Heavy Metal musicians have never being known for generally talking or acting like the smartest of people but that still doesn't affect the music when it's good.

They're ruthlessly dull.

S&M was better than expected but yeah.. it smelled.

Some Kind of Monster is amazing. 3 hours long and not a moment wasted!

I have always been a fan of master of puppets and justice for all, but I had never gotten too into ride the lightning, until my cd player busted in my car and I got the ride the lightning on tape from 1/2 price books for like a dollar and I blasted that shit in my car all loud and it was fucking amazing!
fight fire with fire blows me away

I loved them up to and including "And Justice For All", saw them play that live and it was fantastic. Then I saw them again touring the Black Album, and suddenly there were very long bass solos and drum solos involved. I went right off them as a result of that.

I find them ok. But just find it all very similar... Never been a huge fan of thrash metal and all that stuff really... Its seems to be too much about guitar virtuosity more than anything else.

I like them up to the Black Album.

Never liked them. They're listenable but for the rest they're awful.

I like sabbath

That's because Sabbath was way better then Metallica.

metallica are boooooring. and i hate the way that the alcoholic singer puts an "-ACH!" at the end of every phrase.

hahahaah!!!!!! so true!!!!

However, in 1986 metallica was ANYTHING BUT Boring! If only Cliff had not died....

so true

The saga of useless comparisons goes on. While prefering Sabbath to Metallica is a matter of taste (i love both bands as it happens), it is also true that they are substantially different sounding bands in order to make the silly comaparisons in the first place. Metallica these days are a joke and they have been for quite a number of years, but when they were at the height of their powers, they kicked ass, maaaannnn!!!They RuLEZZZZ Maaannnn!!!!

I was not comparing. Just threw in sabbath cuz they RUUULLEEE

Those were all great albums, but I gotta disagree about the bass on Justice. That record proved to me that in thrash metal, you don't need a bass. I like the "thrashiness" of the rhythm guitar and snare drums alone, with the occasional Hammett solo. More raw and scathing that way. I'm probably the only Metallica fan who feels that way.

What exactly is the problem with later Metallica compared to earlier? Its a thing people talk about in the same way that people talk about other older bands who continue (such as.... Sonic Youth). Is it for the same reasons (I.e. feeling the band has "sold out" or something like that)?

Seriously I don't know whether you've the vinyl version or the CD, but as far as the CD is concerned the production on Justice is ludicrously thin. Puppets sounded ferocious, but Justice sounds flat as hell, even if the playing is as tight as a snake's ass. If only they'd get Rubin or somebody to remaster the thing and put it out on SACD... it'd be a different album.

I'm a big fan of the *early* stuff too - their debut and 'Bonded By Blood' by Exodus are immense examples of early thrash.

That's my point. I think thrash metal should sound thin and trebly. At least on that record, I thought it was great. A bass player was not even needed.

Shitallica!