by It’s been awhile since we’ve had some new Metallica, and yes, Lulu counts. The new track, “Hardwired,” is a far cry from that… experiment, but is it any good?
By now most of you have probably already heard the title track from the forthcoming double album *Hardwired… To Self-Destruct, so you tell us — is “Hardwired” up to your Metallica standards, whatever those may be?
I think the song is good, and to me it sounds like a union of Death Magnetic, St. Anger, and something before or including the black album. I don’t think, however, that this track marks a return to old-school Metallica, as they will never be what they once were. So, if you want antiquated Metallica, put on an old album.
“Hardwired” itself has a very modern metal era sound, with definite reference to old-school thrash metal, such as the stop-go rhythms and the chugging guitars, supported by frenetically paced drums, including some double bass! James sounds gruff in his vocal delivery, and he sounds good without trying to reach octaves that are no longer there for him. Kirk’s guitar solo is short as hell; don’t blink or you’ll miss it. There’s nothing sensational about it either, sounding like Kirk punched his time card and left the studio.
What’s missing, however, is any semblance of a bass guitar. Robert is in the video, so why can’t we hear him?
Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Metallica’s all new album, Hardwired…To Self-Destruct, coming November 18, 2016, and everyone who pre-orders the album through Metallica.com will receive an instant download of the song “Hardwired.”
Rock Hard \m/
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