David Halbe 
I haven’t really been a fan of Metallica since 1988, and I’d argue that …And Justice for All is the last great album released by the band. Sure, I can tolerate 1991’s ‘Black Album’ but in my mind that will never be a ‘true’ Metallica album simply because it marked the band’s change in style, from thrash metal to a slower, heavier, and more refined sound.
I vividly remember seeing Metallica play on the Damaged Justice Tour with Queensyche (Operation Mindcrime) at a sold out UIC Pavilion. It was a pinnacle moment for metal, but the combination of classic songs, stripped down to just melodies, offered during Metallica’s final encore, had me thinking this was the beginning of the end of Metallica’s untouchable career and I was right.
There was a time when I absolutely worshipped Metallica, I think in a way, everybody did. Their music became a rite of passage for aspiring metalheads much like Led Zeppelin did for burnouts in the decade prior. Metallica was our band. A group that didn’t need fire, costumes, or a fancy light show to rock out. They went on stage with just their instruments, long hair and ripped jeans. What you see is what you get.
Metallica experienced a rejuvenation when Stranger Things Season 4 (2022) featured a character (Eddie Munson) who weaponized Metallica’s music. The unexpected resurrection got me thinking. Do kids today know this band’s tragic tale? How the loss of Cliff Burton changed the band, forever. Cliff Burton was Metallica’s bassist on their first three albums. He is hallowed as one of the greatest bass players of all time. While touring in Sweden, supporting Master of Puppets (1986), he died unexpectedly when Metallica’s tour bus crashed. (September 27th, 1986) This was a dark time for thrash metal and for teenagers. We were so young, many of us never knew anyone who died before we lost Cliff. The whole situation left Metallica comatose. There were rumors that the band might hang it up, for good.
Then Cliff Em’ All was released (November 17th, 1987). I remember driving to Rolling Stones Records to grab a copy. The VHS offering was a homage to Cliff, a collection of bootleg footage shot by fans. A compilation of moments that defined Cliff’s unique playing style and offered an inside glimpse into the man himself. Cliff Burton was only 24 years old.
Metallica eventually carried on with Jason Newstead formerly of Flotsam and Jetsam and released The $5.98 E.P. – Garage Days Re-Revisited in August 1987. The EP was a collection of cover songs; I always thought this was a smart move as Metallica ‘covers’ played a huge part in the band’s initial success. A lot of people thought “Am I Evil?” was a Metallica song not an original effort by the British heavy metal band, Diamond Head. I like to think this ‘back to your roots’ mentality allowed the group to re-focus and perhaps even heal a little bit.
Metallica follow up the Garage Days EP with…And Justice for All is their fourth studio album. Many believe …And Justice for All is the weakest effort of Metallica’s thrash metal career. However, the album is much better than I previously thought when it was first unveiled back in 1988. In many ways, this release set the table for the musical progression of Metallica for years to come. The writing has always been on the wall; I was just too young at the time to see it.
Musically, …And Justice for All, is the last of the band’s acclaimed thrash albums. Praised by critics for its depth, complexity and execution, but panned for its dry mix and nearly inaudible bass lines. The fans were critical of this mix and it’s easy to hear why. The reasoning behind the poor sound quality has been dubious at best. I’ve listened to the YouTube mixes of the album where the bass lines are more prominent, and I’ll admit it’s better. Was this Lars Ulrich trying to get out of the shadow of one of the greatest bass players of all time?
In my mind, that speculation is as silly as reasoning Cliff Burton would have kept Metallica a thrash band. Burton had previously cited Geddy Lee (Rush), Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath), Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead), and Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy) as major influences on his playing style. If one considers Cliff’s contributions to Metallica’s first three albums it stands to reason that his progression was in alignment with the band. In fact, I believe the inclusion of the song “To Live Is To Die” on …And Justice for All proves that point. Cliff only had one song ready for the new album, and it just happens to be an instrumental. A song that kept with the tradition of the band’s previous three albums: Master of Puppets – “Orion”, Ride The Lightning – “The Call of Ktulu” and Kill ‘Em All – “(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth”.
“To Live Is To Die” is the last song Metallica released that Cliff Burton has a writing credit on. Additionally, this is the only true studio instrumental track recorded by Metallica that features Jason Newsted on bass.
…And Justice for All is a finished product that reflects a certain time in the life Metallica; a time of both loss and again, a snapshot of history that’s subsequently become a part of our own story.
While I may never accept this album as one of Metallica’s best, I can honestly say writing this article helped me understand the band better and the motivations behind this release. Justice may never be respected but there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s definitely understood. \m/
METALLICA (1988):
- James Hetfield – Vocals, Guitars
- Lars Ulrich – Drums
- Kirk Hammett – Guitars
- Jason Newsted – Bass
