“Hardwired”
André
Riffs
Fred
And things being hit hard and fast
André
There will always be a space for that
I’ve heard this one, I think it was the promo single or something
Fred
It’s quite a punchy little number, I suppose
Gets your attention
André
It works in the same way Limerent Death did for me
The Dillinger opener
Fred
Yeah, similar vibe
Metallica have this uncanny knack for sounding accessible, though
You know how grating I find most hardcore metal music
André
I think it’s mostly down to the production
It’s not too suffocating is it
Fred
It’s almost cuddly
Cuddly metal
André
And Hetfield’s vocals are kinda tame in contrast to other, more punishing metal vocalists
‘Cuddly metal’ is likely to upset Metallica fans as a tagline
Thus I approve
Fred
Haha, good
“Atlas, Rise!”
Fred
I like this
André
I dig it
You know what you’re gonna get with them
Two tracks in, and it seems like a good Metallica fix
Fred
Definitely
This sound would fit in on the very finest Tony Hawk game soundtrack
André
Radical, man
Fred
This is really well put together
We’re over five minutes into the track and it doesn’t feel it at all
André
You’re right, fucking hell
I hadn’t noticed
Atlas, Rise! – good job
If I were to be ultra-critical, the sound is perhaps so clean
The riffs are kickass – but the production is pretty safe. Tame, even
“Now That We’re Dead”
Fred
Well, to that point, this groove has a lot more grit to it
Though generally I agree
But that’s more of a relief to me than it is to you
André
Haha, different stokes
Fred
Ironically, because they don’t do that horrible death growl thing I actually would like to hear a rawer sound
This track with a bit more snarl would be a proper rocker
André
I don’t think it helps that Lars Ulrich is drumming with his usual uninspiring finesse
It’s fine, and the snare fills are impressive, it’s just predictable
Fred
Ah, I like it. And how original can a band really sound after 35 years?
André
I guess that’s the ultimate question, isn’t it?
Don’t get me wrong – this is the best they’ve sounded for fucking ages
Fred
I get the impression this is like getting an old favourite dish
I will say, the album length did catch my eye going into this
Let’s see how indulgent I am in an hour
André
Oh. It’s almost 90 minutes
I’m calling it: we considerably enjoy disc one, and become irritated half way through disc two
Fred
It’s all right. When that happens we can just talk about Harry Kane for a bit
André
swoon
“Moth Into Flame”
Fred
This track is also listenable and fun. Who’d have thought?
Long tracks so far, opener aside. Not that they feel it
André
So far, every song has warranted its length
It’s not often we get to say that, as the time police
Fred
Give it… time
“Dream No More”
Fred
This feels a tad milked
André
Yeah. Slight change of pace here with Dream No More
Fred
There we go
Ooh, I like this
André
Excellent groove
Fred
That’s as far as my insights will go
André
Sometimes that’s all that needs to be said
Do we just have a soft spot for old-timers or something?
This year in particular. Bowie, Nick Cave, Swans, now Metallica
Radiohead, obviously
Fred
I think we have a soft spot for old-timers who walk the walk
In the grand scheme of things, they usually don’t
The old-timers who didn’t die have had a fine 2016, I think
André
Well, one generation had to didn’t they
Fred
That’s true. The young blood have offered up a whole lot of tripe
So hearing some geezers rocking out super tight is a welcome thing
“Halo on Fire”
Fred
Eight minutes of power chords incoming
André
We’ve come to the end of first disc already?
It’s flown by
Ooh, nice. This is reminiscent of One
Fred
They’re changing up their sound plenty, to be fair to them
Where there is sameyness I think it has more to do with the production than with the music
As you were saying earlier
André
Definitely
Fred
Digging the smoother vocals here
André
Yeah I was gonna say, his tone suits these subtle cuts down to the ground
I have to say, this first disc has been pretty damn good
I don’t have many complaints
Fred
Likewise.
This is closing things out brilliantly as well
André
I’ll admit I’m concerned that we still have another 45 minutes, however
Fred
Same
If they stopped here I’d be dead chuffed
One of the fastest forty minutes of the year
André
Yeah absolutely
“Confusion”
Fred
Chords? More like DISchords!
Not feeling this as much
André
No
It’s alright, it’s lacking though
Those riffs feel messy too
Fred
The whole thing seems a bit sloppy by their standards
But they’ve set a very high bar up to this point, to be fair
André
That’s what I’m telling myself, in order to restrain myself from skipping it
Fred
Two minutes to go
André
Ok, if the album doesn’t let up, and continues at the same pace, it’s gonna feel very tiresome
But if this 2nd side ends up containing more melodic cuts like Halo on Fire, we’ll be on to a winner
Confusion was not the best start, though
Fred
First track to feel its length
Let’s see what subtlety ManUNkind has up its sleeve
“ManUNkind”
André
This is a great riff
Fred
This is more like it
*was
Ooh, *is
André
Yeah this is TUBULAR
Fred
Muse wish they sounded like this these days
André
I dig it. There’s an edge to this
That main riff has a real unusual quality to it
Fred
I will say though, because it keeps happening, that a lot of these intros feel a bit indulgent
They keep getting away with it because they lead into something great
André
Natural after 50 odd minutes of it
This is one of the best tracks though
Fred
This is rocking
André
We can safely put Confusion on the ‘unnecessary’ list
Fred
For sure.
André
That riff is so damn funky
What a highlight
Fred
Poor thing’s sandwiched between two of the best songs as well
Yeah, terrific
André
I am such a sucker for a great riff
Fred
There’s no beating it
The guitar sounds top as well
You’re so going to learn this
André
My Ibanez may be in Metallica mode for a couple of weeks, yeah
Fred
I’ll never get tired of metal track names
Never
“Here Comes Revenge”
Fred
Throttling stuff, this
Not letting up at all
And I’m happy about it
André
I’m feeling slight fatigue, if only because it’s been almost an hour
Really good hooks on this one though
I tell you what
For better or worse (though mostly better), this is far more focused than lots of this years major album drops too
Fred
It is
But being unfocused is en vogue at the moment
André
Did you see Kanye walked off stage after three songs last night?
Fred
Nope. Why?
André
He had a rant about Jay-Z, Beyonce, Clinton. Then walked off
He needs help
Fred
Haha, this outro blitz is fucking great
I’ll have to have a look
Do you think we’re the only ones who can?
André
Maybe
That or he needs his dose of Metallica
Fred
There’s a good one going round
They’re three tracks away from one of the best releases of the year
“Am I Savage?”
André
Another solid groove here
Proper headbanger
Fred
Nearly all the songs are over five minutes, and they’re getting away with it
We’re surely over an hour in at this point
André
We are yeah
I wouldn’t say it hasn’t felt like an hour, because it has, but it’s been an hour well spent. So far, so good
Fred
Agreed
The opening disc flew by, though
The length catches up with it on side two
André
No band would completely get away with a 90 minute album I reckon
Fred
I think you’re right
But fair play to these guys, they’re having a good old go at it
“Murder One”
Fred
Really authoritative riff on this track
André
We can establish this is one of the more accomplished releases of the year
But maybe some fine-tuning and editing would have made it something even better
Fred
Perhaps, but then there’s only one superfluous track
There’s almost too much goodness for its own good
André
Yeah haha, bizarrely
I think things have more room to make an impact when they are cut shorter
Either way, this certainly gets a thumbs up from me
Fred
Same. Glad we’ve listened to it
This is a ‘show those ruffians how it’s done’ album if there ever was one
André
Another solid tune, but I’m very almost done now
“Spit Out the Bone”
Fred
Well, good thing it’s the closer!
André
And it’s started fucking well
Fred
Christ, our top ten lists are going to be dominated by middle-aged men and dead people
André
2016
Fred
What a year
André
This reminds me of how the whole album started. All those 70 odd minutes ago
It’s gone full circle
Fred
Yeah, I like that
And it has been quite the epic
We didn’t even need to talk about Harry Kane
André
Luckily for you
Fred
We’d need a NSFW tag
Going out with a bang aren’t they
Breathless
André
Yeah. Good for them. This is good shit
I’m impressed, and I didn’t expect to be
Fred
No. I thought you’d suggested it so we could be smarmy and all that
Then I learnt it’s meant to be great
André
I was almost hoping we’d get the opportunity
But yes, it’s turned out to be rather good
Well
Fuck you, Metallica
