Metallica- Load- About Half Filler.

     After having released the black album, an album that was decent but showing signs of a Metallica that is transforming from melodic and emotive thrash into bonafide radio rock/metal. This album would see them experiment in blues rock, and don't get me wrong when it's good it's really good but when it's bad its really bad. Songs like Bleeding Me have a definite appeal that speaks to a broken spirit, but songs like Cure just drag on and you find yourself just waiting for it to end.

     The first half of this album is no slouch, it starts with paced hard rockers Ain't My Bitch and 2 x 4, which are both good tracks in their own right. Although they aren't the best Metallica has ever done they're actually pretty decent tracks. The riffing is slowed to a more hard rock pace, at times almost bordering on grungy with songs like The House That Jack built.
The appeal of this album is really how Metallica shows their more emotional side on tracks such as Until It Sleeps which has sort of a surfer rock sound to it at times. It speaks to the pain which can haunt a person, and though some could say it shows weakness I find it to be a mature take on a haunting pain that gnaws at the soul.

     Hero of the day continues the emotional exploration and is actually one of my favorite Metallica songs. It has real feeling to it which showcases this albums strongly. The track that follows, Bleeding Me is another example of this however taking a more bluesy approach and this is a track that succeeds well, however sometimes I feel it lasts just a little too long. However with every track that succeeds in this experiment there is a track that just doesn't cut it. Songs like Cure and Poor Twisted me just seem a little bit forced and filler in nature. The song Outlaw Torn while lasting a little too long is another successful track on here.

In conclusion this album is about half successful and half filler. It shows Metallica's sound kind of declining into something that is just there. Not terrible but not measuring up to the band's past releases. I actually really like some of the songs on here, but as a complete album this experiment falls quite short of the mark set by past albums.

55/100