Well that was a great gig. Metallica putting on an epic show, loads of hits, and I was pretty close to the stage

Good, beer should be in glass ideally, plastic glasses for gigs make far more sense

I said new last week, so here is a new performance of the old! One of my favourite tracks, and I'm sure needs no introductions for most community members, so stick on those headphones, turn up the amp, and rock out

After last week's return to Kill em All, I revisited this classic cover album and I really liked this track.

Tygers of Pan Tang are themselves older than Metallica, but they sound pretty fresh still to me.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tygers_of_Pan_Tang

Anyway, here's to some old stuff. Think we had better do some new stuff next week!

You know what, after that stellar Apocalyptica cover a fee weeks back: we need to go back to basics. And this track is the antidote to that. A thrash classic veering more than slightly into the punk roots that are often more Anthrax of the big four, but this track is (roughly) where it started. A Kill 'Em All masterpiece imo, with a galloping and bursting first half that breaks into a face melting solo. Noted for being a reworking of The Mechanix, released by Dave Mustaine under Megadeth also, it demonstrates imo what Metallica were just unbeatable at: fast as fuck, massive drums, epic solos. James' bark being very young it should be also be noted, he lost it for RtL. The Four Horsemen also has a massive outro, heavy on the pentatonics and reverb.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmraiHm_0fU

Megadeth's Mechabix for comparison. Even faster! Less solos. A bit muddier for me, that guitar tone not quite as nailed. But better vocals for me, and obviously punchier with a shorter runtime too

For anyone else excited for their upcoming European tour - here's a sneak peak!

I fancy a cover this week. And few better than the cello masters of Apocalyptica. They broke into the metal world with their first cover album in 1996, but have done loads of their own songs too, and worth your time I promise. Great band live too, and they even got Rob and James to lend their talents to their last album. Enjoy head bangers!

A vaguely Enter Sandman esque opening riffs quickly yields to a downpicking exercise in wrist control for our track this week. The third single from Death Magnetic and it is a 8:30 epic dripping with trash metal riffs and curiously played in drop-d for Metallica. Loafs of solos for good measure too, which were missing the album before!

Enjoy anyway, happy Monday trashers

A fan favourite off of Reload, but weirdly their third single off it. Anyway, if you've ever seen Metallica live, I'd wager you've seen this track live too! High tempo and non-stop stuff, enjoy on this here Monday

A Black Album single for us today, and here's a mid-tempo palm mute heavy song with James' vocals being center high in the mix. 6:44 in length meant that this doesn't see much radio play today, I've no idea how much it got much back in 1992, but it is very much a live staple. And with a baseline that some good headphones brings out, I do recommend putting on the cans and enjoy a little drink whilst you enjoy the full effect

@metallica
These guys kicked me out of their band!

Some S&M2 action for us this week. One of my favourite instrumentals and with the orchestra - extra magnificent

The track itself comes from 1984's Ride the Lightning. Co-wrote with Dave Mustaine, with vast chunks from the inimitable Cliff Burton. This track has it all, including a Grammy from S&M in 1999

Anyway, tune in and enjoy, and Metal Mondays to us all!

Top YT comment

If this isn't played at my funeral I'm not going

And amen to that! Anyway, here's Metallica going epic in Lincoln, Nebraska with a classic track from Ride the Lightning. And Kirk has some fun all over this track, James singing and barking like days of yore - backed up by a very high spirited crowd - Lars tight as fuck on this epic track, and you can even hear the bass from Rob!

I saw them on this tour, but I didn't get Fade to Black sadly. Who has something to share about it?

Happy Monday headbangers

All on the cello. Pretty nuts stuff. Apocalyptica started out just the strings, adding drums, and even vocals later - and are fab in their songs too btw. Great live band I can also attest to, and here is a cover of a Master of Puppets classic

Lighter string actions until the breakdown, with the vocals being played very upper register. But when that palm muted riff kicks in the cellos go all bassy distorty, and the harmonies for the guitar solo are just sublime. Definitely many tracking loads of dubs and overlaying plenty to give amazing depth

Happy Monday!

Vegas isn't for me, but y'all can enjoy 4 no repeat weekends there

Diamond Head are a UK band formed in 1976 and a huge influence to Metallica. Metallica covered them extensively, with Am I Evil back in 1982, and the lesser known Helpless also. So with the cover album of Kill em all released last year, No Life 'Til Leather, it was heartening to see Diamond Head releasing this most epic track in return!

And what a cover! Blistering pace, guitars which machine gun along, and vocals which I think surpass the original. Check out some other Diamond Head is my advice after this track

As always, anyone seen Diamond Head? Metallica don't play No Remorse much, has anyone heard it themselves?

Live version for us today so we get some bass. Which is really rare for this track, apprently this was it's first ever full outing in 2014, and has only been seen 12 times!

https://metallica.fandom.com/wiki/The_Frayed_Ends_of_Sanity_(song)

And you can see why, this song is technical as fuck, full of solos, riffs that make your fingers bleed, a tempo higher than anything they record today, and a verse/pre-chorus/chorus structure punctuated with interludes galore too. Lyrically dealing with losing your mind, and pretty severe mental health issues, which when it was recorded, in the absence of Cliff Burton makes a lot of sense for the band.

Alright, has anyone got any memories of this track to share?

Can only get away with this gag once (I missed yesterday, oops). But here is Metallica's cover of the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic. A southern rock staple, Metallica covered it for Garage Inc back in 1998. Garage Inc, has a lot more famous tracks, like So What, Whisky in the Jar, and Overkill - but none of them are about Tuesday!

The song itself is a low tempo affair featuring a wide variety of acoustic instrumentation with guitars, harmonicas, pianos, and a low drum mix. And it is a longer one, with a heavy verse, chorus strucure punctuated by a few different solos. Featuring (my music theory being tested here) an eight bar blues progression of some sort, in Ab, and James has to sing in a higher key than I think he'd master today. Looks deceptively simple from Ultimate Guitar but I bet getting those changes and lyrics synced takes sone practice. And lyrically it deals with a break up, the titular Tuesday leaving the singer to wander the trains and plains of their mind, and soul. James doing a great soulful performancs ro match.

Not a huge live staple, who's seen it before? Or, has anyone seen Skynyrd perform it? Happy Tuesday folks

Well we heard the Metallica version a wee while ago, now it's Dave's turn! And we have a pretty on the nose version on the face of it. Almost identical riffs, drums, and lyrics, with I make just the last verse being different. But it is almost unmistakably Megadeth also with those guitars just bursting out at you, less waah pedals, and more bass guitar the Ride the Lightning's version. And Dave's vocals have aged well, contrasting to a young James is a fun mix

Off of Megadeth's last (announced at least!) album released just last month, and it has been number one in many countries. Already coined the White album in contrast to Metallica's self titled but known as Black album, this is full of bangers. The opener in particular drew me in, and the final regular track final lyrics finishing with

I came, I ruled, now I disappear
- Dave Mustaine

One more tour to come out of them, and you can be sure it will be a big one. As always, who's got some memories to share? Megadeth ones this week it seems!

Piano intro for part 3, from Death Magnetic. A return to form for many a fan, the third iteration of Unforgiven grounds Metallica back to their back catalogue literally. With a fairly similar chord progression, and topics for lyrics you might say this is a retread or rehash but there is plenty more going on here. Strings accompanying, a strong vocal mix and performance from James. A breakdown, repeating refrain about forgiveness or not and as is now familiar: a big finish for an Unforgiven track.

I've enjoyed this little journey and hope you are having a good one this Monday. I know this track has been good for me this week. As always, who's got some memories about this track to share? I don't think performed a huge amount at all, and easily missed on Death Magnetic itself imo. But has stood the test of time, from 2008!

No sign of IV yet