Lesser of two evils
It's been a while since I pitted clunkers by two normally good bands so up this time is...
Metallica-And justice for all
Gasp, Metal Mark how could say that these two bands deserve to be in this column? Well, the short answer to that question is that both these albums were highly disappointing when they came out twenty years ago and neither has aged all that well.
Now for the background on these two albums I think the story would really start in 1986 which of course was when Metallica released Master of Puppets and Megadeth released Peace sells. Both were fine albums, both elevated the bands to higher levels and many fans were thinking that these were going to be two of the real leaders in metal's future. Metallica had to endure the loss of bass player Cliff Burton before the end of 1986. They brought in Jason Newsted from Flotsam and Jetsam to take the spot. They finished the Master of puppets tour and then put out their punk and metal cover album the $5.98 EP in 1987. By early summer 1988 their highly anticipated follow-up to Master was soon to be ready, the band hit the concert trail on Van Halen's Monsters of rock and the new album was going to come out in early fall. Megadeth's Peace sells sold well after it's release in 1985 and the band toured into 1987. The band hit some problems as both guitarist Chris Poland and drummer Gar Samuelson were out and Megadeth's former drum roadie Chuck Behler and guitarist Jeff Young were brought in to replace then. The band was back in the studio and the new album emerged early in 1988. Both bands had line-up changes before these releases, but expectations were still high and that's why it was so hard to stomach the underwhelming albums that both bands put out. Metallica's album was a big, lumbering concoction with a definite lack of heaviness and edge. Megadeth had established a definite style on their first two releases yet their third album was all over the place with some heavy songs, but also some contained some head scratchers as well. Let's get into the categories and see who is going to take this one. Just a reminder that in a Lesser of two evils featuring veteren bands that the Originality/production category is replaced by the Disappointment factor category.
Vocalist-So it's James Hetfield against Dave Mustaine in this round. If Hetfield's vocals are off from previous albums it's largely because of the change in musical direction. I think he tries to sound like he means business, but it doesn't take on this album. You can grind your teeth and try to sound like you mean it yet it rings a bit hollow on several songs here. Mustaine perhaps had a more unique style and sounded even better on Peace sells than he did on the debut. However he's far more uneven this time around. He sounds strong at times, but then mutters and comes across as more subdued at other times. Tough match-up, but I think ultimately Mustaine varies his style enough to pull this one out.
Point to Megadeth
Guitarist-So it's the duo of Hammet and Hetfield for Metallica going up against Mustaine and Young for Megadeth. For Metallica, the guitar style is similar to previous albums although slowed down. It's still heavy, but not as heavy as it should have been. Some of the solos hit and some are sloppy. While I normally think that Dave Mustaine is incredible, he was hot and cold this time around. Jeff Young is alright and perhaps gets treated a little unfairly because his one album wasn't one of Megadeth's best. The best guitar parts by the Megadeth duo are either very basic slightly watered down takes on the style that the band was so good at on the previous albums. Close but...
Point to Metallica
Rhythm section-Let me first say that I think Jason Newsted did great work on Flotsam and Jetsam's "Doomsday for the deceiver". Yet for some reason on this album the bass cannot be heard and although that is the fault of the producer it will hinder Metallica in this category. Dave Ellefson is an underated bass player and even though this album was not his best, he still does well enough. Lars Ulrich fares better than Newsted and probably beats Chuck Behler who was maybe the most ordinary drummer to ever sit behind Megadeth's kit. Still I can't get past not hearing the bass.
Point to Megadeth
Disappointment Factor-This is a tough one because both albums were very disappointing. However I think this category ties in with the one below. Master of puppets was a better album than Peace sells, but I wasn't thrilled by the $5.98 EP. Still Metallica had moments on this album that worked, but they went over far too often by trying to create some epic and it turned out dull. Megadeth had problems just figuring out where to start on several songs. Ultimately I can still today take AJFA a little more and I still shake my head more whenever I think about SFSGSW.
Point to Metallica
Who rocks more-Perhaps "who bores the bejeezus out me less" would be a more appropriate title in this case. I think the biggest problem with Metallica on this album is that they go on for too long, but the biggest problem with Megadeth is that there are too many tracks where they just never do much at all. So before I get as long winded as a Metallica song, I will say that they do a better job of having some rock parts here. No, they don't follow-up on them as well as they should have, but they are doing more than Megadeth.
Point to Metallica
So Metallica pulls it out in this battle of the albums that should not have been. I still often refer to Metallica's album as "An injustice for us all" and Megadeth's release could easily be summed up if they left off the beginning and middle of the title and just called it "Megadeth-So what?"
Megadeth-So far, so good, so what?
Metallica-And justice for all
Gasp, Metal Mark how could say that these two bands deserve to be in this column? Well, the short answer to that question is that both these albums were highly disappointing when they came out twenty years ago and neither has aged all that well.
Now for the background on these two albums I think the story would really start in 1986 which of course was when Metallica released Master of Puppets and Megadeth released Peace sells. Both were fine albums, both elevated the bands to higher levels and many fans were thinking that these were going to be two of the real leaders in metal's future. Metallica had to endure the loss of bass player Cliff Burton before the end of 1986. They brought in Jason Newsted from Flotsam and Jetsam to take the spot. They finished the Master of puppets tour and then put out their punk and metal cover album the $5.98 EP in 1987. By early summer 1988 their highly anticipated follow-up to Master was soon to be ready, the band hit the concert trail on Van Halen's Monsters of rock and the new album was going to come out in early fall. Megadeth's Peace sells sold well after it's release in 1985 and the band toured into 1987. The band hit some problems as both guitarist Chris Poland and drummer Gar Samuelson were out and Megadeth's former drum roadie Chuck Behler and guitarist Jeff Young were brought in to replace then. The band was back in the studio and the new album emerged early in 1988. Both bands had line-up changes before these releases, but expectations were still high and that's why it was so hard to stomach the underwhelming albums that both bands put out. Metallica's album was a big, lumbering concoction with a definite lack of heaviness and edge. Megadeth had established a definite style on their first two releases yet their third album was all over the place with some heavy songs, but also some contained some head scratchers as well. Let's get into the categories and see who is going to take this one. Just a reminder that in a Lesser of two evils featuring veteren bands that the Originality/production category is replaced by the Disappointment factor category.
Vocalist-So it's James Hetfield against Dave Mustaine in this round. If Hetfield's vocals are off from previous albums it's largely because of the change in musical direction. I think he tries to sound like he means business, but it doesn't take on this album. You can grind your teeth and try to sound like you mean it yet it rings a bit hollow on several songs here. Mustaine perhaps had a more unique style and sounded even better on Peace sells than he did on the debut. However he's far more uneven this time around. He sounds strong at times, but then mutters and comes across as more subdued at other times. Tough match-up, but I think ultimately Mustaine varies his style enough to pull this one out.
Point to Megadeth
Guitarist-So it's the duo of Hammet and Hetfield for Metallica going up against Mustaine and Young for Megadeth. For Metallica, the guitar style is similar to previous albums although slowed down. It's still heavy, but not as heavy as it should have been. Some of the solos hit and some are sloppy. While I normally think that Dave Mustaine is incredible, he was hot and cold this time around. Jeff Young is alright and perhaps gets treated a little unfairly because his one album wasn't one of Megadeth's best. The best guitar parts by the Megadeth duo are either very basic slightly watered down takes on the style that the band was so good at on the previous albums. Close but...
Point to Metallica
Rhythm section-Let me first say that I think Jason Newsted did great work on Flotsam and Jetsam's "Doomsday for the deceiver". Yet for some reason on this album the bass cannot be heard and although that is the fault of the producer it will hinder Metallica in this category. Dave Ellefson is an underated bass player and even though this album was not his best, he still does well enough. Lars Ulrich fares better than Newsted and probably beats Chuck Behler who was maybe the most ordinary drummer to ever sit behind Megadeth's kit. Still I can't get past not hearing the bass.
Point to Megadeth
Disappointment Factor-This is a tough one because both albums were very disappointing. However I think this category ties in with the one below. Master of puppets was a better album than Peace sells, but I wasn't thrilled by the $5.98 EP. Still Metallica had moments on this album that worked, but they went over far too often by trying to create some epic and it turned out dull. Megadeth had problems just figuring out where to start on several songs. Ultimately I can still today take AJFA a little more and I still shake my head more whenever I think about SFSGSW.
Point to Metallica
Who rocks more-Perhaps "who bores the bejeezus out me less" would be a more appropriate title in this case. I think the biggest problem with Metallica on this album is that they go on for too long, but the biggest problem with Megadeth is that there are too many tracks where they just never do much at all. So before I get as long winded as a Metallica song, I will say that they do a better job of having some rock parts here. No, they don't follow-up on them as well as they should have, but they are doing more than Megadeth.
Point to Metallica
So Metallica pulls it out in this battle of the albums that should not have been. I still often refer to Metallica's album as "An injustice for us all" and Megadeth's release could easily be summed up if they left off the beginning and middle of the title and just called it "Megadeth-So what?"
Labels: Lesser of two evils, Megadeth, Metallica
posted by Metal Mark at
12:16 AM
5 Comments:
I'll go with Megadeth. I saw both tours and Megadeth was awesome live. Metallica was horrible and got upstaged by their opening band, Queensryche. The production was pretty bad on So Far...but the reissue sounds much better. I'll definitely take Behler over Nick Menza. Nick was one of the most boring guys ever. None of them could replace Gar IMHO. The production value and songs on And Justice were just terrible. That is the album that made me truly begin to despise Metallica.
Both albums were kind of a mess, but AJFA had "Blackened" and "One", tracks that I actually like. So I'll go with Metallica.
Sean-I almost died the first time I heard Mustaine struggling as he spewed forth "Marrrrrrrry Jaaaaaaane". I was in shock over that travesty and as poor as it it, their cover of "Anarchy in the U.K." is even worse.
Luiz-I am not as big on "One", but never get tired of "Blackened" and a couple of others. For Megadeth "Hook in mouth" is a monster, but there are only a few other fair songs on the whole album.
I would probably go with Megadeth, only because SFSGSW is shorter than AJFA. Although, I rarely listen to either of these albums. So Far is mostly filler and Justice is way too long. Both albums have good songs. I really like Harvester of Sorrows and Hook in Mouth is a classic.
Gah - I had to look up So Far So Good because I'd put it down for so long. "Liar", "502", and "In My Darkest Hour" were my favorites at the time...
Justice was one of the first albums I owned when I had to force myself to sit down and learn to appreciate it - which is sometimes a good skill for overcoming my own narrow minded tastes. But I'd be lying if I told you that anything other than "Blackened" and "Harvester of Sorrow" actually stayed with me over the years (and to a lesser extent "Dyer's Eve". And "One", I guess). Forgot about "Frayed Ends" which should have been a better song, but.....isn't.
This is a harder choice that I would have thought. That cover of "Anarchy" might be the tie-breaker.
I love this blog!!!!!!!
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