...and Justice For All Chicago IL

...and Justice For All

Metallica

Elektra Records, 1987

REVIEW BY: Paul Hanson

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 05/14/1998

I am a huge Metallica fan and this is my favorite CD of alltime. Bet you can't guess what rating I'm giving it.

...And Justice For All came at a critical time in thisband's career. Today, it can be seen as the pivotal disc betweenthe "old" Metallica, who liked to admit to being a heavy metalband, and the "new" Metallica, who like to deny they have anythingto do with the genre of heavy metal.

Musically, this divisionn is clear cut. Their first discs,starting from 1983's Kill 'Em All and continuing through this CD, featured anincreased awareness rhythm guitarist James Hetfield and drummerLars Ulrich songwriting style. These early songs are built around arhythm guitar and drums and, perhaps because of that, lendthemselves to intricate melodies and harmonies.

Consider "Eye of the Beholder" which is in 4/4 time except foroccasional measures of 5/4 time. Consider "Blackened" which is in6/4 time.