Metallica’s 1991 self titled album stands out for me, or the Junior High me, as one of the first, popular, bootleg albums to circulate my clique (nearly our entire 7th grade class). I received a 3rd generation cassette which I borrowed for a few days to make a 4th generation (my 1st generation), then proceeded to Enter Sandman for the next 24 years. This non-cassette, double vinyl copy is a 2008 remastered reissue, and in a pinch, gets the occasional, late evening spin. If you’re looking for a copy, and believe me, you most certainly should, I’d suggest shying away from the original (fetching $143.38 currently on Discogs.com), and instead, dig around for this remastered version ($34.39, also on Discogs.com). That is, of course, if you don’t already own a 5th generation bootleg cassette.
Tag Archives: Metallica
Buy the Ticket, Ride the Lightning
It’s difficult to comprehend that Ride the Lighting was released in 1984, or at least it’s a bit of a challenge for me to wrap my head around since I was only five at the time. When you consider the big, radio-friendly tracks de jour were Karma Chameleon, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Footloose, What’s Love Got to Do with It, and When Doves Cry, tracks like Trapped Under Ice, Creeping Death, and Fight Fire with Fire seem to resemble a refreshing iceberg floating amongst a sea of raging-radio hell. I didn’t go to the local shop expecting to Ride the Lighting, but for a cool $12, this guy here has his ticket in hand.
Eye of the Beholder
No, not the Rod Serling written, 1960 Twilight Zone classic, but instead the 2nd single from LA-based thrashers, Metallica, off their 1988 effort, …And Justice for All.
This slow-building, structure-oscillating, melodically obtrusive Metallica classic features, for the first time on a full-length release, Jason Newsted on bass. Mr. Newsted would record four studio albums before leaving in 2001. He was the 2nd of three bassists for the band, winning the auditioned spot after the untimely death of original Metallica bassist, Cliff Burton. Current bassist, Robert Trujillo’s audition and ultimate acceptance into the band is featured in the (surprisingly good) documentary, Some Kind of Monster. Even for non-Metallica fans, this doc is a worthy watch.
Worth noting, the back sleeve lists the trt at 6:25, while the label lists it at 5:89. (89 seconds over 5 minutes yields 6:29, so I’m stumped on this one.)
Spawn of the Dead
Ok, so file this under “why the hell haven’t you digitized this yet?!”
Although I’m not a fan of about half of this amalgam, the boisterous pairing of the other half of this comp / soundtrack is what gets me excited. Have a look at a few of these team-ups:
Prodigy & Tom Morello
Metallica & DJ Spooky
Butthole Surfers & Moby
Slayer & Atari Teenage Riot
It’s this last one that sets the adrenaline dial way past 11. A UK release of only (lol, “only”) 5,000 copies on triple translucent red 10″, Spawn the Album was released in 1997 in support of the New Line Cinema film, Spawn or, Spawn the Movie.
It’s difficult not to mention a similar (and far superior) superstar-filled comp / soundtrack, 1993’s Judgment Night (Music from the Motion Picture). In both cases, the accompanied soundtrack greatly outweighs the films in which they support.
The Prudent Groove 