METALLICA – Hardwired… To Self-Destruct

After 8 years and numerous broken promises, Metallica have answered the pleas of their vast constituency and released their 10th studio album – a double album to be more precise – entitled Hardwired… To Self-Destruct.  A conventional CD holds 80 minutes of music … these two CDs comprise about 85 minutes in total – so basically the band’s dilemma was to either issue 2 short CDs (6-tracks each), or 1 really long CD that ended up being 10 pounds of baloney in a 5 pound bag.

As with any Metallica release, the expectations were high (perhaps guardedly so), and with two outstanding releases already occurring this year by the band’s step-brothers in Thrash (Anthrax and Megadeth), Metallica – for maybe the first time in their career – had the “pressure” of following a few tough acts that already set the bar pretty high.  But, lo and behold, these Metal Icons rose to the occasion and put together an absolutely outstanding album … ummm, double-album, that is.

Hardwired… To Self-Destruct demonstrates excellent song-writing, thoughtful lyrics, a polished vocal delivery by James Hetfield (no lie), outstanding drum work by Lars Ulrich, and plenty of energy-producing riffing.  Absent is the rough-edged crunch and controlled pandemonium of their early masterpieces, but the band’s evolution and maturity results in equally as good of material – just on a different plane, which more often than not can be classified as Traditional Metal instead of Thrash throughout this album.

Metallica clearly shows within this new release why they have sold millions and millions of records over the years, and continue to know how to “crack the code” of staying true to their Metal roots while still achieving a level of what likely will be mainstream appeal.  The band has always had immense talent, and that gift continues to morph and undergo refinement, which can be heard throughout Hardwired… To Self-Destruct.  The band has earned its success … and this album is yet another notch in their collective bedpost. A strong contender for album of the year … and the cherry on top of perhaps the strongest year ever for Thrash Metal.

TUNE INTO METALEXPRESSRADIO.COM at NOON & MIDNIGHT (EST) / 6:00 & 18:00 (CET) TO HEAR THE BEST TRACKS FROM THIS UPCOMING RELEASE!!!