Throughout lineup changes, experiments with style and even haircuts, Metallica still reigns supreme as the king of modern heavy metal.
The San Francisco quartet recently celebrated its 30th anniversary and also released “Beyond Magnetic,” an EP with material recorded during the sessions for 2008’s “Death Magnetic” but not included on that album. While the timing of the release coincides with recent anniversary shows in its home city, it is also a great opportunity for Metallica to get back in fans’ good graces following the generally negative response to “Lulu,” its recent collaboration with The Velvet Underground’s Lou Reed.
While “Beyond Magnetic” has just four songs, it clocks in at nearly half an hour, and feels like a full album rather than just a collection of discarded singles. Album opener “Hate Train” opens up with a classic bottom-heavy Metallica riff, and the rest of the tracks follow in that same burly, thundering vein. “Just a Bullet Away” has a gritty, industrial feel; “Hell and Back” pulses with fury and lengthy closer “Rebel of Babylon” feels like a self-contained metal opera.
The only real negative aspect of any of the material included is the production quality. Much like the rest of the “Death Magnetic” album, most of the songs on the EP have a lot of static in the background. Whether that was intentional or an oversight is still a subject of debate for fans, and “Beyond Magnetic” will likely stir that pot again.
The past few years have been great for metal music, and while this latest release is just a short taste, “Beyond Magnetic” is proof positive that Metallica still has what it takes to impress fans and critics alike.
Rating: W W W 1/2
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