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Pitchfork's review is so dumb. It's everything you wanted in a Metalica album...Too much more." Like fuck off.
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I actually thought that Pitchfork's review was fair and well-written. Most of the time when I read their reviews my eyes roll back so far they rotate 360*.
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My first listen thoughts are that it's not what I was hoping for dynamics-wise (see my post a page back). It's an hour and 20 minutes of the same general idea, which just seems to be what Metallica is these days. And that's fine, but I think it marks the difference between Metallica being the groundbreaking/interesting/innovative band they once were vs. being a band that's just really damn good at one thing.
But on that note, the whole thing sounds really solid so far! The singles grew on me like crazy after several listens, so I'm really looking forward to spending the coming days and weeks absorbing the album as a whole. It's really nice to care about a band again after spending 20 years not really paying attention to them. I'm also planning on hitting one of their shows this fall, which will be my first time seeing them since... wait for it... Woodstock '99.
Also, one additional thought I had is that James' voice sounds so damn good. In an age where the Trents and the Maynards are no longer able to hit some of the higher notes in their catalogue, James seems to still have access to his full range and the endurance to maintain those notes for long periods of time. Really impressive.
Last edited by Toadflax; 04-14-2023 at 04:58 PM.
Stubby Member
https://vsmusick.wordpress.com/2023/...-wont-have-to/
If anyone really wants to read my review. It's almost as overly long and rambling as 72 Seasons by Metallica itself.
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Like Hardwired, 72 Seasons ends with the best track on the album
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I'm surprised to see people criticize the length of the songs/album. Maybe it's the NIN/Tool/Floyd/prog fan in me, but I come from a place of loving long tracks and especially long albums. If Metallica is only going to release a new album every 7-8 years, I definitely want it to be big and meaty. Looking at the last 25 years, every album has been 75-78 minutes long, so it shouldn't really come as a shock to anyone.
But I keep thinking about that dynamics thing I mentioned. I wonder if the reason these songs feel longer is because they don't really go anywhere. Take a song like One (which I know is cheating): a runtime of 7:26 and goes on this epic journey with movements from soft and thoughtful to heavy and in your face as fuck. Pretty much every song on this album starts heavy and stays that way the whole way through, and the only reason the songs are long is the same riffs are stretched out for solos and instrumental breaks. Even Inamorata at 11 minutes long only has a couple dynamic shifts.
For those most part, I don't personally mind that, as I've come to accept that's just what Metallica is these days. And I'd still rather a song I'm enjoying go on for 7 minutes than be over too soon. But I do get how the tracks and album as a whole can feel overly long to some people, especially reviewers, who have to listen to the whole damn thing whether they want to or not.
Throbbing Member
I think of the three Rob records, 72 Seasons is easily the least dynamic. My thing is, it sounds like everybody recorded all their parts in a single day which gives each track the same vibe. All the guitars sound like they were recorded in a single session. All the bass parts. All the drum parts. The songs don't have any identity. Go listen to Hardwired again. There's a lot of different tones within a single song and there's none of that on 72 Seasons. The fanboy in me is still enjoying the album but if I'm being critical, it's very mid for Metallica. I know they can do better. Death Magnetic is proof (holy shit that was 15 years ago!!!)
Active Member
Spot on.Originally Posted by rampface
overall i like 72 Seasons but it just sounds like a 77 minute song instead of an album
Stubby Member
So I’ve been getting into 72 Seasons a bit over the past few days. Overall, it’s about as good as you can expect a Metallica record to be in the year 2023 (James is turning 60 after all!). There are enough big hooks, cool riffs, killer solos, and transitions to keep things interesting. Highlights for me include the title track into Shadows Follow, which is a fresh/exciting way to start the record (shiny new drum production, more prominent bass, etc.) As someone previously said, Inamorata continues their recent trend of finishing strong. There aren’t any “bad” songs, like there were on Hardwired. But I do have to say that the record tends to drag in the same gear throughout. Dare I suggest that they should have tried slowing things down with a ballad or two somewhere in the middle. That would have made thrashier songs like Chasing Light land with a little more punch. But instead, things start to bleed interchangeably around the 35 minute mark.
Ever since Death Magnetic, the band has been sticking to a pretty common/safe formula….which they are admittedly great at. Nobody expects Ride The Lightning quality anymore (and nobody wants Load-era variety either). But I feel like they need to change things up a bit on the next one. Or get a better editor.
Last edited by Failure; 04-27-2023 at 09:38 AM.
Active Member
I bought two 2-day floor passes on resale for the LA shows. That... that was money.
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@Toadflax , would you kill me if I said a GA 2 day Metlife Stadium ticket fell into my lap today with no effort on my part, and I am only using to go to tonight's show in NJ?
Can't wait for James' (who turned 60 yesterday!) absolutely dreadful stage banter. ARE YOOUUUUUU ALLIIIIIIIIIIIIVEEE????
24.24.2.981
Heading down to NJ myself at the moment. Looking forward to tonight...should be pretty awesome!
Active Member
I couldn't do it for Seattle. When tickets went on sale it was almost 2 years before the show. I may swoop in closer to the show. I've seen Metallica so many times it's almost like a ritual. Best show I saw was the And Justice for All tour. It was filmed & released in the box set.
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Not at all!
Hope you both have a blast!
Active Member
Awesome. The only time I've seen them was at Woodstock '99. It was epic but also a very long time ago. I caught Jason's bass pick but have subsequently lost it.
The hype around 72 Seasons got me listening to them a lot again, so I treated myself to 2-day floor tickets. And considering my partner and I were planning on spending about $3,000 each on Power Trip (when Ozzy was still on the lineup), just having to pay for the Metallica shows feels like a bargain!
Active Member
was BSing with friends during Mammoth VH. They sounded good though. You won't get much better for what's left of accessible radio oriented rock in 2023.
Pantera* was pretty awesome. Sounded good. Lotta fun. And Phil didn't walk out in a white robe, so that was a plus. Still don't like them touring on that actual name, but was really cool hearing those songs presented on a big stage. Phil was barefoot. Voice was as good as you can expect at this point. He can handle the aggressive vocals just fine, and obviously isn't getting even remotely near any actual melodic singing. Rex still looks sickly. Zakk's stage persona/look is absurd and cartoonish. He thinks he looks tough. Charlie is a god that I have zero notes for.
Metallica was rough. Sloppy all around, and a pretty weak setlist. Man those new record songs just drag on & on & on in a live setting. Wish we had gotten Lux Eterna instead of one of three we got. Kirk fucked up Nothing Else Matters & had to start over. Lars was Lars. You all know what that means. James was fine to good overall, but man he looks every second of the 60 years old he just turned. I was left wanting more from the big stage show too. I expected alot more pyro, fancy lighting, props...whatever...for a football stadium show too. That could have made up for the weak setlist a bit. Oh well. Still glad I went. A bunch of the classics still really popped off overall.
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Active Member
https://Twitter.com/metallica/status/1697371084209959319?s=46&t=wqiWhUP8EahwixpxfXgf2g
not sure why it’s not showing, maybe it’s my browser.
Last edited by allegate; 09-03-2023 at 11:10 AM.
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