2023 Album of the Year

It’s been 10 years since I wrote one of these “best of the year” things. Every year, I think about what I would say about the new albums that came out, but then I just never get around to actually writing the post. I blame World of Warcraft.

This year, I’ve seen a lot of metal magazines putting out Top Ten lists crammed with unknown underground bands with unpronounceable names or a trendy new sound. I don’t know how people don’t see right through that shit. This obvious clout chasing often ignores the actual best albums of the year only to replace them with records that are pretty okay, but we really won’t be talking about in 5 years or in some cases, even next year.

This year, I had the best intentions of a Top Ten list...but then I just ended up writing about Metallica‘s latest album, 72 Seasons, which is by far my 2023 Album of the Year.

Metallica – 72 Seasons

When the single and video dropped for “Lux Aeterna,” the lead single from 72 Seasons, it was widely regarded as the most kick ass new Metallica track in a long time. And that’s not just because the band often takes a fraction of an eternity to release something new. This track took the best elements of the punky Kill Em All sound, peppered in some lyrical references to that album and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) and crammed it into a tight little 3 minutes and 25 seconds. This double bass ditty is a raucous rampaging romp that reminds us of just who leads the metal militia!

When the full album finally dropped in April of this year, it proved to be one of their finest moments in a long time. Owing much to the band’s thrashy early days, this ballad-free album combines that sound with the Black Album and Load eras while at times taking this 40 year old band in new directions.

Title track “72 Seasons” kicks off the album with sizzling sixteenth notes on the hi-hat and bass guitar before introducing the thrashtastic main riff. An up and down ride of tempos follows, with James Hetfield barking “Staring into black light/Dominating birthright” over the especially heavy and nasty prechorus riff before kicking into overdrive on the chorus. This is 7 minutes and 39 seconds of classic Metallica riffery and melodic mastery.

“Shadows Follow” is an up tempo rocker that occasionally veers into thrash territory with a killer hook. James Hetfield is singing in a higher register here than we’re all used to before barking out the chorus like it’s 1988.

“Screaming Suicide” tackles the topic of mental health with one of the more accessible choruses on the album. Although I’m not too sure how many people will chant “Keep me inside/My name is suicide!” Not exactly on a par with Dua Lipa as far as accessibility goes, but definitely accessible enough to be a metal anthem!

Robert Trujillo says hello again right away on “Sleepwalk My Life Away” as Lars Ulrich matches him with sixteenths on the toms before transitioning into another classic riff. The half-time prechorus here is golden new territory, with James Hetfield again in that higher register before barking out “Wake Me!” just in case you thought he had gone soft.

The heavy, plodding “You Must Burn!” kicks off with what sounds like a left over Black Sabbath riff before settling into a nasty groove during the verse. The catchy chorus takes this up a notch in energy and power, but it’s the middle section that once again really goes into new territory for the band when Robert Trujillo does his best trippy Alice in Chains backing vocals over the heavy and choppy bridge riff. The mix of styles works nicely and it’s great to hear something fresh from these phantom lords.

“Crown of Barbed Wire” has a nice big, open riff during the chorus, allowing plenty of room for James Hetfield to deliver the catchy refrain “So tight/This Crown/of Barbed Wire.” The man is baring his soul all over this album and the band are supporting him masterfully, alternating between badass and beautiful with their performances.

“If Darkness Had a Son” gets my vote for creepiest song on the album, with the snaking, off kilter and slightly dissonant verse evoking unease before opening up into the big chorus. The solo section is one of the longer ones on the album, and the halftime shifts allow Kirk Hammett to emote and shred as only he can.

“Too Far Gone” again finds James Hetfield in his high voice, sounding vicious in the verse and heartfelt in the chorus. The bridge riff at 2:30 is classic Metallica with that 1986 – 1988 melody and crunch we all expect.

The solo section of “Room of Mirrors” at the 3:38 mark brings an absolutely beautiful and melodic performance from Kirk Hammett before kicking into a nasty little “Dyer’s Eve”-esque thrash part. Then comes the final chorus to wrap up a wild double bass ride before transitioning into the album’s crowning closing track.

The 11-minute album closer “Inamorata” is Metallica‘s longest track to date, beating previous record holders like “To Live Is To Die” and the “Outlaw Torn” while also sounding like a melding of the styles of those two songs and fan-favorite deep cut “Fixxxer“. The bulk of the song is in that epic, Sabbath–worshipping Load era vein, but it’s the soaring, darkly beautiful harmony guitars and solo that kicks off around the 6:40 mark that does it for me. This sounds like it’s right out of “To Live Is To Die” or the weird backwards intro to “Blackened.” The center of a truly epic track and a fantastic to close the album.

Performance-wise, James Hetfield brings a new post-rehab vulnerability and honesty to his lyrics and vocal delivery, bringing a graver sense of depth to the album. Meanwhile, his riffing hand is still the mightiest in metal, hammering home some of the hottest Metallica riffs we’ve heard in a long time.

Lars Ulrich, often lauded as not being the best drummer in the world, proves that he is the best drummer for Metallica as his parts are always inventive, energetic and so unquestionably Lars. Just remember, this guys is an influence to literally every shit talker out there and he proves why right here.

Robert Trujillo’s bass is more audible on this album than it has been on previous albums and has a nice big, throaty sound to it that melds well with the drums and guitars. His backing vocals are a nice new touch for the band and he once again proves that he is the right man for the job, and has been for over 20 years now.

And let’s talk about Kirk Hammett. Again with the haters, talking about how Kirk’s solos aren’t technical enough or whatever. The man is shredding like his fingers are on fire here, playing from the gut and from the heart. His solos evoke emotion like the best vocal melodies and are integral parts of each song.

Overall, this album deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the Black Album and …And Justice for All, sounding like some kind of mix between the two. And for a longtime Metallica fan like me who came onboard in 1989 after seeing the “One” video, that’s about as a good a mix of sounds one will get.