...And Justice For All

Though my opinion of the music on this album is quite high, much has been said of it by others already. As such I feel that my time would be better spent defining the differences between this and the slightly older Elektra release of the Album and reviewing them.The difference is: "Not much at all," and my review is: " Since this is replacing the Elektra version entirely, that's arguably a good thing."Let's face it; few things are more annoying than buying a movie or a CD at full retail price, and then having a new edition released that is cheaper, shinier, or (in some cases) having the level of quality and content that the one you originally purchased SHOULD have had to begin with. Fortunately for those feeling that way, when Metallica bought the rights to their older material off Elektra and went independent under the "Blackened Records" label, they elected to take a less-is-more approach to reissuing their classic albums.So this edition doesn't boast expanded track lists, or "remastered" works; in fact they are Identical to their Elektra counterparts in every way. After all what really needs to be changed? The album is a classic and the recording snafus that have been part of it since release are a piece of its legacy and icon.It even comes complete with the classic (or "Cheap" if you're a cynic) black-ridged CD case so it'll fit right in next to that old copy of "Master of Puppets" on your shelf if you're buying the physical copy.So what HAS changed? Well, there's now a little "Blackened Records" logo where "Elektra" was once emblazoned and (possibly) there has been some color correction to the album cover, though I don't have an Elektra copy sitting around to compare.Oh, its MSRP is also slightly cheaper than the Elektra version was, which is always a plus.While I'm sure some people will lament that Metallica didn't take this opportunity to attempt restoring Newstead's largely muted bass track, or conjuring up the lost ambient mic recordings from Ulrich's drumming, one can't help but wonder if these songs might not sound strange with these things added in. (At least in the case of Newstead's Bass, there's an unfortunate technical reason it's not in full force on the master recordings, or so I've read...)So, Long Story Short: If you haven't yet added "Justice" to your CD collection this is a great time to do so at a more reasonable and modern CD price. (And if you're weird like me, you'll like that the case will match any older versions of Metallica's Albums that you might already have.)If you already own it? You don't have to fear that you've missed out on anything. Win-Win, I say.

I won't even touch the music. It speaks for itself. This was my first ever album (which I bought on cassette when I was 13), so it may just be personal sentiment. But everyone else has also said this album is perfect (at least in songwriting). Some may not like the production; the mixer of the album, Steve Thompson, claimed that Lars' choices on the drum mix were horrible, but I personally think that a tight, percussive drum sound works really well in the studio; others claim that the scooped guitar tone sounds annoying, but the Mesa Boogie Mark IIc+ pulls it off really good; and of course, the lack of bass, this I cannot justify. It sure is a shame that the bass is completely mute on this album (especially considering that Jason Newsted's basslines are "a perfect marriage with Hetfield's guitar parts" according to Thompson, and I totally agree). But alas, the album is still legendary. Not a single bad track. Not one filler moment. If you like riff fests, this record's for you. Personal favorite songs are One and To Live is to Die.However, a fair warning. These songs reach up to 10 minutes long. While it's musically a great experience, your needle might not keep up with the fine grooves of the record, and stuttering and eventually stoppage will happen before the last song on both sides of Disc 2 is over. If you have a fine needle, don't worry. But keep it in mind if you do plan on getting the vinyl. Some have complained about the remaster sounding like total doo-doo compared to the original, but I had absolutely no problems at all; it sounds as good as the 1988 cassette. Not sure about the CD, but I can confidently say that the vinyl is definitely worth a buy

If you've had a bad day and are stuck in traffic, there's hardly anything better than this record to blast through your eardrums. From Lars' primal double-bass and perfect stops and rhythm-matching to Kirk Hammett's blazing riffs on his bad new ESP's, including the ESP Strat that everyone wanted when they saw the 'One' video... and of course, newcomer Jason Newsted working his butt off to stay within the good graces of die-hard fans after the passing of Cliff Burton (RIP).This is one record that not only brings back memories of a great decade in metal, but also holds its own against all the other stuff out there. Though they may rock just as hard today, I definitely miss this Metallica.On a side-note, the Black Album was my first CD I ever bought when I was a kid. I took the bus after school to 'The Wherehouse' and bought it in one of those oblong cardboard boxes they used to package CD's in at music stores like Sam Goody, FYE, and of course Tower Records... it cost $15.99 in its day, and to get this CD as an add-on for $3.99 is absurd, don't even think about... and forget all that digital download stuff, spend the $4 bucks and proudly place this in your sun visor CD holder today!