack Doc Indie Party Rock  nathanalbright  singingrulebritannia  macattack

[dremolus - solarpunk]

Y'all have 2 weeks left, get to sending!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}

{Spoiler}{Tags}

312999 Adrian C. 🍓 alexcuse Alex1901 _ Daryl the Beryl Beno BlurryKyle House Lannister taylor is terrified castleoblivion26 cedric  Cody LBTrocks @crapkuki23 daniel1784 dremolus - solarpunk eidde  Gonza'90 GP newpower Sambalada ilikemilk CagedJuggalo The Third Tanker HamedM1 💔 jamesflame janinho Leo ✔ born Juanca lyhom shootingstar16 Mayman MoD Mylo13 💜  Taiga razorshark RobbyFlorida rowellfarm490 sergejdordij OCDave SwiftlySheeran tanooki Au$tin toomuchboy trilogy Triple 9 twigs walt91 DadJokes wheatsquares33 willapted33 wrip  anthony11554 anorable avatar Az Paynter yuh yuh BB🌕  beyoncelover boysilver400 Private Dancer taylor is terrified castleoblivion26 cedric charmander78  Cody Wants Out... tim @crapkuki23 DJDaveMick69  eidde Crimsonio fearlessarrow Exclusive filthy gabe Gonza'90 GP GrinningLikeADevil hydraflare  ilikemilk  .indulgecountry 𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕖𝕓𝕤 @jadenlefranks  Kanenrá:ke  Mr. Thonk Eyes jtd Thee Stallion Fire kimberly lyhom mamooshka shootingstar16 M5 Mayman MoD Mylo13 💜  netti  Fanstar1  Nick P SHOOTER  Red RobbyFlorida samo🦕 sergejdordij  stallie SwiftlySheeran tallen2001 tanooki Au$tin thelegends Rose "Payola" Nylund 𝓲𝓽'𝓼.𝓰𝓿  Ty woods  weaver mako  wyckyd  macattack Doc Indie Party Rock  nathanalbright  singingrulebritannia  macattack

[Mayman]

Will try to work on this sometime this week.

[razorshark]

I will submit because this album is iconic in both great ways and awful ways. The songwriting and musicianship here is incredible, but the production and treatment of Jason Newstead as a talent is just downright garbage.

[dremolus - solarpunk]

4 DAYS LEFT! Were up to 4 lists now thanks to willapted33 so get to sending!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{Tags}

312999 Adrian C. 🍓 alexcuse Alex1901 _ Daryl the Beryl Beno BlurryKyle House Lannister taylor is terrified castleoblivion26 cedric  Cody LBTrocks @crapkuki23 daniel1784 dremolus - solarpunk eidde  Gonza'90 GP newpower Sambalada ilikemilk CagedJuggalo The Third Tanker HamedM1 💔 jamesflame janinho Leo ✔ born Juanca lyhom shootingstar16   MoD Mylo13 💜  Taiga razorshark RobbyFlorida rowellfarm490 sergejdordij OCDave SwiftlySheeran tanooki Au$tin toomuchboy trilogy Triple 9 twigs walt91 DadJokes wheatsquares33  wrip  anthony11554 anorable avatar Az Paynter yuh yuh BB🌕  beyoncelover boysilver400 Private Dancer taylor is terrified castleoblivion26 cedric charmander78  Cody Wants Out... tim  DJDaveMick69  eidde Crimsonio fearlessarrow Exclusive filthy gabe Gonza'90 GP GrinningLikeADevil hydraflare  ilikemilk  .indulgecountry 𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕖𝕓𝕤 @jadenlefranks  Kanenrá:ke  Mr. Thonk Eyes jtd Thee Stallion Fire kimberly lyhom mamooshka shootingstar16 MoD Mylo13 💜  netti  Fanstar1  Nick P SHOOTER  Red RobbyFlorida samo🦕 sergejdordij  stallie SwiftlySheeran tallen2001 tanooki Au$tin thelegends Rose "Payola" Nylund 𝓲𝓽'𝓼.𝓰𝓿  Ty woods  weaver mako  wyckyd  macattack Doc Indie Party Rock  nathanalbright  singingrulebritannia  macattack

[dremolus - solarpunk]

IT'S TIME

Participants:
singingrulebritannia
rowellfarm490
Mayman
willapted33
macattack
nathanalbright
American Idiot
tanooki
razorshark
and me!

[dremolus - solarpunk]

#9 Preview

SD: 1.28668
Average: 6.9 (highest average)

Participants:

singingrulebritannia
rowellfarm490
Mayman
willapted33
macattack
nathanalbright
American Idiot
tanooki
razorshark

and me!

[dremolus - solarpunk]

Even more great Metallica merch art



#9. The Shortest Straw



Points: 31
SD: 6.1429
Average: 6.9
Movement: 7-8-8-8-8-7-8-9-9

nathanalbright - 4
macattack - 6
American Idiot - 6
singingrulebritannia - 7
rowellfarm490 - 7
Mayman - 7
willapted33 - 8
tanooki - 8
razorshark - 8
dremolus - solarpunk - 8

[dremolus - solarpunk]

#8 Preview

SD: 2.83627 (highest SD)
Average: 6.4

Participants:

singingrulebritannia
rowellfarm490
Mayman
willapted33
macattack
nathanalbright
American Idiot
tanooki
razorshark

and me!

[dremolus - solarpunk]

This was actually #9 for a good while (Shoutout to Dan Harding for the art)



#8. The Frayed Ends of Sanity




Points: 36
SD: 2.8363
Average: 6.4
Movement: 9-9-9-9-9-9-7-7-8

American Idiot - 2
razorshark - 2
nathanalbright - 5
tanooki - 5
Mayman - 6
macattack - 8
singingrulebritannia - 9
rowellfarm490 - 9
willapted33 - 9
dremolus - solarpunk - 9

[dremolus - solarpunk]

#7 Preview

SD: 2.1318
Average: 6.1

Participants:

singingrulebritannia
rowellfarm490
Mayman
willapted33
macattack
nathanalbright
American Idiot
tanooki
razorshark

and me!

[dremolus - solarpunk]

Shoutout to a game older than me and my sister



#7. Eye of the Beholder



Points: 39
SD: 2.1318
Average: 6.1
Movement: 6-7-7-7-7-8-9-6-7

Condolences, razorshark - 1

macattack - 4
singingrulebritannia - 6
rowellfarm490 - 6
willapted33 - 7
American Idiot - 7
tanooki - 7
dremolus - solarpunk
Mayman - 8
nathanalbright - 8

[dremolus - solarpunk]

Shoutout to a game older than me and my sister



#7. Eye of the Beholder



Points: 39
SD: 2.1318
Average: 6.1
Movement: 6-7-7-7-7-8-9-6-7

Condolences, razorshark - 1

macattack - 4
singingrulebritannia - 6
rowellfarm490 - 6
willapted33 - 7
American Idiot - 7
tanooki - 7
dremolus - solarpunk
Mayman - 8
nathanalbright - 8

[dremolus - solarpunk]

#6 Preview

SD: 2.331
Average: 6.1
Was tied in points with Eye of the Beholder

Participants:

singingrulebritannia
rowellfarm490
Mayman
willapted33
macattack
nathanalbright
American Idiot
tanooki
razorshark

and me!

[dremolus - solarpunk]

Rest in Peace to Cliff Burton



#6. To Live is to Die



Points: 39
SD: 2.331
Average: 6.1
Movement: 8-6-6-6-5-6-6-8-6

nathanalbright - 3
Mayman - 4
willapted33 - 4
tanooki - 4
dremolus - solarpunk - 5
macattack - 7
singingrulebritannia - 8
rowellfarm490 - 8
American Idiot - 9
razorshark - 9

[dremolus - solarpunk]

#5 Preview

SD: 1.98886
Average: 5.8

Participants:

singingrulebritannia
rowellfarm490
Mayman
willapted33
macattack
nathanalbright
American Idiot
tanooki
razorshark

and me!

[dremolus - solarpunk]

In Greek mythology, Oizys (/ˈoʊɪzɪs/; Ancient Greek: Ὀϊζύς, romanized: Oïzýs) is the goddess of misery, anxiety, grief, depression, and misfortune.



#5. Harvester of Sorrow



Points: 42
SD: 1.9889
Average: 5.8
Movement: 4-5-5-5-6-5-5-5-5

rowellfarm490 - 3
tanooki - 3
singingrulebritannia - 5
willapted33 - 5
macattack - 5
dremolus - solarpunk - 6
nathanalbright - 7
razorshark - 7
American Idiot - 8
Mayman - 9

[dremolus - solarpunk]

#4 Preview

SD: 2.3094
Average: 5

Participants:

singingrulebritannia
rowellfarm490
Mayman
willapted33
macattack
nathanalbright
American Idiot
tanooki
razorshark

and me!

[dremolus - solarpunk]

The swan song for Metallica in the 80s (art by Chloe Trujillo)



#4. Dyers Eve




Points: 50
SD: 2.3094
Average: 5
Movement: 5-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4

macattack - 3
American Idiot - 3
razorshark - 3
singingrulebritannia - 4
rowellfarm490 - 4
dremolus - solarpunk - 4
Mayman - 5
willapted33 - 6
nathanalbright - 9
tanooki - 9

[dremolus - solarpunk]

#3 Preview

SD: 2.582
Average: 4
Topped 1 list!

Participants:

singingrulebritannia
rowellfarm490
Mayman
willapted33
macattack
nathanalbright
American Idiot
tanooki
razorshark

and me!

[dremolus - solarpunk]

Crazy how good Metallica openers are, man



#9. ...And Justice for All



Points: 60
SD: 2.582
Average: 4
Movement: 3-3-2-3-3-3-3-3-3


Condolences, singingrulebritannia - 1

Mayman - 2
willapted33 - 2
nathanalbright - 2
dremolus - solarpunk - 2
rowellfarm490 - 5
American Idiot - 5
tanooki - 6
razorshark - 6
macattack - 9