Overall first impressions on 72 Seasons: it's really, really good, if not quite great. The first singles, other then 72 Seasons, really don't fully convey the thematic or musical personality of this album, and that's a good thing. Without a doubt, this is the most cohesive they've sounded as a band since the black album. It's also the most emotionally personal Metallica has been, especially concerning Hetfield. Self-reflection, hatred, mental illness, and murderous rage are all explored here to an almost stunning degree. It's a fascinating, dark development for a band whose members are entering their '60s, and it totally works. You can tell Hetfield wrote most of this in rehab and during quarantine

Where the album falters a little is in the middle which owes a little too much to the Loads. I generally like Load more then most people, but I'm also not delusional enough to claim it's the best version of Metallica.

1.72 Seasons: We've already discussed it, but this song is one of the best since the black album. A thrashy, dark exploration of childhood's overriding influence on our future lives, it's a perfect introduction room to the musical structure and themes seen in the rest of the album.

2. Shadows follow: this song rules! It's legitimately one of the best on the album, and it really should have been one of the singles. Once again, the lyrics really work here with the themes, and Hetfield has never been snarlier.

3.Screaming Suicide: This song has grown on me quite a bit. Already been discussed quite a bit on here.

4. sleepwalk My Life Away: the first of the "load" songs that is none-the-less pretty catchy.

5. You Must Burn!: A really solid riff that highlights Hetfield's attack on cancel culture. It's a solid tune, but when people talk about this album being repetitive, they're really talking about this song.

6. Lux Aeterna: I found this pretty average upon initial release, but I appreciate it more within the context of the album. The two songs before it are load-inspired sludge, and the album really needs a pick me up here, and this song provides it.

7.Crown of Barbed Wire: Cool imagery, kind of a bad song. This is where the Load tunes start to wear a little. But luckily it really picks up from here.

8. Chasing Light: The album speeds up here with this song. I really dig the black album feel of this. Reminds me of Holier Than Thou.

9. If Darkness Had a Son: Heavy riff that perfectly reflects the themes.

10. Too Far Gone?: it's an obvious title, but it's a good song. Hetfield provides some light at the end of proverbial tunnel thematically here, and it matches this black album inspired track.

11. Room of Mirrors: I love this song! Kirk goes off on this song and reminds us how good of a guitarist he can be.

12. Inamorata: The most Black Sabbath-inspired song Metallica has ever written, Inamorata is a sludgy, epic improv that is really unlike anything they've ever written before. This is a fantastic colder.

Overall, I'm prepared to say this is the best album since the black album. It's flawed in the middle, but man is it great to have such a relevant, personal album from my favorite band.

All I know is that this album dropped right when my son was discovering some older music. So now he's a huge Metallica fan. He just told me if he could meet any two famous people, it would be James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett.

It may not be an album for the ages, but I'm grateful they're still playing. It lets him stay out of the pop **** on the airwaves and gives him cause to search out his own favorites.

dreyOO said:

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All I know is that this album dropped right when my son was discovering some older music. So now he's a huge Metallica fan. He just told me if he could meet any two famous people, it would be James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett.

It may not be an album for the ages, but I'm grateful they're still playing. It lets him stay out of the pop **** on the airwaves and gives him cause to search out his own favorites.

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Nobody ever says Lars.

Claude! said:

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dreyOO said:

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All I know is that this album dropped right when my son was discovering some older music. So now he's a huge Metallica fan. He just told me if he could meet any two famous people, it would be James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett.

It may not be an album for the ages, but I'm grateful they're still playing. It lets him stay out of the pop **** on the airwaves and gives him cause to search out his own favorites.

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Nobody ever says Lars.

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I grew up saying said Lars.

And I met him!

But now I say James, because he didn't do the meet and greet when I won it.