Metallica: justice rendered

August 25, 1988 came out … And justice for alla hinge album in Metallica's career, linking the start of the beginnings with future successes.

Few albums manage to combine phenomenal and controversy success that lasts several decades. However, this is the case with… And justice for allfourth studio album of Metallicareleased on August 25, 1988. Sulpted to nearly 10 million copies around the world, this disc was one more stage in the success of the Horsemen oven, especially in recognition with the general public. Indeed, this disc earned them a first appointment to the Grammy Awards in 1989 in the category “Best Hard Rock/Metal Vocal Performance Or instrumental” (won by Jethro Tall). However, a year later created the “Best Metal Performance” category, which the group wins with “One”. This last song is also the subject of the very first clip of their career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM8BTDBS-CW

True classic and essential piece of concerts for several decades, “One” tends to conceal all the qualities of… And justice for all. It must be admitted that, under its deceptive ballad gaits with tortured words, this title remains a finely orchestrated work, of its introductory arpeggios to its chaotic conclusion. Chaos remains controlled, however, over the whole of this disc. With speeding titles at its ends, “Blackened” and “Dyer's Eve”, in which James Hetfield Vocifers sometimes on the tragic fate of the world, sometimes on his inner discomfort, Metallica shows that he has not forgotten the Thrash with which he made a name in the underground.

However, … And justice for all Play the variety card in its intentions. Sometimes epic with the drawing piece with drawers, sometimes dark with the mid-tempo “Harvester of Sorrow”, or even jumping with attached foot in despair with “To Live is to die”, co-signed by Cliff Burton, a deceased bass player during the Master of Puppets tour, replaced here by Jason Newsted (who will stay in post for 15 years). The background of the disc is also full of nuggets, with “The Shortet Straw” and its hammered rhythm and “The Frayed Ends of Sanity”, which describes madness with palpable anger.

If Metallica is on edge in the texts and in his unbridled rage, he is technical and careful in his writing. “In Justice, we fell into this virtuoso wave of the late 80s” recalls guitarist Kirk Hammett in an interview with Guitar World in 2008. “Suddenly, everyone wanted to make their progressive influences speak and exhibit their talent. In a way, playing quickly and ringing Heavy was put in the background. »»

Thus, the durations of the titles lie down, the riffs multiply and the ideas abound. This excessive aspect is also illustrated during the Damaged Justice tour, during which the Americans display their excess. We also see it in the live recorded in Seattle in 1989, an essential document appearing in the famous Live Shit: binge and purge. The statue of Thémis, a goddess of justice already undermined on the cover of the disc, collapses at the end of the title piece, thus illustrating its claim.

However, the release of the first double-album of Metallica (in vinyl format) was not made without criticism. The main subject of discord revolves around the bass, which shines by its quasi-absence. Yet Jason Newsted, who records his first album with the group here, was completely audible in The $ 5.98 EP-Garage Days Re-Revisited, released a year ago.

His skills are not questioned by the producer Flemming Rasmussen: “Jason is an excellent bass player” He told WECB in 2016. “I am probably one of the only people in the world, with Jason and Toby Wright, my assistant, to have heard the bass tracks … and justice for all, and they are great. »» The decision to lower the bass comes from the duo of Leaders James Hetfield (guitar, song) and Lars Ulrich (drums). “After hearing the initial mixes, James and Lars said 'lowered the volume of the bass until you can barely hear it, and then drop it again by three decibels'” recalls the producer. “I have no idea of the reason they wanted this, but that was not my responsibility. »»

James Hetfield provides an explanation in an interview with Guitar World: “We put the bass in the background for two reasons. First, Jason tended to follow my rhythmic guitar parts, so it was difficult to distinguish them. Then, the tones that I use on justice are very clear, with many serious and treble, very few mediums. When my games were placed in the mix, my guitar sound ended up swallowing all the bass. Jason and I have always been disputed in the mix. »»

Like the disc, this cleavage sound is part of the history of the group. Released during a period period of Metallica,, … And justice for all Mark the end of an era, pushing the desire for power and technique of the group to its climax. If the popular success of the group is no longer to be proven, it will reach its summit with the following album, the famous Black albumto the opposite artistic direction.

Unique and sincere, … And justice for all Divide, but does not leave indifferent.

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