Metallica is readying their next studio album, St. Anger, for release on June 10th (their first in five years). I haven’t cared for Metallica much since the Black Album days (though …And Justice For All may be my favorite), but they claim that they may be selling-in this time around:
The release of St. Anger on June 10th will bring fans the old Metallica from the early days before the Black Album. The album is said to have the same thrash metal vibe that gained them underground popularity in the mid ’80s. […]
I remain skeptical about that, but hopeful all the same. I’m sure that their songs will get airplay through their usual bribes to radio stations (as all major record labels do). So, I suppose I’ll at least have a chance to hear a few tracks before buying it.
Weren’t you boycotting Metallica?
You have a good point. I’m still considering whether the statute of limitations on Metallica’s shenanigans may have expired. Nonetheless, the general RIAA boycott would still encompass the album.
However, if the album is good enough to buy, I may purchase it while donating matching funds to the EFF to keep a level playing field (in reality, that would slightly favor the EFF since it’s pure profit for them while the money given to the record labels is only partially profit).
hey guys, if you people liked the old metallica, then you guys are sure in for a treat, go to my bands web site, we are called Procreation, and d-load the song “Emotion”
See ya guys.
rock on
If anyone uses Kazaa you can find some album demos apparently from St. Anger, although they haven’t finalized which tracks they will use yet. The best of them(for me at least) is called valley of misery. There are a few versions available but the full one is 4:43. It sounds more like post black album than pre but still very good, many of the other demos are reminiscent of the old metallica, but words havent been put to them yet and the recording quality is poor.
It’s been a long time that metallica’s album has been released.It’s said that st. anger will be the hardest ass metal album ever released by metallica.Not even the black album is as hard as this one.The release date of this album maybe postponed as their tour begins much earlier than the release of st. anger.
June 10-a red letter day in the history of metallica-in the history of rock ‘n’ in the history of thrash metal.
Hope this album will win all the awards for this year and metallica will get the award for the best rock band of the year 2003.
Valley of misery is not a metallica song, its played by a band called Holochaust, if you dont believe me, check around :P
Holochaust seem to have changed name to DarCane or something… anyways, they made Valley of misery, goddamn, go check some “fake metallica song list”
Well…Well..Well here we sit once again within throughing distance to the eve of Metallica first release of a studio album in 5 years. 15 years ago you couldn’t pull my Metallica T-shirt off my dead corpse if you tried. Well, alot has changed since then and ever album since the Black Album, I have heard the statement “heavier then any album before”, “more powerfull then a locamotive”.
I say, “whatever”. Mamma said, “Metallica’s Laimness sees no end” I will not forget, all the baggage that Metallica has left in there wake to stardom…. I think is started about the time Lars started wearing the white leather jacket.. In most recent, Napster, not working to keep Jason, and working with RAP. It behoves me to say that Metallica’s climb to where they where only equals the downturn to where they are headed too. So people, please do no kid yourself with the rhetoric of the pre-marketing of Metallica’s new Album….. Why did they release album name 4 months before the album? To get people talking about it. and thinking, “the name has alot to do with the album”. They mine as well called it “We are still heavy and don’t suck, buy this album, please”
pickle
I must say that pickle has a good point. I’ve heard the same phrase repeated over and over…’this is the heaviest album yet’…’as good as the album that everyone liked but not as bad as the last three’….’yadda, yadda, yadda’……….
If you need more examples of what pickle is talking about look at Korn’s marketing. They have gone from one of the best metal bands (first album) to bottom of the barrel, yet they will always claim to be coming out with a sissy crying album marketed as ‘teh heaviest yet’.
Let’s face it people metal in the late 80s and early 90s as we know it is dead.
The album kicks ass.
i dunno yet what to think of this release. obviously skeptical after the load/reload bull$hist, but i’ll still hold out hope for the guys, buy the album, and hopefully it’ll be all right. who knows, i mean, this is METALLICA we’re talkin about, they may still have what it takes to pull outta the rut they got themselves into. i say, power to em, keep releasing stuff till the day they die, and rattle as many heads as they still can.
dont worry my friends! metal from the 80’s to the 90’s isnt dead! its what made metal bands today if you can call them metal bands! but dont worry the real metal wil come back and im sure metallica’s new album will be better than what any of us expect! by the way vallery of misery and a time for hate isnt new metallica material!
Mark …
ok, i guess pple just forget what music is about?
is a band just suppose to make the same album over and over again? i see and hear all these pple whining,” metallica sucks, i want the old metallica!!”
if the last 3 studio cd’s would have been exactly like …and justice for all, youd still be crying cause they havnt done anything new!
pple change and music changes. a band wont make it if they make the same albums over and over again. if a band can change their music, with the times, it shows how good they really are. and a MUSIC FAN will appreciate that. and, i say, dont call yourself a metallica fan at all if u dont like what their doing now. golisten to some megadeath or something gay like that.
metallica rocks, they will continue to rock, and their new cd will be awesome. ill buy it the day it comes out.
rock on
the master
I have enjoyed reading all of your comments about Metallica, their upcoming new album, and how they sucked after The Black Album. I am very sorry to inform you that I like “Every” single album, every single song they have ever done. New stuff, awesome, keep it coming. You could let these guys do Happy Birthday and it would sound awesome. A quick comment on Load and Reload BS. BS to that, both albums were awesome and rocked hard, with good lyrics, etc. Every live show I have seen with Metallica has been an amazing experience. Lars’ Jacket, give me a break. Are you listening to rock, or working for Mr. Blackwell? To be even more perfectly honest with you all, Metallica has so much integrity unto themselves and thier work, I am sure they are like me, and could give two sh@ts what any of you think. They are making music and are eating and paying the bills. How are you doing?
right on master of the puppet. i too have thoroughly enjoyed every one of metallica’s albums. from kill em’ all to s&m,they have not only shown that they have the balls to try something different,but undergoing a steady evolution in the process.thats more than some could honestly say about most bands in their genre.i,for one,will welcome their new album with open arms.however,as long as they openly support the RIAA’s dark empire,i doubt i will buy it.no matter….there’s always my good friends in the irc universe to share with! :p
Master of the puppet… I think it’s great that you enjoy every album. Good for you! And YOU DO CARE WHAT WE THINK, because if you didn’t, you would responsed to a message board, Furthermore, why are you on a message board if you don’t want to hear what other people think? (I guess we should all just agree, huh. That sound like a great discussion)
On to my point, I commented on Lar’s as jacket as to give a reference to a point in time, not as a fashion statement. Like I give a $hit to how they look. I was hangin with them when they didn’t shower and wore the same clothes for 5 days, so give me a Fn break! The Load Albums did have some good lics to them, but come on.. what the hell is up with “Mamma Said”. You cannot tell me you think that is heavy……. or maybe you will. Fade to Black made it’s point on the album and carried itself perfectly into the fold of Ride.. like many other lics on other albums.
Now for the real point that you obviously missed out of my entire statement. Metallica is a marketing machine. Yes they “pay the bills and eat very well”. Sometimes, Master of the Puppet, you have to take a bit out of the apple and see what’s a the core, instead of admiring its red beauty. At the core you will find a team of lawyers, whom I spoke with many times, Marketing managers, accountants, human resourses dept and many other business related groups backing, your famous Metallica to make sure the cash cow doesn’t die. Metallica was born for the fans as they have stated. They are a business. EXACTLY, what they were all against back in the 80s. NO, I don’t what them to do Black or Master or Justice over again. Then they would be AC/DC. I guess I was expecting more from them. Meaning, instead of fighting Napster, why didn’t they back up Dee Schiender, for freedom of music?
Then the RAP thing. Areosmith did it. But they went all the way. Metallica did it half a$$ed.
Now to end my rambling…. Metallica is a business. Yes.,their music will go down in history. Before all the BS, and when Metallica was a touring machine and taking the music to the people, I though they were going to be in the ranks of Led Zepp, Jimi, Pink Floyd, but I cann’t put then on that pedestal. Remember the statement about “for the fans”, well Jason was a hardcore fan before he joined, and James bascially kick him out!!! I am not saying you should agree with me, but maybe you should take a bite of the apple?
My heart goes out to the families and friends of the people that attended the Great White Show in Rhode Island
pickle
Perhaps you missed my point. If the music is good, who the hell cares if they have a marketing machine behind it! They should. You cannot work for free and you have to bang the buck when you can. Praise Metallica for being that smart. And now the pedistal thing, they belong on a pedistal all their own. Your pedistal of Jimi, Zepp, and Floyd. . . . . . Jimi is dead, he should of taken care of his health, and then started a Marketing Machine before his demise, then he could of enjoyed his success and made more ground breaking music, or more of the same, we still would of loved it and bought it. Zepp is no longer together, and if they were smart, they would be, or atleast organize a renuinion. The Page Plant tours are ok, but why dont they just call themselves Zepp again, and get in the studio too. They should make a new album if they were smart. Floyd, cant really comment. All I know about Floyd, besides the Money song, is that it is music for habitual pot smokers. I forsee a brilliant future for Metallica. James did not force Jason out, Jason retired from the band do to what it was doing to him, the life style. There use to be a quote on Metallica.com and there probably still is in the archives. Paul McCartney plays bass, maybe if they are the evil sell out Marketing Machine you say, they will do the smart thing and put Paul in the band. Then they could do Metallica and Beatles tunes at concerts. should make for an interesting crowd of concert goers. Would love to hear you all wax philosophical about that one. Maybe if Lars ever quits for personal reasons, they could get Ringo Starr. Just a thought.
THIS JUST IN……….METALLICA VS. NAPSTER CONTINUES………………………Ladies and Ladies, this just in from our desk in San Francisco, heavy metal super group Metallica, headed up by James “Jimmy” Hetfield and Lars “I could of been a Tennis Pro” Ulrich have officialled made an announcement regarding thier future schedule. Metallica reportedly has decided to postpone any plans to tour or release new material. This will free up there time to fight against Napster. When asked what they would do for Money if they were not working they alluded to the fact that even though they (the group) would be focusing thier time on Napster, rest assured their huge marketing team and laywers would contine to milk the cash cow. We will follow this story as more Develops.
well
Metallica; St. Anger, June 10, 2003. MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUM SINCE BEATLES ABBEY ROAD. According to Billboard Magazine, Metallica’s St. Anger Album is the most anticipated release since the Beatles Release Abbey Road more than thirty years ago. Billboard predicts that the album, Metallica’s first studio effort in over five years, to go Platnium in the first three days of release. Several Radio Stations accross the US and Canada have announced attentions to coordinate a format change with the release. Bob Hudson of 99.5 G-Rock, Atlantic City, NJ says that they will launch there “All Metallica – All Day” format on June 3, just one week before the release. It is anticipated that atleast one station per major market will follow this bold move. Also is a Metallica channel in our future. While the band has no official position regarding this rumor, our sources say that the fledgling network allready has Studio Facilities and a Program Schedule. As more information becomes avaliable, I will report back. John Smith – NYC.
you know….the Metallibeatles might just work….
j.k. ;]
Metallica and the Beatles… I like it!
Could they still call themselves heavy?
Oh, why not, is all marketing anyway. I would love to see James sing “the thing that should not be” in a pink tu-tu
pickle
Metallica can never die ladies and gentelments.
they are the best band there ever was. the 80`s shall never die.Rock on man and god speed.
All these metallica(or any band) haters are lame, lame, lame..why would you waste any of your time bad mouthing a band unless you’re life is that pathetic. Shut your hole and listen!
I hope they come back with something aggressive, angy, and hopefully some fast stuff as well. Maybe they realize that it wouldn’t be a smart move to do another album full of mid-tempo songs( they’ve been doing it for over ten years now ). As for people saying that they should “evolve”, I wouldn’t call the stuff on load or re-load evolving. There’s good songs on them but they really regressed in my opinion because the style of music on those albums had already been done years before.
“angry” that is ha
I listened to some demos from kazaa, sounds too much like death metal, bring on the thrash! Kill’em all!
I agree with Richard Legge. Bring on the old Metallica. Who gives an arse whether they evolve or not, just keep playing thrash and I’ll be happy. All you people who talk about ‘evolving’ and stuff, you’re just a bunch of poofs.
peace and out dudes,
I’m moderatly excited for this album although an article off of mtv.com said that there are ZERO guitar solos on the album which is kind of disheartening… what does kirk do???
I’m pretty sure there are no actual St. Anger songs on KazaA at the moment…there are many fake songs out there however. Correct me if I’m wrong….
Metallica is my life. She actualy keep me alive. It gives me strenght, power and it fills me with amazing energy. If new album would be under my expectations and under expectations of all other metallica’s true fans, I think they’re gonna kill theirselves such as I will. Just a bad comment. Oh, and just to say this… If this album sucks, Metallica will live on anyway. Metallica will never die, not with their past albums.
So far, from what I’ve heard, about 7 songs off the new St Anger, IT SUCKS. Still, I’ll give it its overall proper review once all the studio work has been completed. Lars needs to quit bitching about Napster (as if that little fucker never copied a tape in his life) and concentrate on making music. Though I myself love the shit out of reload, it’s an album that has almost song jamming, not just 4 or 5 out of 8 or 9. Old Metallica kicks ass, no doubt there. But bands change and music changes, but at least with the load and reload, Meteallica still jammed and fucked up bands like KORn and Distubed and stained to name a few are not even worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence as Metallica.
Anyway back to St Anger, From what I’ve heard so far, IT SUCKS.
I don’t know what music fans expect. I’m a musician, and I don’t see anything wrong with the path tallica has taken. Their new stuff is more theoretic and complex, a good musician will realize that. As far as image and everything, these are 40 year old men with families. It would be hard for me to look up to them if they still looked and acted like naive teenagers. Bands like Pantera for one, are awesome, but they don’t experiment too much with their sound. I don’t know I just like Metallica still. As far as napster goes, I’m pretty sure they just want musicians to have the choice of putting their music out for free or not, not just ending free music trading. Anyway, I’ve never seen a bad show, they are cool as hell to their fans, and I think they have great attitudes. Metallica rocks.
I don’t care if it’s Hetfield farting into the microphone, and Lars playing drums with one hand. ST. Anger is going to be better than anything going on in metal today.
any demos of St. Anger you have heard on Kazaa as of now april 20th 2003 and before that are FALSE. they are songs from other wanna-be sound a-like bands like Holucast and so forth. they are NOT metallica.
Also all you babies need to quit crying about Napster – for crying out loud that was like 3 years ago! get over it.
St. Anger is going to be heavy raw intricate fast and a total ear spank….this is what i have heard and – from what i can tell – it is true…whether it’s AS heavy as MOP or Black album remains to be seen… but it’s supposed to be pretty sick. no ballads – 75 min of basically getting punched in the face – thats what its like
hey guys well i thought this might be of interest to some of you that still are curious what st. anger is going to sound like…. i havent managed to actually get a copy of the demo/promo recordings as yet but if any of you are familiar with mirc perhaps you could help the rest of us track it down…
this is the best i got so far… from this link
http://www.xdccspy.com/search.php?searchstring=st+anger&cserver=
bot queue total dl record current dl # size last seen description
spunkmunkey 0 1 63.33h 1 «36.9mb» metallica – st anger (demo promo) 2003 14 tracks – lid – (1 gets)
the user hasnt come online in a while though..
i think it may be the real deal since mirc is hardly ever used for bull shit like renaming songs that are not even metallica…
if metallica ever read this (lol yeah right) my reason for pursuing this idea is that june 10 is fucking ages away and i want a taste of what to expect when i buy the album (which i will buy, im not just saying it to cover my own ass)
i would appreciate what the rest of you have to say about this…
until then.. HIT THE LIGHTS!
I agree with R. Mendez. I am 33 years old and have been a die hard Metallica fan since 1984. I am also a musician and I can say that the Load/Reload Albums are incredibly complex, visceral, thought provoking albums which shows that Metallica is so much more than a “speed metal band.” The people who say that they wish Metallica would go back to the pre-Black Album sound expect Metallica at age 40 to be making the same songs as when they were 22?? My favorite Metallica song of all time is Bleeding Me (check out the guitar solo in that..WOW!).. If they do go back to the heavy stuff, I will love it. If they stay doing the heavy/blues thing I will love it. Sh*t, they can sing the Yellow Pages and it will be more complex and amazing than all of the so called metal out there now. Metallica is the greatest American rock band of all time and they deserve all of the praise they receive. We should all consider ourselves lucky that we are able to see this great band live like people born in the mid 60’s were able to see Led Zeppelin, for I feel Metallica is the Led Zeppelin of our time!!
AMEN!!
i agree ,,,
metallica never sold out. I realise now that its only young fans that dont understand metallica’s philosophy are the ones that have been giving metallica shit. FOR CRAPS SAKE! if you want a band that never changes why don’t u try an ac dc record!
I hope this new album shows all those kids how awsome metallica is once again. Noone can match their heavyness and intensity…. i dont even think they have peers now.
HIT THE LIGHTS!
put the best metal music in the next album
where are people hearing the metallica demos!!!
well well.. where to start?
for the record, I am an “old” fan. i bought ride the lightning in 83 and loved it instantly. i loved master of puppets even more.. yada yada..
it was all good until LOAD…
ok..let’s cut the crap.. instead of writing a fucking novel about why they sold out (which i tought i’d be doing,but it’s late,i’m tired and frankly they don’t deserve the effort) so I’ll just say this:
Metallica forgot who put them on the fucking map in the first place.they thought they could go all melonewmetalwhatever on us and we wouldn’t notice. YES a band can “change”,”evolve” or whatever. but they can NEVER forget where they came from and who helped them get to the top. and that’s what they did. I tried very hard to listen to load/reload.. I just couldn’t do it.
Think about this:why woud they try so hard to tell us that they went back to their roots if they haven’t left those fucking roots in the first place?
Beside, Hetfield is one top asshole on the planet this side of david duckovny.. I used to love the “products” these guys were.. err.. producing but their personna sucked to no end.. they couldn’t care less about their fans…
and don’t get me started on napster boy…
they think they’re above it.. they made it and they don’t give a flying fuck about us anymore.
I hear some of you already: “It’s all about the music,who cares if they are dicks?!”
but i beg to differ.. this music is about attitude. maybe more than anything else. and man.. i just hate their fucking attitude…
guess i wrote a fucking novel anyways…
peace out..
may lars hunt you down and wax every hair from your body…
dudes. get it straight. metallica fuckin’ rocks. How did they sell out? tryin’ somethin’ new. WOW. Sueing a company? oh my god they’re selling out thats horse shit. There’s no new ‘tallica shit on kazaa they’re all other bands with metallica stuck on. Metallica are the best Metal band ever. No one can touch what the fuck they have done. Over come deaths and injuries. Face ass holes that turned on them coz they tried somthing new and they’re still churnin’ out the good shit. ‘Tallica Forever.
Metallica never did sell out, just because load and reload were “slightly” radio friendly doesnt mean they were selling out. I mean fine, kirks lead guitar work in the words for the amazing (and now dead) singer from Death “is far from dangerous, he plays safely on load and reload, he shames metal” (some guitarworld interview).
ok i can see some truth in that, after all the guitars and song structures are far from the roots of rtl and mop that put tallica on the map.
But, who say’s that load and reload didnt define a new genre of metal?
Sure its slower, but emotionally i think its at the same level as the older shit. Beg to differ? consider Fixxxer (last track off reload) if this isn’t james hetfield dancing with his demons i don’t if he EVER has. That song is damn heavy, its not as raw as earlier albums either which makes it easier to listen too, and it raises the hairs on the back of my neck every time. I hardly see a parrallel to pop (sell out) bands and metallica.
who was saying they sold out again?…..
First of all, Neopath has some great connections to buy “Ride” in ’83, a full year before it came out, but I suppose i’m just being a picky Metallica fan. I’m still shocked to this day how many supposed “old school fans” still have so much venom over what they perceive as the band “selling out” or “forgetting where they came from”. I, as any Beatle fan would agree, wouldn’t ever want to hear any band keep repeating their first few albums over and over. Who would want that and give up Abbey Road or Sgt Peppers, or dare I say Reload? Bands that have staying power have, along with a great fanbase and relationship with said fans, the ability to move on and change not just with the times but to guide the times. I know damn well i’m not going to change any minds and frankly I don’t care> I’m anxious to hear the new tracks and i’m sure i’ll be happy with the outcome no matter how many close-minded bitter people will be wasting their time on boards across the net slamming it.
I too bought “Ride the Lightning” first, then “Kill” then “Master” etc.. and i’ll buy whatever comes next after “St Anger”. I’ll but it because the music still kicks the shit out of any rap-metal out there and the band still does what it wants, when it wants, and I respect that.
You know, I’ve only been a Metalica for about the last five years but I’ve enjoyed ever fucking thing they have put out. Maybe I’m a bit blind in that respect, but I respect any artist willing to risk his or her livelyhood to put something out that would more or less shock people. I don’t believe they put out records like Load and Reload to shock people, but it was more where each of their heads were at the time. And who made the rule in Metal that a heavy song has to contain a thick guitar riff? Why can’t the idea be just as heavy of a part of a song? Take Mama Said for instance. Yeah, when I first heard it I was like “What the hell is this? Metallica playing country?” A good portion of the old school fans must have just said that this band was done. Look at the lyrics in the song and they do just what I was suggesting. They reveal a more “heavy” or ” deep” topic. Don’t dismiss a band for trying new things, it’s what keeps the music fresh. Nonetheless, I can’t wait to get my ass kicked by Saint Anger, and I look forward to seeing the boys live!
That is true… Most of the Metallica stuff you hear is just other bands. However, I was able to find one thing on WinMX and the name of the download is called “St.Anger Mix”. Its pretty shitty quality, but it does give you about 10 seconds of 4 or 5 different songs including DK Roll. Another riff I heard on Metallica’s website so I know it’s legit.
I have been a hardcore fan since Justice. I am getting tired of hearing everyone saying that MetallicA have sold out. Who cares if they did? I respect each member of that band. I have a good feeling that they do what they want to do and don’t worry about what the current musical taste is. I think people just like to bitch about them, just cause that is the way some people are. All I know is that they kick my ass everytime I put in one of their albums.
As far as Load and Reload, they were good albums. There are some kick ass songs on there (ie… Bleeding me, Outlaw Torn, Carpe Diem…). I still think Master of Puppets is the best album ever created. The style may be different, but it is them doing what they do best. ACDC is the same band since they started, every album sounds the same. I think St. Anger is going to kick everyones ass. I keep reading review after review about how heavy and different it is. I CAN’T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No matter what anyone says, they will always be my favorite band. I respect Hetfield so much, he is the king of the riff. No one does it better. Nuff said……
‘Tallica this ‘Tallica that.
First off, the Black album totally blew. Pure pop, market fed crap.
Load wasn’t heavy, nor hard, but it was good music that my Grandmother enjoyed (no kidding she (76 years old) loved it)
James ‘n the gang are old and washed up, they should just collect their left over checks and chill out.
I became a fan when I first saw them perform No Life to Leather, ‘member that’s when Dave was in the band, bought Kill ’em all, passed Ride the Lightning (too soft), cherrished Master, enjoyed Justice, and laughed at Metallica/Metallica.
When they lost Cliff, they lost everything. Sure they can play, and James can sing, but not one can compose. Face it the legacy is dead, has been dead.
O.K. I wasnt going to waste my time making a point but I will anyway. To all of you who have used the phrase “SELL OUT” ask yourself this, say Metallica asked every fan of theirs what kind of music they should produce and they did exactly what all you told them to do, that my friend would be selling out. They love their fans and they have proved it for twenty years with the awsome music and hardcore touring. Yeah there has been some songs you could definitly pass on, but hey that is just the music world. Read the lyrics to Nothing Else Matters that says it all. And one last comment to those who bagged the song Mamma Said, there is no doubt that this song came from left field, but listen to the heart & soul behind it. Yeah I love the thrash but Metallica always has a story to tell through each and every song they make. Aparently you selfish loosers thought the story was all about you!
J.R.
I’m just an old metal guy (42) with a 6 year old son who likes Tool (like his daddy) and I’m looking forward to St. Anger. That’s “looking forward” – not “staking my life on it” or “seething with anger over haircuts/Napster/’selling out'”. I just want to hear what one of my favorite bands will come out with.
Like everyone else out there, I like the old stuff, and bought the crappy bootleg cassettes of “Master” from the Palestenian guys at the flea market in the ’80s (at the State Fair grounds in Albuquerque, y’all), but I also still play “Bleeding Me” about four times in a row until the wife shut me down late at night after several too many (note to self: buy headphones), or “Wasting My Hate” while blasting down the road, or “Bad Seed” to hear a bad ass riff. Hell, I even like “Fuel” despite the embarassing lyrics because of the beauty Kirk brings to the tune with his floating lines about half way in. I wish I knew more music theory so I knew what the hell it’s called that he’s doing there. I wore out two copies of “Garage, Inc.” (I’m also on my second copy of “Lateralus” for that matter. My good CDs live very hard lives.)
At one time I thought half in jest that the band had actually sold its soul to That Guy to achieve its massive level of commerical success, but we must remember that musicians write and play to be heard (unless you’re Erik Satie[search him out and give it a listen] and don’t give a rat’s ass). Regardless of marketing, Evil Influences, or whatever, the band has still managed to tap into something that provokes a response in its fans (release of fear, anger, hate), and its detractors as well (inciting fear, anger, hate). Basically, if you’ve heard about them, you cannot be neutral about them.
As for “Load/Re-load/S&M” there was a time when people valued artistic growth. An artist has to grow – it’s that simple. That period represented a fork in the road for a lot of us, but a few others also started to walk the path. Still, some of the stuff they did then was just plain bad: “Unforgiven II”? Unforgivable. It is a thin line between being clever and being stupid; remember, however, that the same band that did “She Said” and “Tomorrow Never Knows” also did “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.”
So let’s see what they come up with this time. I’ll give them that chance.