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7 out of 10
Well I guess it’s time to choose a side... do I think Metallica have still got it, or have they become a lesson in redundant existences? The truth of it is I’m glued to the top of the fence. Three months I’ve had Death Magnetic and I still can’t decide whether it’s actually very good or a load of old pants. A bit of both I think, which explains the arse-ache. I’m not a fan of the production either; it’s almost like they’ve tried to produce the old school Metallica sound with modern equipment, resulting in the album lacking an edge at times and getting dragged down in the process. But anyway, at least the solos are back.
As it happens, this single is one of the tracks I’ve been skipping the least. Slap bang in the middle of Death Magnetic, All Nightmare Long is 8 minutes of gritty, mid-paced thrash metal. In fact, sans the modern twist that is 21st Century Metallica, it could quite as easily have come straight from the ’...And Justice’ sessions. Think ’The Shortest Straw’ with a more 'Load'-esque chorus.
It’s good to see the band continuing their Cthulhu-themed lyrics as well, with the song being based on The Hounds of Tindalos, something that was hinted at by Lovecraft before becoming a full-blown part of the Mythos.
Amazingly it’s the fifth single to be released from the album (although like the others it’s in digital format only), even though it’s only been out since September. Well, we all know that record company execs like their toilet paper with a distinct green hue, so it’s no massive surprise. Unfortunately there’s no "s" in the word Metallica so my plans to cunningly replace it with a dollar sign for hilarious satirical parody have failed. But at the end of the day, they’re one of the biggest bands in the world, so they can do what the hell they want.
As a tune, a good choice from the selection on the album, and a strong modern thrash/rock song. As a single/marketing ploy, completely pointless for fans unless they want even more live versions of old songs. But yes... they’ve still got it.
Listen: www.myspace.com/metallica
Tracklist:
1. All Nightmare Long
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