I am definitely in the group of people who lost interest around the time of the Black Album and haven’t really had the desire to listen to them since. Lars is a complete toolbox, so I am glad to hear he sucks now. Kirk sucking is definitely depressing though. Regardless, I will take your word for it.

Lastly, to prove how cool and old school I am, I was loving Cliff Burton’s Anesthesia by about 5th grade I think. Best. Bass solo. Evar.

figured I’d be the first comment of the metal militia to pollute this post with defending ‘tallica.

Not really though. Andrew pretty much nails my sentiments. I can just about sing/hum from memory any solo on Justice, and probably all the way back to the beginning. Not well mind you. But the point is the solos were memorable. You could play them without any of the backing tracks and you would know what song it was. Shortest Straw is my favorite example. it’s all over the style map, but it fits in the song, and the song just works.

i gave it a liberal 3 stars, because honestly with the exception of the stupid lyrics, which I can tune out pretty good, as a metal album, it’s not bad, it’s just not a good metallica album. Also, sooner or later people will start believing me, but Testaments new one that came out earlier this year, is a superb modern day thrash album. It’s got the riffs it’s the melody, it’s got the solos, it’s got the musicianship, it’s got the lyrics. And most importantly it’s got modern production done right. All the bay area thrash bands in the 80’s suffered from piss poor production. And oh waht a difference it makes.

Here’s how cool I am. My solo for the winter concert in high school in 90 was anesthesia/pulling teeth on a squire strat played through an orange solid state amp and a orange boss distortion pedal. The clergy at the school was pretty frightened since, the remainder of the program was christmas music.