Metallica
Hardwired… To Self-Destruct
(Blackened Recordings)
2.5/5
Metallica is one of the few bands I have a deep respect for. They have stood the test of time, battling addiction, arrogance issues, and artistic bankruptcy. Hardwired… To Self-Destruct is fun to listen to, and it undoubtedly connected with any unexplainable metaphysical resentment I held within myself. But aside from offering a vehicle through which I no longer felt alone in my anger and frustration with the world, the majority of the songs don’t offer me much else.
That’s not to say they are bad. In fact, quite the opposite: I enjoy the album. But I realized after the first song, “Hardwired” (which felt like clawing my heart out after a three-day cocaine-and-alcohol-fuelled bender) that they were trying a little too hard in some songs to relive their Master of Puppets glory days. However, a couple of songs, such as “Now that We’re Dead” and “Halo on Fire,” were complete and utter gems. They were emotional roller coasters that captured every feeling possible. They manipulated me, they expanded me, and now they live in me. The unique guitar riffs of “Am I Savage?” still ring throughout my body.
But while many of the tracks were outstanding, the legs that hold up a truly great song—lyrics, guitars, and rhythm section—all should combine with each other to make an artistic experience that changes the way I think in some way. Very few of the songs did this like they did in the old days.
Still, this is a decent enough listen for anyone interested in Metallica or the progression of metal. But do so with a grain of salt, an open mind. Metallica are definitely still playing with a heartbeat worth listening to, but once in a while the blood in the veins of this band just stands still.