…And Justice for All is the fourth studio album by the American thrash/heavy metal band, Metallica. The album lasts a duration of 65:29. It was released on August 25, 1988, under the record label known as Elektra Records.
Lineup:
James Hetfield – vocals, rhythm guitar
Kirk Hammett – lead guitar
Jason Newsted – bass
Lars Ulrich – drums
Production:
Michael Barbiero – mixing
Mike Clink – drum engineering
George Cowan – assistant engineering
Bob Ludwig – mastering
Metallica – production
Flemming Rasmussen – production, engineering
Steve Thompson – mixing
Toby Wright – additional engineering
…And Justice for All was Metallica's first full-length studio album to feature bassist Jason Newsted after the death of Cliff Burton in 1986. The band could have been brought down by this tragic loss, but somehow Metallica made arguably their most musically ambitious record in their entire catalog. It is a musically progressive album featuring long and complex songs, fast tempos and very few verse-chorus structures.
Metallica decided to broaden its sonic range by writing songs with multiple sections, heavy guitar arpeggios, and unusual time signatures. The lyrical content is conceptually unified around themes of political and legal injustice as seen through circumstances like war, censored speech, and nuclear brinksmanship.
…And Justice for Allreached 6 on the Billboard 200 where it charted for 83 weeks. The album has since gone 8x Platinum in the United States. Each track will be rated as follows: Awful, Very Poor, Poor, Below Average, Average, Above Average, Good, Great, and Superb. Here are my thoughts on each track:
Track Listing:
1. "Blackened" 6:40
The guitar riffs are ridiculous and James Hetfield's vocal delivery could not be any better. The song is the perfect album opener due to its fast tempos, aggressive vocals, and unpredictable drumming. The guitar solo is fantastic as well. What a way to open the album.
Grade: Superb
2. "…And Justice for All" 9:44
"…And Justice for All" may be a long song, but do not avoid it because of its length. The lyrical themes of injustice in our society is worth the price of admission. It really feels like a fantastic instrumental with lyrics. It has a great mix of soft guitar riffs and extremely heavy ones that make for a fantastic song. Hetfield's vocals are delivered with the perfect amount of aggression.
Grade: Great
3. "Eye of the Beholder" 6:25
This is a different sounding track from start to finish. It has some really catchy guitar riffs, fast paced drumming and that perfect Hetfield vocal delivery. The chorus is perfect thanks to a fantastic guitar riff and perfectly delivered vocals. The guitar solo is great as expected from Kirk Hammett.
Grade: Superb
4. "One" 7:24
"One" is typically viewed as the best track from this album. I frankly agree with that decision. It is literally a flawless track. I love the machine gun sounds at the beginning and the soft approach the song uses for much of the track. Hetfield delivers his vocals perfectly. The heavier part at the end of the track fits the lyrics perfectly. Hammett's soloing is fantastic as well. "One" is both a masterpiece lyrically and musically.
Grade: Superb
5. "The Shortest Straw" 6:35
Now comes the weakest song on the album, that is somehow still great. It's full of great guitar riffs and fast paced music that will make you head bob. Hetfield is great again during the song. The chorus is very catchy and is definitely the most memorable part of the entire song. The guitar solo is a nice touch as usual.
Grade: Great
6. "Harvester of Sorrow" 5:42
"Harvester of Sorrow" is a sign of what is to come on the Black Album. It is slowed down and more groove based than a lot of Metallica's other work up to this point. The riffs are great again and Hetfield's vocals just could not be any better. The chorus is so memorable and makes the song that much better. Of course, Hammett throws in another great guitar solo.
Grade: Superb
7. "The Frayed Ends of Sanity" 7:40
Here is a unique track. I love the somewhat eerie sounding opening and the head-banging drum beat. As usual, the guitar riffs are excellent and this album continues to show how perfect Hetfield is vocally. I love the chorus as well. The most impressive part of this track is the impressive varied guitar work throughout.
Grade: Great
8. "To Live Is to Die" (instrumental) 9:48
This is an excellent instrumental full of impressive memorable riffs and emotional playing. I love the track's acoustic opening that really grabs my interest from the start. The guitar soloing is very impressive throughout. This track represents Metallica's overall skill and talent at this point in their career.
Grade: Great
9. "Dyers Eve" 5:12
"Dyers Eve" is a very heavy track to end the album. I love the head banging that this track seems to always cause me to do. It has fast paced guitar riffs and emotional vocals to go along with it. It is definitely the most thrash metal song on the entire album. The best way to describe the track is fast paced and aggressive in nature. I love this strong close to a phenomenal album.
Grade: Superb
My Verdict:
…And Justice for All is Metallica's most ambitious effort and I think it is fantastic. It has some production issues because the bass does not come through in the mix, but because of how great the song writing is, it really is fantastic. This album also features my favorite James Hetfield vocals. I love that Metallica was able to make a thrash metal album that is progressive in nature. This album is near perfection from start to finish.
