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Yer Metal Is Olde: Metallica – Load

By Dr. A.N. Grier

Next year, one of Metallica’s greatest albums will turn 30 years old. Yup, you guessed it, Load. That’s why I’m writing a YMIO piece for it this year. Not just to break the rules and piss off ole Steelio, but because the band just released a remastered version of this precious little gem. Why would they do that, you might ask? No fucking clue. But, for collectors, you can expect a rather fresh-sounding remaster and roughly 10,000 useless demos and live performances. Not that you can’t find all the live performances you could ever want from Metallica. And whoever the jagoff is that keeps adding them to Metal Archives, fucking stop, ya stupid cunt. And if said jagoff is one of you, kill yourself. Anyway, this remastered version is apparently such big news that when I search for the album on iTunes, I get this ridiculously over-bloated version every time. And I suspect this hit piece will be just as big, forever immortalized as one of the greatest recollections of Metallica’s big, fat Load.

Let’s set the stage. It’s the 90s, and things have already gone weird for the band when they hired Bob Rock and dropped their massively successful “Black Album,” splitting their fan base in half while attracting millions of arena-goers all over the world. This led to a strange anticipation during that five-year gap between Metallica and Load. Would they continue on this new path? Or have they got that out of their systems and we’ll return to the days of …And Justice for All? What they did next shocked the world. They cut their hair and put on mascara. The ’80s kids revolted while the hype excited the ’90s kids because they weren’t getting one new album; they were getting two in two years. But Metallica were still metal, right? I mean, they coated their new record in blood and jism, for fuck’s sake. While every kid lied to their mothers about the unsavory artwork, one thing was for sure: the Metallica we all knew and loved was gone forever. Goodbye to the underground tape trading. Say hello to radio rock!

Load marks the beginning of fun-loving tunes and addictive choruses, like those found in “2×4,” “Until It Sleeps,” and King Nothing.” It’s also the beginning of filler-filled albums that could have used a haircut as well. Take the best tracks from Load and Reload, and you could have made a single solid album. But no… Instead, the masses have to suffer through two albums with more than a dozen tracks each and roughly two-and-a-half hours of music. That said, of the two records, Load has arguably aged better, bringing interesting concepts that no one would have expected from Het and co., for example, the underrated “Ronnie,” where Hetfield delivers the story of my serial-killing childhood. Load also marks the first time the band wrote a song in a major key with the lyrically charming “Hero of the Day.” The record is so odd that its weirdness is its charm. Plus, those were the times. How many of these classic ’80s bands got sucked into the nightmarish ’90s MTV mentality?

The band also began toying with longer closers, much like the old days in Ride the Lightning, though “The Call of Ktulu” is a far sleeker track than Load’s “The Outlaw Torn.” That said, the closer is one of the more memorable tracks on the album. Even though it meanders far too much, the climax is worth it, and the closing riff is a nice bookend to the opener. The other with a similar length is the underrated “Bleeding Me.” In comparison, the journey one takes in “Bleeding Me” is one of the better ones in Hetfield’s dark mind. It’s a surprisingly powerful piece that tears me to emotional ribbons. A phrase I cannot use for “Mama Said.” This song sees Hetfield taking us off the asphalt and onto a dusty desert road with horses and shit. A song that supposedly almost didn’t make it on the album, yet was “good” enough for a music video. Which is hilarious because the rest of the band basically makes a cameo, watching Het ride off into the sunset in a fucking cowboy hat and shit-kicker boots. Otherwise, the rest of the album is filler stuffed with mood-killing interludes, unnecessary crooning, and the time-period piece of shit talk box in “The House Jack Built.”

Like my piece on the mighty St. Anger, no one asked for a write-up on one of Metallica’s best Bob Rock records. It’s not metal or the Metallica of the ’80s, but times were a-changin’. But, after the great success the band had with their self-titled record, do you blame them for taking this direction? While every metalhead bashes on this record, it’s not like it was a financial failure. Kids at the time flocked to this fucking record, attracted to the groovy, bluesy riffs and personal emotion of Hetfield’s lyrics. While there are plenty of flaws, and so much wah-wah pedal that the band decided to cut out solos for St. Anger, I’d spin this lengthy record far more than any of the rest of the shit that came out. I mean, at least they didn’t do a hip-hop collaboration like Anthrax. Load and Reload were not the albums any fan wanted, but, for better or worse, Load began a new era for Metallica, and they really didn’t give a fuck what we thought. So, do yourself a favor, listen to the crisp remastered version, relive your Zack Morris years, and don’t waste your hate on Met. Also, pull up your pants and cut your fucking hair.

#1996 #AmericanMetal #Anthrax #ElektraRecords #GrooveMetal #HardRock #Load #Metallica #YerMetalIsOlde

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Yer Metal Is Olde: Illwill - Evilution | Angry Metal Guy
A look back at Illwill's Evilution, which is twenty-five years olde in 2023.

https://www.angrymetalguy.com/yer-metal-is-olde-illwill-evilution/

#metal #olde #Illwill #Evilution #AngryMetalGuy #YerMetalIsOlde
#KingDiamond #MercyfulFate #SnowyShaw #AndyLaRoque

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#AngryMetalGuy
Yer Metal Is Olde: Illwill - Evilution | Angry Metal Guy
A look back at Illwill's Evilution, which is twenty-five years olde in 2023.

https://www.angrymetalguy.com/yer-metal-is-olde-illwill-evilution/

#metal #olde #Illwill #Evilution #AngryMetalGuy #YerMetalIsOlde
#KingDiamond #MercyfulFate #SnowyShaw #AndyLaRoque

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#AngryMetalGuy
Yer Metal Is Olde: Illwill - Evilution | Angry Metal Guy
A look back at Illwill's Evilution, which is twenty-five years olde in 2023.

https://www.angrymetalguy.com/yer-metal-is-olde-illwill-evilution/

#metal #olde #Illwill #Evilution #AngryMetalGuy #YerMetalIsOlde
#KingDiamond #MercyfulFate #SnowyShaw #AndyLaRoque

Yer Metal Is Olde: Illwill – Evilution

By Dr. A.N. Grier

In a recent discussion in the AMG halls, we shared some of the most obscure shit we have buried in our hard drives, burned to a CD, or kept hidden from the masses—hidden because we adore it too much to share or feel much shame. In this case, it’s the former. So, in an attempt to help the idiots on staff (and in the comments) who think an album ten years ago is iconic, I’ll share a gem you would be an idiot to ignore. While this piece could easily be a 90’s Weirdness bit, I am not here to shame the band members for making it. Evilution is the sole LP from quasi-supergroup Illwill. This odd band consisted of King Diamond and Mercyful Fate greats Andy LaRocque, Sharlee D’Angelo, and Snowy Shaw. While it’s common for these lads to form, join, or guest in many projects over the years, this might be one of the strangest collaborations in their storied careers.

Formed as a thrash band in 1997, Illwill puts a boot to the genre, each kick aiming for a different part of the body. The first kick is to the head from little-known vocalist Jonas Dahlström. This is odd because, at the time, Dahlström was the vocalist for Desert Plains, a Judas Priest cover band. While that would be odd enough for a thrash album, he goes apeshit on his approach to the music of Evilution, combining Judas Priest, Gwar, and other ungodly insanity. The second kick is to the balls by Snowy Shaw. When this dude is at the helm of any project, you know it’s gonna be fucking weird. And there’s absolutely no shortage of weirdness on Evilution. Even mentioning another thrash band as an influence would be a mistake. The last kick is to the throat. The lyrics alternate between tongue-in-cheek absurdity and downright hilarious to offensive-as-fuck and disgusting. So, stop reading if you’re easily offended by things that won’t hurt you.

You don’t have to wait long to hear Dahlström’s vocal approach as he counts down opener “Singh Hai” inappropriately. Beyond his vocals, you’ll notice the piercing guitar tone and drum master1 as we explore the song’s torture story. As the thrashy licks change and evolve, the vocals become more chaotic, spewing obscenities and absurdities to the bitter end. If you somehow made it through the opener, it doesn’t get any easier from here. In a few minutes, you’ll stumble over “Six Sec Sex.” If you want to continue having good sex, don’t wander into the lyric sheets for this one. The song is even more disturbing with the staccato vocal approach that’ll burn those three words in your skull for decades to cum. A little later, you’ll collide with the droner known as “Bid Farewell to Welfare.” With its long sustains and dissonant chords, Dahlström warbles on about welfare and some shit, while Shaw’s odd drum work fucks with your mind.

Between all this chaos, there are some remarkably badass songs. These include the “Whether With or Without,” “Who to Trust?,” and “365 Reasons to Commit Suicide.” The first is a thrashy three-minute piece combining solid riffage and a punchy chorus. Next to “365 Reasons to Commit Suicide,” this song has the most memorable chorus on the disc—one you’ll use when yelling at small children. “365 Reasons to Commit Suicide” is not only the most addictive song but also one of my top ten favorite thrash songs ever. Its approach is similar to “Whether With or Without,” but the riffs are meatier, and the intensity cuts deep. On the other side of the coin, “Who to Trust?” is a stellar piece consisting of an Iron Maiden-esque attitude that lets D’Angelo explore his inner Steve Harris.

Even with all this absurdity, there are moments when Dahlström can use his pipes. These moments come in the form of the back-to-back “Eternal Sleep” and “K.A.O.S.” “Eternal Sleep” kicks off with a punishing march, and D’Angelo bass leads to guide us to the soaring, melodic Judas Priest chorus. “K.A.O.S.,” on the other hand, rips out your butthole with an opening trash lick that transitions to a similar death march as “Eternal Sleep.” But the melody shines when the vocals dress in a tuxedo. Though not as pleasing as the track before, the song’s internal beauty-and-the-beast struggle is wholly worth it.

If you can make it through fifty-plus minutes of this bizarreness, you’ll find a lot of hidden treasures. As always, Shaw puts on one hell of a performance behind the kit, fucking around where he wants and adding heft to the heavier material on the album. Though King Diamond isn’t exactly fast and hard, LaRocque ain’t afraid to be. We’ve seen that on Death’s Individual Thought Patterns and now again on Evilution. In particular, his blisteringly-fast performance on “365 Reasons to Commit Suicide” is delicious. Throughout the album, you’ll also find D’Angelo’s bass rising to the surface, toying around with clever licks and adding unsettling atmospheres to some of the odder tracks. I’ve never heard Dahlström on anything else but Evilution. I can only imagine his voice can carry many Judas Priest tracks. But he doesn’t give a shit here. I guarantee most of you will hate his voice on Evilution, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

#1998 #2023 #Death #DesertPlains #DiamondRecords #Evilution #Gwar #Illwill #JudasPriest #KingDiamond #MercyfulFate #Pantera #SwedishMetal #ThrashMetal #YerMetalIsOlde