Metallica Preview: The Day That Never Comes
August 22nd, 2008 by Music Review Zone
Metallica have put out “The Day That Never Comes” on their website (Metallica.com) for everyone to hear.
The song is the first single from their soon-to-be-released-ninth-studio album : “Death Magnetic“. The album is set to hit the shelves on September 12th.
The single continues Metallica’s move away from their roots (Metal) towards the Rock genre. Which I don’t personally see as a bad thing, but many hardcore fans are becoming disillusioned.
One issue that has always plagued the band is air time from radio stations. This has nearly always been due to the length of their songs - and going by The Day That Never Comes - things will be no different. The track is over 8 minutes long.
Their Mission Impossible song (I Disappear) was so popular because it ticked all the boxes in regards to being a hit. It got airtime because it was 4 and a half minutes long.
Jump over to the Metallica website and let us know your thoughts on the new track.
Here is the tracklisting for the new album (Death Magnetic):
- That Was Just Your Life
- The End Of The Line
- Broken, Beat & Scarred
- The Day That Never Comes
- All Nightmare Long
- Cyanide
- The Unforgiven III
- The Judas Kiss
- Suicide & Redemption
- My Apocalypse
Tags: death magnetic, Metallica, the day that never comes
I didn’t know Metallica was coming out with a new album. That’s awesome! I’m going to have to check out their website. I think their new sound might be pretty interesting. Love the Simpson’s Metallica pic btw.
They have been transforming into a more mainstream market I think.
Going after the money I guess…
Well… this definitely isn’t what I was expecting after reading all the hype from people working with the band that this is the return of the old Metallica. Personally, I’ve been a fan through and through. ALL of their albums contained songs I absolutely loved, so I haven’t been “waiting since Justice” as so many other “fans” have been.
That being said, this song sounds like a mesh of everything post-Black album (including Garage Days Revisted) as opposed to a return to their roots. I usually hate Rolling Stone’s reviews (especially after they critiqued a Mudvayne song that was merely 13 seconds or so of silence) but the guy there nailed it with the comparisons to Unforgiven, Am I Evil, etc. James’ vocals sound much better on this than St. Anger but they’re still just not the same.
The drums sound horribly mixed. They sound like they were recorded in the same room through the same mic and mixed the same way as James’ vocals were on St. Anger; very dry with absolutely no dynamics and incredibly weak-sounding. Lars needed to pick it up in the fast section, I thought. Where they could’ve almost achieved the badass passage that they built up to in “One,” it turned out sounding like a fill-in drummer who couldn’t pull off what a younger Lars could have. On the guitars, it was a great effort but the note choice wasn’t the greatest.
The guitars are good and the harmonies fit but they were nothing superfantasticandgreat. The emotional context of the music was all over the place, I thought. I enjoyed the effort but I hope this is a case where the single doesn’t reflect the whole album.
Overall, there was enough substance in this song to pique my interest in hearing the rest of the album, but for those of you who have been looking forward to hearing the return of the pre-Black album Metallica, don’t expect it from this song. Bits and pieces are there but wait ’til the full album before fully gauging the hype. It’s just not worth it with this song.
-Stephen
musicfrommyperspective
Yeah - I think you are spot on Stephen!
I don’t think you’ll ever get the original Metallica back though. Ever.
They have all mellowed with age.
what he said…
I agree that this isnt quite old metallica level - especially in the drums and vocals, but the solo at the end was decent and in my opinion much better than anything they’ve done in over 15 years… Hopefully this is just a taste and we get more of the old Metallica in this album, though it really will never be quite the same.
Everyone wants the old Metallica back…not gonna happen. Their music changes as they get older, just like the other bands that have been together for 20+ years. True Metallica fans will RESPECT whatever they do, not criticize it. The new song kicks ass…
Thats kinda hard since they are now shit!
Dream Theater all the way!
How about waiting till you actually get to hear the real master version from the CD before you make judgements about the sound production? You do realise that the digitally released single has clipping problems on the high end, which was confirmed on metallica’s own site?
Yes, I could hear the clipping. Did you see any mentions of clipping at all in my initial review? No. As far as the clipping issues being confirmed on Metallica’s site, I know that when I release a product of mine, I do nothing to double-check the quality of it! lol. Anyway, I’m sure it’s all just more paranoia with the whole leaking thing. Regardless of the clipping, I stand by what I said.
Well, Stephen maybe you should apply for a Metallica new producer, as I can se you are a genious and you sound to be better than Rick Rubin, Bob Rock or any other famous producer.
haha fucker.
Hey! if you wanna hear old style Metallica, well, listen to their 4 first albums.
This song rocks, MetallicA never play the same shit on their albums, each one is different from another.
I’m an audiophile; what can I say? Any schmoe these days can sit on their computer and crank out something that sounds much better than this single in terms of production (and I’m not even talking about the clipping). While Rick and Bob are certainly well known, they’re far from the best producers out there these days… especially in metal. I mean, Bob did a good job with Metallica’s albums pre-St. Anger and Rick… well, he’s not a bad producer but his final products are very “hit or miss” to me. I just don’t like his production style in metal the majority of the time.
Personally, I would’ve loved for Metallica to work with someone like Andy Sneap, Neil Kernon, or David Bendeth. Producers are a dime a dozen. GOOD producers are rare and just because your name is easily recognizable doesn’t mean you’re the best. You don’t have to be proficient at something to like it or dislike it, Dartvato. I don’t claim to be a better producer myself; I just know of producers who I feel would’ve done a much better job. That’s all subjective, of course. If you dig the production, hey… more power to you.
-Stephen
as kirk said in his interview this album is supposed to be “a modern version of And justice for all, but not as progressive”. this song was nothing like that and sounded like a mix of St. Anger and other post-reload albums. I liked it though. Vocals are improved but I wish the drums had more sole to them like the black album!
Metallica needs to have this single geared towards all people out there so it can get ratings and everyone’s attention, and I understand that. can’t wait to see the music video!
I hope the rest of the album is at least as good as this one if not better.
Its been a pretty mixed response from everyone so far.
Only the album will tell just how much the band still hold the interests of all of you guys … and Alisha
[...] Metallica release their long awaited follow-up, ‘Death Magnetic’, on September 12th as we reported in our article: Metallica Preview: The Day That Never Comes. [...]
ugh…heard this self-indulgent song on the radio over the weekend.
Lars - learn some new beats. please.
hettfield and hammett - hummmm…still playing riffs like some kind of guitar hero eh? sounds like something off the black album - riffs initially like enter sandman - basic note playing skill that sounds like a 5th grader (hettfield) just picked up a guitar two months ago and is trying to impress his GF
Wait, don’t forget, the master of going up and down the frets like Zuiphar, master of the gratiutous guitar heros! - someone should tell Kirk to get a life. So he can move his fingers fast - who cares? it sounds terrible. less is more?
So - in guitars, you either have to hear hetttfield learning how to play, with his stupid lyrics or KIRK playing way too much.
maybe if no one buys this album they will go away.
[...] we reported in an earlier article Metallica Preview: The Day That Never Comes, the band has also released one other track on their website, which from our readers responses has [...]