Metallica’s Hardwired…To Self Destruct

Written By: Jake Tripp

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Being a step above a casual fan, Metallica’s long-awaited tenth studio album was one of several releases this year that I’ve been looking forward to.  Color me biased, but I’ve been pretty stoked on this CD finally seeing the light of day. 
 
A few months back, the title track was released to mostly positive reception from fans and critics alike.  “Hardwired” kicks off the album in traditional Metallica fashion:  All guns blazing, and nicely setting the tone for the rest of the two discs.  The riffs on Hardwired… to Self-Destruct are fast, aggressive, and catchy at times, which is a recurrence in Metallica’s well-established catalog.  Though the album may not be quite as composed as say, Ride The Lightning; it is still a solid piece of work, and solidifies a popular viewpoint that the band is still plenty capable of throwing down some serious music.  In its entirety, these two monster discs combine the high-speed thrash attack of Kill ‘Em All through …And Justice for All, as well as the harder-hitting, more down-tempo stylings of Load and ReLoad.  I would imagine that many Metallica fans, young and old, may see this album as possibly their strongest in almost two decades.
 
The second single, “Moth Into Flame” reconciled its slightly underwhelming guitar solo sections with James’ downpicking assault, backed Lars’ driving double-bass drumming.  It easily stands out as another one of the record’s strongest songs.
 
“Dream No More” immediately caught my attention with its sludgy “Black Album”-style riffing and harmonized vocal lines.  “Halo Of Fire” also stands out as one of my personal favorites on this CD.  A tense introduction precedes a soothing verse; which then builds into a chorus that was stuck in my head from my first listen.  And finally, the album closes with “Spit Out The Bone”, showcasing a fantastic fusion of speed and ferocity in the same vein as their groundbreaking 1986 album Master Of Puppets.
 
Hardwired…To Self Destruct earns a solid 8/10 in my book.  Whether you love the band, hate everything about them, or even mock their success, these guys will still very likely be getting it done for the next several years.
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