Metallica - Some Kind of Monster

[Demiurge]

OK, I'll admit I was a huge fan until they really crapped the bed with 'Load'. It's just not the same band anymore. My question to those of you who have seen this documentary is whether or not this will satisfy the fans of old? I've had big problems with their music lately because I think it's horrible, but I have always been rather interested in their story. Used to be one of my favorite bands.

So...Is this DVD worth the purchase?

DVD Features:

Available subtitles: English, Spanish

Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0)

40 Additional Scenes

Exclusive interviews with Metallica about the film

Highlights from festivals and premieres

Two audio commentaries by the band and the filmmakers

Two trailers and a music video

If there's no comments here I'll just buy it if I can get it at a decent price and report back. I heard this documentary was rather ballsy on the part of the band.

[gregit]

Netflix should have it here 2mrw. I'll follow up with my thoughts.

[MacLeod]

I worshipped Metallica thru the 80's. I learned how to play drums listening to their albums.

After they sold out with Load, and then again with Re-load, I was done.

To me, Metallica doesnt exist after 1990. :(

[okiepolkie]

I guess I'll show my ignorance in my "youth" here, but I grew up listening to their newer stuff and like it about as much as anything else. I didn't really find anything else that sounded like them during that time. Oh, I know there was similar music, but to me it was just that, similar.

It isn't that I dislike the pre 90 music, but I tend to listen to the songs off load and reload more. I really like S&M. To me, it is a good blend of somewhat vintage songs and new songs too.

This is just my personal opinion. I say listen to what you like.

[beardog03]

remeber garage days re-revisited ?

[MacLeod]

To each their own but to me comparing Master of Puppets and And Justice for All to Load and Reload is like comparing Bach to Nirvana.

Not only is the musicianship much better on the earlier stuff but so is the production and songwriting. Not to mention the older albums set the benchmark for heavy metal bands. The newer stuff is basically grunge.

The last album was the worst. Lars' snare drum sounded like a garbage can lid. It was a joke and thats probably why it kind of tanked. I hope they are retiring soon cause as long as they are selling out they wont amount to much.

I know what they say. "Well we sell out everywhere we play and every album goes platinum". Well so does Britney Spears!!

[Toxis]

I'm sorry but this bull**** about them selling out when they did Load and Reload is horse****. They cut their hair. Big deal! They didn't rock "as hard." Big deal! They're getting old people! Look what happened when they DID try to rock harder (St. Anger)... that was brutally bad. That is when they started to suck. I love every album ever made by Metallica except St. Anger. But then again, I'm a REAL fan who doesn't think it's selling out because you wake up one day and say "Damn, I'm to old for this long hair stuff..."

I know I'm gonna get some flack for this but think about it. Other than Load and Reload, can you honestly name two albums made by Metallica that sounds even half way close to the other. Think about that and if you can honestly say they sound the same, you're lying to yourself because it's the same voice. They've always changed between albums, it's not til they cut their hair that they were called out for changing. I'm a fan... I'll always be true to Metallica.

[fireshoes]

There are some things I like about Load and Reload, and some stuff I dont like. And Justice for All is my favorite. I only listened to St. Anger once since the sound quality is so bad. What's sad is their previous albums are some of the best sounding metal, and then they released that last joke. Some of the songs are actually decent, if I could actually stand listening to them. ;)

[venomclan]

I started listening to Metallica in jr. High (1988) and loved everything they did, I even had a Damage Inc. patch on the back of my demin jacket for years. As a band I think they are incredibly talented. They are one of the few bands that actually still exist long after heavy metals decent into oblivion and obscurity.

They continue to reinvent themselves and do what they they love to do. When Load came out, I was a little hesitant of the change in music style but I did still like it. At that time though my musical tastes were broadening and I discovered other bands with equal or greater talent, to my tastes.

At the end of the 90's, when the whole Napster thing got started, Metallica was the frontrunner to punish all those involved. I remember footage of lars wheeling in 300,000 names of people who downloaded Metallica songs into a courthouse to be prosecuted. That is when all my respect for Metallica ceased to exist.

I do not wish to get into the whole moral issue with illegal downloads, nor do I think it is right to steal. I just do not agree with how Metallica handled that. I own many M albums and still love their music. But they lost me as a follower forever, after a decade.

I could not help but to smirk when I heard about Some Kind Of Monster. I think that it would be hillarious and sweet karma when Metallica is sued by Monster cable for using "monster" in the title. It would be the ultimate display of how litigeous the whole world has become. Especially in that industry.

I now humbly wait for the Metallica breakfast cereal to go along with my Martha Stewart cellhouse hot cakes.

Long live Tool.
Venom

[bknauss]

Originally posted by okiepolkie
I really like S&M.

That was my last Metallica purchase. The only good off of that CD was the intro song they did that was from a famous scene of "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly". (something something gold... or am I thinking of that Dire Straits album???)

I'm sorry but this bull**** about them selling out when they did Load and Reload is horse****. They cut their hair. Big deal! They didn't rock "as hard." Big deal! They're getting old people! Look what happened when they DID try to rock harder (St. Anger)... that was brutally bad. That is when they started to suck. I love every album ever made by Metallica except St. Anger. But then again, I'm a REAL fan who doesn't think it's selling out because you wake up one day and say "Damn, I'm to old for this long hair stuff..."

Toxis, here is your flack :) :
Its not the fact that they got old or cut their hair... they went from quite difficult and melodic music (considering it was metal) to pre-processed, power chords, no thought, crap! Whatever happened to those 8 min instrumentals they used to do? Go back and listen to Call of Ktulu, Orion, and To Live is to Die, and then compare it to anything from Reload onward (I liked certain tracks off of Load, so I won't totally pan that one). I could care less if they're completely metal anymore, but when you give up showing the talent you've worked on for 20+ years, its really sad. If you're a musician, I suggest trying to play stuff from pre-Load, and then play stuff from say... Justice. I can play almost anything in the former on guitar and drums (just give me a couple days per song), but there are songs from Justice I will probably never be able to play.

Maybe they've just become stupid in their old age. Things like "oh man, let's call one album load.... oh wait, what will the next one be... RELOAD!". Or "man, we've got some more time to fill up on Reload, what do we put in... oh wait! let's do a crappy version of a song we already did. We'll call it Unforgiven II!".

Oh well.... end rant.

[Demiurge]

Just want to chime in again....


I don't like Metallica's music now and it's just as valid of an opinion as saying you do like Metallica as they are now and maybe more. To me it's not the same and nobody can argue that from the standpoint of a musician (which I am as a hobby) it's nothing even remotely like what we're used to (talentwise).

That's fine...some people are fans of both of their genres, but I'm not and so are many others.

I'm not even into metal anymore...in fact I've been digging quite a bit of acoustic rock, prog. music, and alt. country. I'm pretty much all over the map right now, but the crap (opinion) Metallica has been releasing is inferior (musically) to their older stuff (fact). What's subjective is what someone likes. You can't define what someone will or will not like and that's the beauty of music, but it's also a downfall in arguments like this because theres no right or wrong.

The point I'm trying to make is that I'm respectful of everyones opinions about the band because what you think about them doesn't matter to me and vice versa. All that matters to me is how it sounds to my ears.

So...how was this DVD?

[Loud & Clear]

Originally posted by Demiurge

... but the crap (opinion) Metallica has been releasing is inferior (musically) to their older stuff (fact). What's subjective is what someone likes.

Although I agree with you, I think all of that is subjective.

I recommend "Nevermore" to those who long for excellent metal. 'Dead Heart, in a Dead World' ... great album, in my subjective opinion, of course.

[MacLeod]

More flack: ;)

I dont think they sold out because they cut their hair. I think they sold out cause they went from making albums that defined heavy metal, hard rocking, ass kicking music to Nothing Else Matters? The difference between Sanitatirum and Unforgiven 2 is drastic!

Youre right that all their previous albums sounded different mix wise but they were the same style. Fast, heavy, techincal and complex with a "who gives a **** if we're on the radio" attitude. They refused to make a video for ever and without any radio play had Master and Justice go platinum by word of mouth only. Now they have the theme song to NASCAR!!!!

Queensryche is another band that did this. Every album they put out ruled til they hit Hear in the Now Frontier and tried to sound like everything else and get radio play. And it sucked and so has everything theyve put out since.

Dream Theater has changed and evolved at every album as has Rush but yet they put out the same kick ass music that their fans expect and love.

Poor ol' Demi. This thread is liable to go 3 or 4 pages and I doubt anybody will ever answer his original question! LOL :D

[sawtelle]

Who cares after they loaded and reloaded what is the point?

[Demiurge]

Poor ol' Demi. This thread is liable to go 3 or 4 pages and I doubt anybody will ever answer his original question! LOL

hehehe. I just bought a Dual Layer DVD Burner today so I'll just rent it and copy it.

If it sucks bad I'll send it to someone here who really wants it.

[bknauss]

Macleod... that last DT CD sucked my left... you know what. I liked the instrumental track, but I don't think I ever made it through the entire CD. I also put myself through that second CD of 6 degrees of whatever it was and wanted to puke. But man, Train of Thought was so bad that I didn't see their tour cause I didn't want to take the chance on them playing that crap stuff.

[VR3]

Dream Theater is awesome man...



Only CD I like by metallica is S&M

[avelanchefan]

I have to disagree with bk on dream theater.

Well not disagree but to really say that every DT album that comes out I have to give it a full 8-10 listens before forming an opinion. And usually I like where they are going.

Train of Thought has some weak moments but "This dying soul" and "Honor thy Father" are really challenging songs that actually have some meaning. 3 out of the 7 songs I don't really care for.

As for SDOIT, well a lot of people did not like the second CD (the first one was excellent) but I found it interesting that they would take on the complex subject of psychology and make it into a 42 minute song.

But you have to give Dream Theater credit. They do it their way with no upper management involvement. They have the freedom from Atlantic records to do what they want. You cannot say that for a lot of bands out there today.

Give the double dvd "Live at Budokan" a look. Fantastic concert, excellent filming, great dd5.1 surround. I was more than surprised at the quality of it. In fact it shocked me when i was at BB last week and they were using the DVD to demo their HD tv's.

I would rather listen to a crappy DT album any day over Metallica.

[MacLeod]

If you dont like Dream Theater, thats fine and dandy. My point wansnt that everybody likes them but rather each of their albums is different from the last but yet its still the same style we've come to know and love from DT.

That doesnt mean you have to like every single one of their albums (and for the record, I think everyone of their albums EFFING RULES!) but you couldnt really listen to Awake then listen to Train Of Thought and objectively think they were a sell out. Metallica and Queensrych are a different story.

Every one of their albums is heavy, progressive, technical, complex and has plenty of double bass!! Hell Train of Thought was heavier and faster than anything Metallicas done since Master!!

[sawtelle]

Dream Theater Is
Awesome!!!

[Demiurge]

OK...so here's an answer to my own question.

I rented this and made myself a backup copy right away.

All I can say is...."wow!"

I think it took balls on the part of the band to actually release this, but then again what I witnessed was kind of pathetic. It's really good that James cleaned his act up, but is it really for the world to see?

I got almost embarassed listening to them write their latest album and playing it. The words are so shallow and quite frankly so is the music. I have a hard time criticizing a so-called soul 'bearing' so to speak...but it's all just totally horrible.

I think these guys truly reached a new place and they can't go back into that 'metal' mode that they were once in and be honestly sucessful anymore.

When a band gets to the point of needing therapy and ego corraling is it really worth it anymore? What's the goal? Is it to make music together and feed off of one another (even if it's negative) or is it to force yourself to put out an album 'just because that's what you're supposed to do'?



I really think they should hang it up or really try something new. I don't think they really 'have it' anymore and what I mean by that is that I don't think they're truly angry people anymore. I think their latest album was completely a forced hand. Sure some of it was soul bearing, but was the anger real? I certainly don't think it was.

I think this documentary is well worth watching. Very interesting. I found the part with Dave Mustaine (Megadeth/Metallica) and Lars Ulrich quite messed up.

Seeing one of your favorite bands grow up isn't right. They should grow up, but they shouldn't have done it in front of a camera I don't think....well...I take that back.....they shouldn't pretend to be a band anymore and do this at the same time. I really think they should have hung themselves as they think they need to be a long time ago.

[MacLeod]

Ooff. I just watched this piece of drivel in between commercial breaks of Ultimate Fighter's finale.

The only thing worse than a bunch of multi-millionares suing Napster while selling out to the masses with a hack producer like Bob Rock totally ruining their sound, is having to listen to them WHINE about it!

This pathetic, last, desperate attempt at regaining the spotlight has only made me think less of them.

Im sure they could care less what one headbanger in Tennessee thinks but I have a feeling my opinion is shared by many old school headbangers that not only listened to heavy metal but considered it a lifestyle.

Here Lies Metallica
1983-1990

Wanted for murder: Bob Rock

[avelanchefan]

I'm not going to bash them, that has been hashed and rehashed on this thread...but "Some Kind of Monster" was playing on the radio the other day and it literally gave me a headache. How could Lars actually think his drums sounded OK? WTF was he thinking? This CD could have been good, but how could you listen to the music with Lars pounding away on what sounds like tamborines?

[MacLeod]

If St Anger had the same mix as the Black Album or And Justice for All it would have been a pretty good album. But youre right, the mix on this one sucks. The Black Album had a bad ass, fat drum sound. I wish he wouldve kept it.

Im telling ya. Its Bob Rock. He's the devil and he's taken over their minds. Newstead is the only one that has managed to escape.

[Toxis]

Personally, the black album on has not been recorded well IMO. Justice and older are ten times better.

[MacLeod]

Being a drummer, I like a good fat drum sound and the black album had that in spades although the playing on Justice was 10 times better.

[chrisnyc]

I been a big fan since kill em all.. When i buy a cd i never expect to love the hole cd ,, there are some tracks i dont like off the early cds . not that many , a few ,, and justice for all i have it i think i played it for one track.. (thats just me ) load there were a few i liked ,, reload 1 or 2 ,, I like tribute cds so when they did the 9.98 EP cd and then they did the 9.98 revisited . most of all when they did mercyful fate .. Wow i didnt know they were fans of king diamond im a dig fate fan.. SnM os ok ,, now st anger! i bought cause im a fan , But i watched it one time ,, its sitting ,, SO IF YOU NEVER SAW IT ILL SEND IT YA . As long as you send it back ,, i have not seen the new one .. cause of st anger ,, i feel i needed to see this post ..

[Toxis]

I might have to read that 10 more times to see the message. Anyone borrow my decoder ring and not tell me?

[dorokusai]

I'm in the Metallica sucks camp. I still enjoy the 80's era, but after that, no thanks. They were raw, young and the music was unbridled mayhem.

I'm simply sick of the same vocal formula that James Hetfield employs for every song.

I'm willing to give them another shot if someone has a recent suggestion that is worth a look.

[AsSiMiLaTeD]

Dream Theater kicks ass!

Musically, they're the best rock band I've ever heard. They also happen to be my favorite...