Artist: Metallica
Album: 72 Seasons
Year: 2023
Thanks again for checking in on the Coffee Stain Music blog. This month Metallica released their latest studio album titled "72 Seasons". Their previous album "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct" (2016) was a massive favorite of mine. It was everything I wanted in a modern Metallica album. I'm not asking for them to turn back the clock to 1986. I'm just looking for good rockin' tunes that sound good and connect with me on a deeper level than just being excited that a legendary act has released new music only to be merely checked out as a curiosity piece. 2016's Hardwired checked all those boxes. It had it all. The album had thrashers, heavy rockers, an epic ballad and closed with one of their best and heaviest songs in decades all in a well-produced package. What more could I ask for? In my opinion that album delivered on every front. No, it wouldn't be my favorite Metallica album, but I really had nothing to complain about.
Last November 72 Seasons was announced. I woke up to the song "Lux Æterna" being dropped as the lead single and I had that same feeling I had when I heard the song Hardwired for the first time. It's definitely a throwback rocker. Like something you'd hear off of the band's debut album Kill 'em All, and it makes its point and is over in just under 3 and a half minutes. I really enjoyed the song, but to be honest, I was a bit concerned if this new album would live up to Hardwired. Even Lars himself once said they could not have possibly made a better album than what they did with Hardwired in 2016. Regardless, because I'm such a fan of this band, I preordered the album on day one and almost a week after it had already been released, it came in the mail.
Of course, like many of you I listened to the album on release day. I personally listened to it three times that day and have listened to it multiple times since. As I'm sure having a review up the day of the release after one single listen would have been better for my view count, I believe in a more educated approach that is more honest to my true opinions and one that is less reliant on web algorithms and clickbait. Luckily, this blog is just for fun so I have no monetary pressures to release an album review the morning it first drops on Spotify. Enough about all of that, here are my thoughts.