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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Its no Apetite For Destruction, but maybe Metallica's best, Mar 15 2004
After recruiting Jason Newstead from Flotsam and Jetsam to replace Cliff Burton, Metallica released an EP of covers (Garage Days Re-Revisited) and then this 65-minute monstrosity (a common running time now but almost unheard of for a single album back then). Rather than rest on laurels or repeat past formulas, the band delivered their most ambitious and least accessible album yet. Metallica shoots for epic sounding songs here (even more so than usual, which is saying something!), thereby showing off their massive technical prowess over songs that often approach eight and even 10 minutes in length. Unfortunately, a few of these songs probably should've been cut considerably, though most of them earn their longevity and all have their moments. Lars Ulrich's skin bashing will drop your jaw, propelled by an electronically enhanced drum sound that soon became widely imitated (just ask Pantera), though producer Fleming Rausmussen's much criticized mix unfortunately shortchanged Newstead's contributions. Fortunately, the indomitable Metallica crunch abounds, and when they stay focused on songs such as "Blackened," "Eye Of The Beholder," and "Dyers Eve," this band's best moments remain remarkable. The ironically titled And Justice For All is perhaps the band's darkest effort to date, as it contains scathing commentaries about a rotting world and an unjust society. But, as with all of their albums it's the music that matters most. On that front, "The Shortest Straw" and "Harvester Of Sorrow" are disappointingly straightforward and unspectacular, and the interminable instrumental "To Life Is To Die" too often falls flat. Other indulgent epics, such as the title track and the strange "The Frayed Ends Of Insanity," are more successful and are intermittently brilliant. However, the album's real eye-opener is "One," a gripping and harrowing tale of the ravages of war on the human body and psyche. Arguably Metallica's finest moment, the awesome video (the band's first) started bringing the band into the mainstream, where their popularity would soon explode.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Hammer of justice crushes you, Overpower., Aug 10 2009
With master of puppets, this must be the best metallica has to offer. What makes this album so special? : Best bass drum sound ever, james voice at it's best. 3 Legendary tracks: One, ...and justice for all, blackened. Seriously! This is a must have for all metallica fans. Amen.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
"Metallica's Epic", Nov 23 2007
Two years after the death of bassist Cliff Burton,Metallica bounced back and releases "...And Justice For All" in 1988 with new bassist Jason Newsted.It reflects the anger and sadness towards Cliff's death and Metallica made probabaly their most complex album here,with many tempo changes and the album has "Anger!" written all over it.This release is just as good as the previous releases of the band if not better.Its full of epic songs such as the title track,"One" and "Eye Of The Beholder",and all of the 9 songs on the album are no less than 5 minutes each and many of them are considered classics of Metallica.This album is actually considered by some fans as the last trash metal album Metallica ever made,and in some cases the last good album they did.While those opinions are certainly discussible "And Justice For All" is certainly a great album from Metallica,and i beleve that it is their last Trash Metal album.Actually at times it seems to be even more raw and heavy than some of their other albums and it contains "To Live Is To Die" a song on wich former basssit Cliff Burton wrote the lyrics and that is mostly a tribute to Cliff.
"...And Justic For All" is a masterpiece from beggening to finnish,filled with long Epics and you can that each musician here except newbie Jason Newsted play to their full potential.If you didn't think Lars Ulrich was a great drummer before this album,you will as Lars is really focused here its probabaly the album he plays best on.Kirk Hammet probably never played better and Jame Hetfield's vocals are unleashed!They all play great here but Jason Newsted is notably absent from the album as you don't hear much if any bass at all it seems as it was erased or just never done,so the album is just guitars.Some say that the bass's sound is burried under the massive guitars and it could be true.Because of that the album sounds real raw but that's how some metal heads like it,if you want one of their more sophisticated release you are at the wrong place.This is pure Metallica,you already can picture them playing with their ripped jeans and t-shirt just getting down to the metal buisiness,they don't do glam things its just about the music and this album reflects that nicely.At least that's who they were in 1988...
I previously said that this album had some of Metallica's best songs and im getting to that point right now.I have to start with my personnal favourite "One" wich is an impressive song at 7:27,its a great near ballad with some agressive pace changes and i would have to nominate this particuliar song as one of Metallica's best songs if not their best,you can just feel the anger in it trought Jame's voice,i like it!The opener "Blackened" is a strong album opener,nearly has a scary feel the sudden change of tempo is nicely done and the lyrics are awesome a great song.The title track is another epic,this one is pretty long as it is over 9 minutes!Many listeners won't get to the end of it,its underrated."Eye Of The Beholder" is amongst the best songs of the album,another anger-filled song."The Shortest Straw" has a great chorus and is great overral,its unerapreciated of you ask me but its pretty good stuff.
I won't say anymore,the songs are terrific and this album is definatly worth a listen."...And Justice For All" is often forgotten because it was made between the classic "Master Of Puppets" and their commercial succes,the "Black Album" or "Metallica" if you prefer.It shouldn't because it is as good as those two albums if not better and has amazing arrangements and complex songs,along with an overral dark feeling and a touch of anger everywhere.If you want to hear unleashed Metallica THIS is the place!Its a masterpiece for a metalhead like a Picasso would be for an artist.Also this was the last album before they went comercial with their next album.Actually they started to be commercial for this album,they made a video when they said never would make any,but this is definatly their last true trash metal album.
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