Metallica - Hardwired... to Self-Destruct - Album 11/18/16

[Herrick]

Just saying it's "integral" doesn't mean it's good or can't be better. It's in my top 3 of their albums but it would undoubtedly be #1 if Lars didn't mess with it.

Listen to the work Jason put in that just got nullified by Lars.

I've listened to And Justice for Jason and I think it sounds really good but I'm biased because I'm a bass player. If the whole album could be properly remixed with the original bass tracks then I'd love it even longer time than I love the original.

 

[MetalGravy]

I immediately stopped listening as soon as the vocals kicked in.

I don't even know what to say about them anymore other then underwhelming.

Kind of like James is trying to do his best Ozzy impression?

 

[Rawkmann]

Huge Yngwie fan here, and even I can say that Yngwie hasn't written a good solo that fit the song in YEARS.

I pretty much agree with You. I just mean that you don't have to be great on a technical level (which Yngwie still is) to write an inspiring lead. The last truly great album Yngwie did was Alchemy back in the late 90s.

 

[p0ke]

After a couple of weeks of having the album, I still like it, but it could've had some more versatility... I end up skipping to Spit out the bone most times I try to listen to the whole album.
And what's really started to annoy me, apart from the fact that Lars's fills are mostly all snare ones, is his kick drums in fast parts

He's supposed to play this:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhcITR7s8zyOhrd5d80WkwH_jm_idA ,
but he does this:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhcITR7s8zyOhrd6vpSpuwvV9qQSYQ

Appologies for the horrible midi sound Anyway, the kick drums are 1/32 ahead on those parts and it really annoys me

 

[Majkel]

He's supposed to play this:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhcITR7s8zyOhrd5d80WkwH_jm_idA ,
but he does this:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhcITR7s8zyOhrd6vpSpuwvV9qQSYQ

maybe stick that on Soundcloud instead?

 

[p0ke]

maybe stick that on Soundcloud instead?

Here you go:

https://soundcloud.com/pauligrinder/normal-thrash-metal-drum-beat/s-DLw1W

https://soundcloud.com/pauligrinder/lars-thrash-metal-drum-beat/s-mygWN

The first one is how it's supposed to be and the second how Lars plays it. Oh and I fixed the sound while I was at it. It doesn't sound good or anything but at least it resembles drums now

 

[Serenity]

Here you go:

https://soundcloud.com/pauligrinder/normal-thrash-metal-drum-beat/s-DLw1W

https://soundcloud.com/pauligrinder/lars-thrash-metal-drum-beat/s-mygWN

The first one is how it's supposed to be and the second how Lars plays it. Oh and I fixed the sound while I was at it. It doesn't sound good or anything but at least it resembles drums now

Erm... Lars plays it how it's supposed to be. They wrote the tune.

 

[electriceye]

I'm absolutely loving this album and haven't stopped listening to it since day one.

Looks like my Kirk sentiment isn't far off. I get that he normally isn't involved in the writing, but his solos are, for the most part, very Kirk-esque and uninspiring. There are a few good moments from him, but this album is driven by incredible riffs. Period. Revenge, Hardwired, Murder One, Confusion, Dream No More (Ktulu Awaken)...all SO good.

It was interesting watching all of the making-of videos they have put out (which I just love). Kirk isn't involved AT ALL unless he's doing the solos. WTF? Even Robert was there every time. I just find it a bit odd.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I feel like Kirk doesn't even want to be in the writing process anymore. Just be there, play shows, get paycheck, that's it. He'd rather do his horror movie stuff, horror shows, and pedal companies.

 

[Zalbu]

Yup, feels like the last time he gave a .... was for the Unforgiven solo.

 

[big_aug]

Kirk's stuff on Spit out the bone, halo on fire, now that we're dead, dream no more, Atlas rise, and moth into flame is all good. I think you all are crazy if you think it's all bad.

 

[Dooky]

Kirk's stuff on Spit out the bone, halo on fire, now that we're dead, dream no more, Atlas rise, and moth into flame is all good. I think you all are crazy if you think it's all bad.

It's not that it "bad" per say. Just rather forgettable. There's not really one standout solo that I thought was interesting or that I would want to learn.

 

[Majkel]

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/me...olos-on-hardwired-were-completely-improvised/

Maybe that's not for you, buddy...

 

[p0ke]

Erm... Lars plays it how it's supposed to be. They wrote the tune.

Sure, but it's still annoyingly off-beat

I also just realized that the two discs would fit on one disc with about 2:30 to spare... Or do "official" CD's have less space than CD-R's?

 

[The Mirror]

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/me...olos-on-hardwired-were-completely-improvised/

Maybe that's not for you, buddy...

That article explains a lot. Using only improvisation, when all you have been playing in the last few years are A and E minor blues scales will of course be bland and forgettable.

I am not saying Kirk is a forgettable guitar player, but he is just stale and marking time the last years.

 

[Zalbu]

Kirk, come on, it's been 8 years since Death Magnetic was released, if that's not enough time to work on your improv chops then I don't know what is. Does he even play guitar nowadays aside from shows or does he just hit the waves?

 

[Double A]

Kirk, come on, it's been 8 years since Death Magnetic was released, if that's not enough time to work on your improv chops then I don't know what is. Does he even play guitar nowadays aside from shows or does he just hit the waves?

His solos are so phoned in that I am pretty sure he doesn't even want to play guitar anymore and only does so because he is in ....ing Metallica.

The thing that pisses me off is we all know who taught him so we know he has at least some knowledge but all he chooses to do is ....ty pentatonic rock/blues solos with heavy doses of the wah. I mean, just give it a little effort, man. I guess you can't teach creativity.

 

[Andromalia]

Kirk, come on, it's been 8 years since Death Magnetic was released, if that's not enough time to work on your improv chops then I don't know what is. Does he even play guitar nowadays aside from shows or does he just hit the waves?

Watch some old videos from the 90es, he *did* improve. XD

 

[extendedsolo]

His solos are so phoned in that I am pretty sure he doesn't even want to play guitar anymore and only do so because he is in ....ing Metallica.

The thing that pisses me off is we all know who taught him so we know he has at least some knowledge but all he chooses to do is ....ty pentatonic rock/blues solos with heavy doses of the wah. I mean, just give it a little effort, man. I guess you can't teach creativity.

The thing with Satch is that he IS really bluesy. Obviously not as much as Kirk is but Satch falls back to pentatonic blues scale a lot in solos too. He's also a much better lead player than Kirk.

 

[electriceye]

Well, look, we can all go back to the old argument that he's just never been that great of a guitarist. If anything, he's extremely one-dimensional. What we got here is just Kirk being Kirk. Lots of Kirk licks, wah and phrasing. Some of it worked, some of it didn't. Honestly, I liked what he does in Halo on Fire (a cool song altogether and VERY different) and a few other songs. But Joe Satch or Steve Vai he is not - nor ever was. Then again, even James said recently that they're not very good musicians. Though, given the dozens of huge songs he's created, I'd disagree to a certain degree.

The thing is, I don't think he EVER recorded anything other than solos going all the way back to when he joined the band. James and Lars (and Cliff and Dave Mustaine, back in the beginning) always did all the writing and recording anyway. Outside of the solos, you're typically getting James on both channels.

The one thing I would love to find out is what all that material was that he says he lost when he lost his cell phone last year. It's flabbergasting to me he wouldn't have something like that backed up three-fold.