Reload

Load is a divisive album among Metallica fans, and the aptly named ReLoad is no different. It’s the same bluesy southern metal, just slightly polished production-wise. The primary difference is that there are somewhat better songs here (I really don’t hate Load at all), like The Memory Remains. That song is one of Metallica’s spookiest due to Marianne Faithfull’s scorched and tattered vocals that readily complement the Sunset Boulevard-inspired lyrics, easily conjuring up images of LA’s skid row and all the contradictions of that city with all its glamour and filth. Other great songs include Devil’s Dance, and the criminally underrated Fixxer. On the whole though, if you didn’t like Load you won’t like ReLoad either. To me, neither one is up to par with a classic like Kill ‘Em All or Master of Puppets, but neither one is trash garbage dookie either. If you’re like me who enjoys regular rock music as well as the most brutal metal around, chances are you won’t mind the Loads so much. If you’re a egomaniacal Metallica fan who thinks …And Justice For All was their last great album, go ahead and trash the Loads with a life-wasting review no one really is interested in reading. I’ll just enjoy them for what they are, because Metallica is not my world. They’re simply musicians at the end of the day, and I like everything they’ve put out. Between Metallica and Megadeth, I’d say both are pretty great to the point where’d I flat out say that they are tied for me. I think fans of both bands don’t realize that both of them got outmatched by subsequent death metal bands in the 90’s. Jokes on them, since both fanbases like to pick at each other in 2024. Crybabies…

The Unforgiven 2 is James’ favorite song from Metallica, but he doesn’t really like the album because it felt forced upon them, which later they made St. Anger to do whatever they want basically, and not feel so pressured. But anyways, I personally really think this album has some really good songs, especially The Unforgiven 2. Good job Metallica!!

My FAVORITE!!!!!!

Fuel, The Memory Remains, and The Unforgiven II are the best on this album, but the other songs are very repetitive. This is the stage when Metallica was still trying stuff out, looking for the best thing, which eventually turned out to be Death Magnetic. I would give a 5 star, but the other songs just aren’t doing it for me. Nevermind, the songs are actually pretty good. Still repetitive, but pretty cool. It makes a 4.8 for me, but ima round to 5.

I know some people hate this album but personally I think the memory remains, fuel, the unforgivin 2 and carpe deme baby are really good songs.

I really didn’t care much for this or Load when it first came out, tbh. I was too hooked on their previous albums. Fast-forward 25 years and now that I know and totally appreciate Hetfield’s talent with songwriting (lyrics AND riffs) I’m loving this stuff. Hetfield is the man and he puts his all into his music and that’s what I love about Metallica. \m/

This is Metallica’s most underrated album definitely. It gets so much hate that it doesn’t deserve. Fuel, The Unforgiven II are top class tracks. A really good album. 8/10, and 7th favorite Metallica album. MY RANKING 1. Fuel 2. The Unforgiven II 3. Prince Charming 4. The Memory Remains 5. Where The Wild Things Are 6. Better Than You 7. Attitude 8. Fixxxer 9. Devil’s Dance 10. Carpe Diem Baby 11. Bad Seed 12. Slither 13. Low Man’s Lyric

I saw Metallica in concert for the first time right when this album came out. I remember being so pumped and bought it the day it was released and listened all the way through and was underwhelmed but thought that maybe it was one of those kind of albums that you had to listen to a few times before it started to grow on you. It just never happened for me. Load is a great album all the way through, but this one just didn’t work out. I do applaud Metallica for being willing to venture out and experiment with new sounds. If the stuck to the way the they sounded in Kill ‘Em All, they would’ve fizzled out long ago without the legacy they’ve left behind. Basically, if you own everything from Ride the Lightening through Load, you’re good.

These are definitely leftover ideas from Load, but the highs on this album are better than Load’s highs. Load is just a more consistent album. Reload is fantastic though.

Fuel is amazing…