All of Metallica's studio albums rated chronoligically!

Every respectable metal website has this list

With Metallica's latest studio album "72 Seasons" still (somewhat) fresh on the streets, it seems like the right time to do one of these list thingies. And unlike with most other bands around their age, Metallica's 11-album back catalogue is relatively easy to oversee. Shit, I might do this with Manowar if they ever decide to release a new studio album again. Or if they don't.

Although I shouldn't have to mention this, I'm leaving out the otherwise fine "Garage Inc." ('98) because it's obviously a cover album, and "Lulu" ('11) because it's obviously a collaboration album. And also because that one just plain shouldn't be mentioned by anyone ever again. Oh boy.

Also, please keep in minds that the ratings – as in virtually every music review you've ever read – are approximations of quality assessment, which is, and will always be, hard to quantify on a detailed level. So don't get offended just because I'm rating this-and-that record higher than the, in your opinion, totally superior this-and-that other record. Every time someone gets offended, Zeus puts another reggaeton "artist" on Earth.

Anyway, with the above outta the way, let's hit the lights.

• "Kill 'Em All" ('83)

Upon its release, it sounded like nothing else at the time. And you can ask anyone of their contemporaries and inspirees – from Anthrax and Anvil over Entombed and Meshuggah to Machine Head and… well, all that newer high school stuff. For everyone and anyone who happened to either be around when it came out or grow up in its immediate wake, Metallica's full-length debut was, and still is, one of those rare game-changers.

And it does say a lot about its lasting qualities that certain songs remain crowd-pleasers to this day – especially speed metal evergreen "Whiplash" or the slick, bluesy riff-fest of "Seek and Destroy". But with only the weirdly intangible melody in "Phantom Lord" making that track the record's one downright miss, "Kill 'Em All" remains a shining convergence of inspired songwriting and frenzied virility. The interchange of bestial, straightforward grind and 7/8 time fist-pumping in "Hit the Lights" will always be one of metal's most powerful openings. And as the inverted machine-gun gallop of follower "The Four Horsemen" – a rewriting of Dave Mustaine-penned "The Mechanix" – plows into a magically fitting melodic half-time, you simply know you're in for something extraordinary. And right you are.

"Jump In the Fire" sounds like Deep Purple on steroids. "Motorbreath" sounds like Saxon on a less legal kind of speed than they use on cars. And the equal-parts extreme and anthemic closer "Metal Militia" is simply the sound of a more fierce, youthful energy than in any other generation to precede it. And Hell, that demo-like production even works in the album's favor.

Also, you'd have to give it to Lars Ulrich on this one. (As, for that matter, on its three follow-ups.) Sure, the man famously went on to degrade himself by supposedly doing anything but rehearsing his damn instrument for a matter of fucking decades later on. But on "Kill 'Em All", he plays with the loveable, explosive speed and energy of a 19-year old who had nothing to lose and just wanted to see the world rock. Which is exactly what he was at the time.

With their inspiration passed down from the aforementioned groups along with the likes of Motörhead, Judas Priest, and Venom, Metallica forged a new alloy of steel to be reckoned with. So much so that they went on to spearhead that entire new subgenre of thrash metal.

And even after 40 years, the beast that started it all is also still a beast to be reckoned with.

Rating: 5.5 out of 6

• "Ride the Lightning" ('84)

Something as rare as a near-perfect sequel. While their debut was the most aggressive thing anyone had heard up until then, Metallica's sophomore album saw the band expanding in new directions while both retaining and elaborating upon that aggression. Indeed, the stark contrast between the intro's clean, almost rennaisance-style major-key guitar harmonies and the crushing, chromatic descent of the merciless main figure is as brutal today as it ever was. The same thing goes for the pounding, alarm-like squeals of the title track's intro harmonies, its fierce 1-2 drive over a mean tritone figure as simple as it's effective.

Apart from future live staples "Creeping Death" and the infectiously hammering headbanger waltz of "For Whom the Bell Tolls", it is probably "Fade To Black" – the band's first venture out into ballad territory – which gave this recording its biggest stand-out. Some fans were pissed off about the use of clean guitar and singing over a traditional chord structure. But when the press applauded Metallica for a more mature and refined effort of an album, they undoubtedly had this one song in mind. And at least in retrospect, we can hopefully all agree that it is, in and by itself, not only flawlessly, but perfectly composed.

"Trapped Under Ice" is hardly anyone's favorite track on "… Lightning", with its awkward tonal changes during the chorus – weirdly incorporating a major key in a few measures for some reason – and with James Hetfield's delivery of the title's equally awkward phonetics. And the uninspired down-tempo of "Escape", penned by the band out of sheer pressure from the record company to do more radio-friendly material, is famously one of the most disliked Metallica songs ever. However, exploring more new territory, the haunting tension and dynamically superb build-up of instrumental closer "The Call of Ktulu" makes for one of metal's most iconic instrumentals and, at the time, most unique and innovative compositions.

Much like its predecessor, "… Lightning" is the sound of a hungry band ready to take on the world. But unlike the previous record, this one somehow manages to both be more focused and more creatively diverse. This is not the least of all due to late, great then-bassist Cliff Burton's (R.I.P.) understanding of, and teaching his band members about, music theoretical phenomena like harmonics and uneven time meters.

And this would become even more prevalent in its follow-up.

Rating: 5 out of 6

• "Master of Puppets" ('86)

Many will say that this is Metallica's finest album, and there's many a good reason for that. For example, renowned Danish producer Flemming Rasmussen having learned from certain flaws on "… Lightning", the sound on "… Puppets" is warmer, thicker, and more present. However, what really makes this one is the songwriting.

In 1986, nobody'd ever heard a metal album start out with the clean, slow, ominous build-up of "Battery". Because unless you're counting the opening intro from its predecessor, that album didn't exist until then. And as those crushing chord chops build and the main riff hits, this is one of those moments that not only helps define and solidify the subgenre of thrash metal, but puts Metallica on the world map as that one band who, at least collectively, were just that bit more original and memorable than everyone else. – If not much more.

And this impression only gets stronger during the jaw-dropping, borderline-progressive structure of that all-dominating title track, its awe-inspiring mid-section build-up simply being irresistable to metalheads and non-metalheads alike. This is more than just good metal; this is flat-out great music. And both the desolate tension of "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" and the mercilessly heavy evil of the Lovecraft-inspired "The Thing That Should Not Be" both expand the album's dynamic range compared to "… Lightning".

The reason I'm not rating this higher is that it is arguably another one of those records whose side 1 is superior. While both "Disposable Heroes" and the blistering closer "Damage, Inc." are fine tracks, especially the latter still being impressively fast and aggressive all these years after, none of them surpass the openers by far. While the clean, instrumental waltz of "Orion" shows an even softer, and even more musically adept side of the band, it could be argued that it's a bit too long. And the tiring mid-tempo drudger "Leper Messiah" would have to be everyone's least favorite track here. Could've easily scrapped that one.

However, this is a classic that's a classic for many a good reason. So much so that it was the first thrash metal album in the world to sell platinum. And so much so that in 2015, the American Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Recording Registry for its cultural significance. Even as of late – 37 years after its release – the title track is featured in the season 4 finale of "Stranger Things". And if you're still not convinced, just try to see how many lists you can find of all-time essential metal albums on which it's NOT included.

In short, Metallica were just plain in their prime here. And with Burton tragically dying in a traffic accident on the European leg of the tour, the following album being much more complex, lengthy, and demanding, only to see the band subsequently degenerating into family-friendly territory, things would truly never be the same from here on. So however you'd personally rank "… Puppets", this is inarguably a definite, historical career peak.

Rating: 5 out of 6

• "… And Justice for All" ('88)

Having become an A-list name, and having recruited talented fanboy and former Flotsam and Jetsam bassist Jason Newsted, the band was at a natural point of evolution. And going their own way like many times before and after, Metallica used that position to craft their darkest and most progressive effort yet – and quite probably ever.

Those almost unbearably slowly swelling four-part minor harmonies introducing opener "Blackened" somehow really do sound like the inevitable apocalypse slowly engulfing Mother Earth once and for all. That main riff is as dissonantly evil as anything Slayer ever did. And with the double-time being among the fastest things the band had ever played, and the time meters more complex and irregular than ever, Ulrich giving an arguably breath-taking performance by any standard, Metallica simply never was as unapproachably metal as right here.

Nor were they as undeniably progressive as right here, with the album's many time-changes, uneven meters, complex riffs, and its 9 tracks collectively clocking in at +1hr5mins, some approaching the 10-minute mark. The long instrumental "To Live Is To Die", with its stark contrast between gentle, clean minor-key classical guitar and slow, distorted, hammering heavy power chords rapidly increasing in volume and pace, is a fine example. As is the underrated "Eye of the Beholder" with its laid-back mid-tempo drive suddenly being hi-jacked by a crushing 12/8 time. And third single "One" not only went on to become a classic; it also remains the single widest span in dynamics of any Metallica song, along with being a supreme example of evolution and build-up in songwriting.

While lead single "Harvester of Sorrow" was always monotonous, it's luckily flanked by "The Shortest Straw", one of Metallica's most head-against-the-wall bangers, quintessential thrash meeting a half-time as mercilessly heavy as it's unforgettable, and "The Frayed Ends of Sanity's" black desperation in E minor. However, for 5 intense minutes, furious closer "Dyer's Eve", with its insanely rapid, counter-rhythmic riffing, breath-taking pace, and brutal aggression, virtually makes the listener forget everything so far. Even though darker and uglier metal bands had started to show themselves on the scene it this point, this was – and remains – Metallica at their most frantically violent.

Sadly, in time, the album's many eminent qualities have come to stand in the shadow of the ever-ongoing debate about the bass, which is virtually inaudible. Some claim it's not there at all; some claim it's just very low in the mix. Some claim this is Hetfield and Ulrich's bitterly unjust way of letting that new kid know how he ranked in comparison to their deceased friend. Some blame it on Flemming Rasmussen. All else being equal, other people, like yours truly, are able to enjoy this, the band's finest hour in terms of artistic ambition and creativity, in spite of any of its shortcomings. While Metallica did have several subsequent high-points, they were never truly the same efter this one.

Rating: 5.5 out of 6

• "Metallica" (a.k.a. "The Black Album") ('91)

This might be the most divisive entry here. Many new listeners discovered Metallica and the entire genre through "The Black Album", and it became the band's big, irrevocable global breakthrough. But it got that status for the obvious reason that they went from being the most demandingly progressive and anti-commercial version of themselves yet, to releasing a bunch of streamlined, family-friendly mid-tempo songs based upon repetitive standard riffs. The melodies went from dark and aggressive to predictable and sometimes sugary vapid. And the lyrics, having so far been about apocalypse, corruption, injustice, addiction, war, suicide, and insanity, were all of a sudden about stuff like being a vagabond, about a little kid having bad dreams, and, supposedly, about being really mad at someone.

To be fair, "Nothing Else Matters", although having long been over-played by radio stations and other bodies who don't know shit about heavy metal, IS, in itself, a moving masterpiece of production, arrangement, and songwriting. And "Sad But True", in all its mid-tempo simplicity, does hella rock. But the amount of construed melodies ("The Unforgiven"; "Holier Than Thou"), uninteresting run-of-the-mill riffs ("Through the Never"; "Of Wolf and Man"), just plain drudgery ("The God That Failed"; "My Friend of Misery"), and cringey moments of trying too hard ("Don't Tread on Me"; "The Struggle Within") collectively make this the type of record whose overarching good quality is that it gains metal more listeners. And, one could hope and imagine, that those listeners eventually get into proper metal and realize how impressively anemic this so-called "black" album really is.

Rating: 2.5 out of 6

• "Load" ('96)

Even though the band was clearly headed in a new direction, and even after having gotten alienated by that horrid black album, a lot of fans still chose to get even more pissed off about "Load". To be fair, it is kinda understandable, what with the songs not only getting even slower and leaning way more towards classic rock, but with the entire band even cutting their hair short and posing in Matinique suits and wifebeaters in Anton Corbijn's album cover pictures.

But on its own premises, the songwriting here simply fucking works. Metallica seek back to the roots of the entire genre, and they demonstrate not only their common affinity for said roots, but also their ability to craft some of their arguably heaviest moments ever. Be it in the eerily ominous "The House Jack Built", the down-and-dirty blues of "2 X 4", the alternation between introspective melancholy and intense, Sabbath-esque desperation in "Bleeding Me", or in that hypnotically meticulous +10-minute ending of "The Outlaw Torn", more than verging on vast, wind-blown desert rock than anything else.

Also the more classically straightforward rock tracks still pack a solid punch, all comparisons to thrash metal being outta the way. Opener "Ain't My Bitch" kicks things off with the equivalent of revving up an 18-wheel truck. Single "Until It Sleeps" adds both anger and tangible pain by showcasing Hetfield's most vulnerable vocals to date. And just try to convince me that you couldn't rock out with a cold six-pack to "King Nothing" or "Wasting My Hate". Of course you would. And you'd like it.

And to complement it all, the clean, major-key "Hero of the Day" offers a unique sense of light and hope in all its lyrically relatable everyday symbolism. And, not the least of all, you'd have to be an equally musically ignorant and all-round cold-hearted sumbitch to not get moved by the heart-wrenching steel guitar country ballad "Mama Said", Hetfield getting more naked and bravely fragile than ever. If you're not feeling that final verse line of "I need your arms to welcome me / But a cold stone's all I see", congratulations: You're a droid.

With only a couple of filler tracks (the directionless "Cure" and "Poor Twisted Me") and only a few other songs perhaps being expendable, "Load", as I've been saying for fucking decades now, remains the world's most misunderstood hard rock album. But unlike on its horrid predecessor, they've successfully undergone their creative metamorphosis on this one. "Load" should absolutely NOT be judged by the same standards as those first four albums. Because, like it or not, this was such a new and obviously very, very different era for Metallica that they were, by all decisive accounts, a different band altogether. And by its own standards, "Load" not only holds tight; it only gets better with age.

Rating: 5 out of 6

• "Reload" ('97)

The band having originally planned a double album of this and its 1-year older sibling, they realized it would've made for too much material and ended up releasing the unfinished songs the following year. And it shows.

Yet another of too many side 1 LPs, "Reload" does contain arguable bangers, such as, indeed, that gasoline-stinking opener "Fuel", for one. And the Sabbath-heavy follow-up of "The Memory Remains", featuring Marianne Faithfull on strangely enticing guest vocals. Also, "Devil's Dance" does make for an even heavier and enjoyably twisted standout – possibly the most overlooked standout in the band's entire career. (That is, had it not been for much of the material on this album's aforementioned underrated older sibling.)

But after that, things kinda fizz out. Sure, the meticulously sentimental "Low Man's Lyric" is somewhat of a paradoxical high-point, its immaculate use of violin and hurdy-gurdy supporting and justifying the band's most introspective song ever. But it almost gets lost among the monotonously slow, directionless drudgery of tracks like "Where the Wild Things Are" and "Carpe Diem Baby", and the sheer forgettability of… well, pretty much everything else. Not counting the sadly equally memorable and unnecessary "The Unforgiven II", though, which only exists due to its 6-year older big brother, and whose sole justification didn't come until 11 years later when the trilogy ended at a high point.

Unlike its follow-up, though, "Reload" could've made for a great EP.

Rating: 3 out of 6

• "St. Anger" ('03)

Probably not a lot of disagreement around this one. The band was coming apart at the seams, Newsted having left with no replacement found, and Hetfield checking into rehab during the early recording phase. This made for an unstable, insecure environment that was not exactly conducive to solid, focused writing, recording or production. Furthermore, unlike any other of their albums, this is the only one to have been written and recorded simultaneously instead of having things kept separately. And it all shows in the end result.

There are those who will claim that this record "could've made for a great EP if they cut away all the filler". However, those people tend to be bigger fans than the rest of us, and often from countries where the local metalheads are into any music album as long as it features a distortion pedal and sells a six-figure amount of units.

With all its incoherent song structures, uninspired riffs and rhythm figures, awkward lyrics and deliveries thereof, impressive deluge of both filler riffs and filler songs, and famously messy production (the catastrophic snare drum sound being a classic joke amongst metalheads), "St. Wanker" has very few redeeming qualities worthy of mention. Unlike certain misunderstood rock albums unfolding their qualities with time, even the 20 years since its cursed release has granted it no deliverance. And at this point, nobody's holding their breath anymore.

Rating: 1.5 out of 6

• "Death Magnetic" ('08)

The first album to finally feature the skills of bass maestro Rob Trujillo, "Death Magnetic" seemed like finally, Metallica had not only found a sturdy collective identity again, but like they were actually having fun doing what they do best. I.e., rocking the Hell out while not giving a shit.

For an album lyrically centered around our mortality, the band here, paradoxically, is more alive and no-holds-barred vigorous than they'd been in 20 years. And while not containing any downright future classics by any stretch, "Death Magnetic" is surprisingly solid from start to finish.

In "Broken, Beat, and Scarred", Hetfield sounds more intensely angry than ever. "The End of the Line" demonstrates that metal bands in the 21st century CAN actually groove without pandering to the jock audience of Killswitch Engage and the likes. The almost 10-minute instrumental "Suicide and Redemption", while perhaps not being fully on par with the band's earlier instrumentals, remains an impressive effort, rightly earning that otherwise hackneyed adjective of being epic. And album closer "My Apocalypse", while a tad less aggressive than other closers, still proves that Metallica were nowhere near done anytime soon.

And yes, with this one, it is impossible not to draw comparisons to the band's golden age. "The Day That Never Comes", for example, having a structure highly similar to that of "One". Not quite as smoothly executed, but still hard-hitting and memorable. And amid all those callbacks ("The Unforgiven III", surprisingly, being the trilogy's creative pinnacle), deep cut "Cyanide" actually features some both rhythmically and harmonically interesting elements that still sound fresh and original 15 years later.

Sure, there are those who claim that Metallica only started playing more regular thrash metal again just to please the fans they'd alienated along the way. And there may or may not be a severe overlap between those people and those who claim that the sound on "Death Magnetic" is too compressed, with all instruments being equally, and very, loud in the mix.

While the latter group may have a valid point, though, the former is simply a constant factor in the band's career: No matter what Metallica's ever done, there will be always be people bitching about it – let's just call them moaners. Even about an arguable return to form like this lovely banger of a record. Bad production or not.

Rating: 5 out of 6

• "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" ('16)

Perhaps once again inspired by their, in every way, superiors in Iron Maiden who'd just released their first double album the year before, Metallica decided to do exactly that. And with 8 years having passed since their last studio LP (at least one that wasn't simultaneously a creative collaboration and ditto abortion), "Hardwired…" was largely a breath of fresh air. Not the least of all disc 1, containing gems like the no-holds-barred opening semi-title track and "Moth Into Flame", at the same time being catchy, memorable, and hard-hitting, containing some of Hetfield's strongest riffs and melodies in 20 years. "Atlas, Rise!", its obvious Maiden-style harmonies aside, unmistakably sounds like it could have been on their '83 debut. And the majestically evil "Dream No More" is a worthy addition to the band's Lovecraft hymns of yore as surprising and welcome as it's been long underway.

One might, once again, rightly argue about the album's length. Just like the double Maiden release that preceded it, "Hardwired…" is not without its share of filler on especially disc 2, with songs like "Here Comes Revenge" and "Am I Savage" being take-'em-or-leave-'em, albeit solid rockers. But only the weirdly slow Lemmy tribute "Murder One" is a downright filler. The bluesy, partly Trujillo-penned "Man UNkind's" alternation between shuffle and irregular time signatures shows that Ulrich, deteriorating as he might be, still hasn't given up on challenging himself. And even those aforementioned moaners would have loved the mercilessly thrashing conclusion "Spit Out the Bone" if only it had been on one of the group's first four albums.

Rating: 4.5 out of 6

• "72 Seasons" ('23)

While perhaps still not having learned when a song has outstayed its welcome, Metallica also still haven't forgotten how to do what they're here for: To kick a solid amount of ass. In spite of the band's technical and creative limitations, they seem to have found and exposed their core, which is not the proto-thrash metal that they pioneered in making into the beast that it became, but rather a crystallization of all the basics that collectively make heavy metal what it is.

The uptempo cuts are still what makes this record come together, though. Not the least of all singles "Lux Æterna" and "Screaming Suicide" along with songs like "Chasing Light" and "Room of Mirrors", several of which contain material that sounds like the band's early days. However, also much slower tracks like "If Darkness Had a Son", "You Must Burn", and "Crown of Barbed Wire" show that Metallica by no means need to play fast to rock hard.

There might not be a whole lot to say about their latest studio effort without going into too many details for this purpose. And "72 Seasons" does mark yet another slight decline in quality compared to its previous siblings. But regardless, it IS hard to imagine the band releasing yet another downright stinker at this point. "72 Seasons" is the sound of Metallica being as basic as they can get without forgetting their core identity like they perhaps did in the '90s. It's the sound of a group that is by no means anywhere near perfect when it comes to technicality and production, but still has its heart at the right place and still doesn't give a whole lot of shits about how their peers or anyone else views them.

While the band might actually learn something by giving just a few more shits, and possibly also by practicing their once so masterful skills at the noble art of creating a solid studio album some more, their attitude is still exemplary. And above all, their music still rocks.

Rating: 4 out of 6

There are people – well, moaners – who will claim that Metallica have been "done" since this-and-that year. Or this-and-that album. Or decade. Their amount of album-sales, downloads, streams, and sold-out tours, however, would indicate the exact opposite. And while it is arguably true that the band couldn't exactly be called innovative since 35 years ago, they've just as arguably gone their own ways. As in, being the first metal band to play and record live with a symphony orchestra, put on a concert on Antarctica, and, leaving it at that, collaborate with Lou Reed. Just to give a few examples.

Some moaners will say that Metallica only got their success by compromising too much with the sonic integrity of their genre. And while the band certainly have done that, it only further serves to illustrate the fact that as well as in business, they go their own ways as a creative unit. Whether we like the results or not. And it also illustrates that they treat their craft not like uncompromising metalheads, but like musicians. Certainly not the world's most technically gifted musicians by far, sure. But musicians who play more than just aggressive, headbanging MEEETUUUUUUUHL. Musicians who play music.

And whether we like the results or not, that is an attitude worthy of example.