What did you think the first time you listened to Metallica's Load?

Big Rich wrote:

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Load and Reload are excellent albums. Loved them from the start. I get that they're weird albums for Metallica, but I can easily overlook that sort of thing; I don't get caught up in anything but the music.

This

This is like saying everybody else liked the music too but they just hate it because of other stuff.


Nah, those songs weren't good to my ears. The look and that horrible alvum cover was just piling on.

As whole albums, the "Loads" still rank among my least favourite, mainly because their release marked the first time I actually skipped songs on a Metallica album and had quite a few songs I would consider "filler" - the avoidance of which up until that point had always been Metallica's absolute strongest asset in my opinion - the ability to just write quality songs. However, if I take what I consider to be their strongest tracks off of each album and put them into a single playlist, it would come out a damn fine creation. I like that I have different "eras" of one of my favourite bands to choose from - I can respect bands like AC/DC who have an established sound, but I would find it quite boring/monotonous if I were to try to be a die hard fan of them.

I definitely think the look of that era had considerable influence on people's take on those albums - I don't think they would have got as much flack had there not been such a drastic change in image and other off-stage contrasts. Then again, they were always going to get hate from "Tr00" metal fans. I personally don't give a flying fuck about the supposed reasons for the change in sound, especially the same tired "sell-out" narrative. People talk about it like it's the easiest thing in the world to just change musical direction and make millions. Metallica would not have found the success they did had they not been truly talented musicians capable of writing great material across a range of genres/sounds. Plus, I really can't understand the comparisons to anything "alternative" or "indie" - I hear no Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Creed, etc. on those albums. It sounds like Metallica.

Back in '07 when I started at my current work, there was a dusty Load CD, without a jewel case, lying around in a rolltainer among dusty crap like abandoned staplers, papers, shrink wrap rolls etc. I sometimes thought of picking it up and giving it a home, but never did. It's long gone, assumably to a trash bin.

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Big Rich wrote:

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Load and Reload are excellent albums. Loved them from the start. I get that they're weird albums for Metallica, but I can easily overlook that sort of thing; I don't get caught up in anything but the music.

This

This is like saying everybody else liked the music too but they just hate it because of other stuff.


Nah, those songs weren't good to my ears. The look and that horrible alvum cover was just piling on.

As whole albums, the "Loads" still rank among my least favourite, mainly because their release marked the first time I actually skipped songs on a Metallica album and had quite a few songs I would consider "filler" - the avoidance of which up until that point had always been Metallica's absolute strongest asset in my opinion - the ability to just write quality songs. However, if I take what I consider to be their strongest tracks off of each album and put them into a single playlist, it would come out a damn fine creation. I like that I have different "eras" of one of my favourite bands to choose from - I can respect bands like AC/DC who have an established sound, but I would find it quite boring/monotonous if I were to try to be a die hard fan of them.

I definitely think the look of that era had considerable influence on people's take on those albums - I don't think they would have got as much flack had there not been such a drastic change in image and other off-stage contrasts. Then again, they were always going to get hate from "Tr00" metal fans. I personally don't give a flying fuck about the supposed reasons for the change in sound, especially the same tired "sell-out" narrative. People talk about it like it's the easiest thing in the world to just change musical direction and make millions. Metallica would not have found the success they did had they not been truly talented musicians capable of writing great material across a range of genres/sounds. Plus, I really can't understand the comparisons to anything "alternative" or "indie" - I hear no Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Creed, etc. on those albums. It sounds like Metallica.

I can only speak for myself, but the songs I heard on thart ecord were subpar.

Big Rich wrote:

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Big Rich wrote:

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Load and Reload are excellent albums. Loved them from the start. I get that they're weird albums for Metallica, but I can easily overlook that sort of thing; I don't get caught up in anything but the music.

This

This is like saying everybody else liked the music too but they just hate it because of other stuff.


Nah, those songs weren't good to my ears. The look and that horrible alvum cover was just piling on.

As whole albums, the "Loads" still rank among my least favourite, mainly because their release marked the first time I actually skipped songs on a Metallica album and had quite a few songs I would consider "filler" - the avoidance of which up until that point had always been Metallica's absolute strongest asset in my opinion - the ability to just write quality songs. However, if I take what I consider to be their strongest tracks off of each album and put them into a single playlist, it would come out a damn fine creation. I like that I have different "eras" of one of my favourite bands to choose from - I can respect bands like AC/DC who have an established sound, but I would find it quite boring/monotonous if I were to try to be a die hard fan of them.

I definitely think the look of that era had considerable influence on people's take on those albums - I don't think they would have got as much flack had there not been such a drastic change in image and other off-stage contrasts. Then again, they were always going to get hate from "Tr00" metal fans. I personally don't give a flying fuck about the supposed reasons for the change in sound, especially the same tired "sell-out" narrative. People talk about it like it's the easiest thing in the world to just change musical direction and make millions. Metallica would not have found the success they did had they not been truly talented musicians capable of writing great material across a range of genres/sounds. Plus, I really can't understand the comparisons to anything "alternative" or "indie" - I hear no Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Creed, etc. on those albums. It sounds like Metallica.

I can only speak for myself, but the songs I heard on that record were subpar.

Fair enough, to each his own. They hit their peak (all aspects of success considered) with the Black Album, in my opinion - one of the greatest heavy metal albums ever.

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Big Rich wrote:

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Big Rich wrote:

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Load and Reload are excellent albums. Loved them from the start. I get that they're weird albums for Metallica, but I can easily overlook that sort of thing; I don't get caught up in anything but the music.

This

This is like saying everybody else liked the music too but they just hate it because of other stuff.


Nah, those songs weren't good to my ears. The look and that horrible alvum cover was just piling on.

As whole albums, the "Loads" still rank among my least favourite, mainly because their release marked the first time I actually skipped songs on a Metallica album and had quite a few songs I would consider "filler" - the avoidance of which up until that point had always been Metallica's absolute strongest asset in my opinion - the ability to just write quality songs. However, if I take what I consider to be their strongest tracks off of each album and put them into a single playlist, it would come out a damn fine creation. I like that I have different "eras" of one of my favourite bands to choose from - I can respect bands like AC/DC who have an established sound, but I would find it quite boring/monotonous if I were to try to be a die hard fan of them.

I definitely think the look of that era had considerable influence on people's take on those albums - I don't think they would have got as much flack had there not been such a drastic change in image and other off-stage contrasts. Then again, they were always going to get hate from "Tr00" metal fans. I personally don't give a flying fuck about the supposed reasons for the change in sound, especially the same tired "sell-out" narrative. People talk about it like it's the easiest thing in the world to just change musical direction and make millions. Metallica would not have found the success they did had they not been truly talented musicians capable of writing great material across a range of genres/sounds. Plus, I really can't understand the comparisons to anything "alternative" or "indie" - I hear no Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Creed, etc. on those albums. It sounds like Metallica.

I can only speak for myself, but the songs I heard on that record were subpar.

Fair enough, to each his own. They hit their peak (all aspects of success considered) with the Black Album, in my opinion - one the the greatest heavy metal albums ever.

Now, I think that was their sellout album. They peaked with Kill 'Em All and repeated it with Master of Puppets, and pushed the movement forward.

Then quit the genre and went on to do something different. Even ...And Justice For All wasn't that thrash anymore, and a sign of things to come.

Lari wrote:

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Big Rich wrote:

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Big Rich wrote:

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Load and Reload are excellent albums. Loved them from the start. I get that they're weird albums for Metallica, but I can easily overlook that sort of thing; I don't get caught up in anything but the music.

This

This is like saying everybody else liked the music too but they just hate it because of other stuff.


Nah, those songs weren't good to my ears. The look and that horrible alvum cover was just piling on.

As whole albums, the "Loads" still rank among my least favourite, mainly because their release marked the first time I actually skipped songs on a Metallica album and had quite a few songs I would consider "filler" - the avoidance of which up until that point had always been Metallica's absolute strongest asset in my opinion - the ability to just write quality songs. However, if I take what I consider to be their strongest tracks off of each album and put them into a single playlist, it would come out a damn fine creation. I like that I have different "eras" of one of my favourite bands to choose from - I can respect bands like AC/DC who have an established sound, but I would find it quite boring/monotonous if I were to try to be a die hard fan of them.

I definitely think the look of that era had considerable influence on people's take on those albums - I don't think they would have got as much flack had there not been such a drastic change in image and other off-stage contrasts. Then again, they were always going to get hate from "Tr00" metal fans. I personally don't give a flying fuck about the supposed reasons for the change in sound, especially the same tired "sell-out" narrative. People talk about it like it's the easiest thing in the world to just change musical direction and make millions. Metallica would not have found the success they did had they not been truly talented musicians capable of writing great material across a range of genres/sounds. Plus, I really can't understand the comparisons to anything "alternative" or "indie" - I hear no Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Creed, etc. on those albums. It sounds like Metallica.

I can only speak for myself, but the songs I heard on that record were subpar.

Fair enough, to each his own. They hit their peak (all aspects of success considered) with the Black Album, in my opinion - one the the greatest heavy metal albums ever.

Now, I think that was their sellout album. They peaked with Kill 'Em All and repeated it with Master of Puppets, and pushed the movement forward.

Then quit the genre and went on to do something different. Even ...And Justice For All wasn't that thrash anymore, and a sign of things to come.

So what if it wasn't thrash? Why do you want them to stick do such a narrow path musically? If you don't like the more mainstream approach (I personally still think TBA is one heavy album that should please any fan of rock/metal music), I still don't see how ...And Justice For All is in any way more "commercial" than its predecessors.

It's not more commercial. It's less good. Other thrash bands pushed past.

Then they flat out gave up and did the self-titled album.

Not blaming them, really. How would you possibly answer Rust in Peace. Thrash metal plateaued there.

Big Rich wrote:

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Load and Reload are excellent albums. Loved them from the start. I get that they're weird albums for Metallica, but I can easily overlook that sort of thing; I don't get caught up in anything but the music.

This

This is like saying everybody else liked the music too but they just hate it because of other stuff.

Nah, those songs weren't good to my ears. The look and that horrible alvum cover was just piling on.

How many times on page one of this thread has the cover art and band look been mentioned? Clearly that plays a big role in whether or not people like things. Obviously I'm not suggesting that that's the case with everyone, but it is with a lot of people and absolutely was with these two albums. Just by cutting their damn hair, countless people immediately made up their minds about the album.

Hell, I remember when supposed fans disowned the band because they made a damn video for "One."

Eyesore wrote:

Big Rich wrote:

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Load and Reload are excellent albums. Loved them from the start. I get that they're weird albums for Metallica, but I can easily overlook that sort of thing; I don't get caught up in anything but the music.

This

This is like saying everybody else liked the music too but they just hate it because of other stuff.

Nah, those songs weren't good to my ears. The look and that horrible alvum cover was just piling on.

How many times on page one of this thread has the cover art and band look been mentioned? Clearly that plays a big role in whether or not people like things. Obviously I'm not suggesting that that's the case with everyone, but it is with a lot of people and absolutely was with these two albums. Just by cutting their damn hair, countless people immediately made up their minds about the album.

Hell, I remember when supposed fans disowned the band because they made a damn video for "One."

Lots of bands i like had horrible inage changes and album cover I didn't like. I didn't give up on those bands. I didn't stop loving Metal Church because of the Hanging in the Balance album cover.

Just Metallica. Because those songs aren't very good.

Big Rich wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Big Rich wrote:

Mglaffas81 wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Load and Reload are excellent albums. Loved them from the start. I get that they're weird albums for Metallica, but I can easily overlook that sort of thing; I don't get caught up in anything but the music.

This

This is like saying everybody else liked the music too but they just hate it because of other stuff.

Nah, those songs weren't good to my ears. The look and that horrible alvum cover was just piling on.

How many times on page one of this thread has the cover art and band look been mentioned? Clearly that plays a big role in whether or not people like things. Obviously I'm not suggesting that that's the case with everyone, but it is with a lot of people and absolutely was with these two albums. Just by cutting their damn hair, countless people immediately made up their minds about the album.

Hell, I remember when supposed fans disowned the band because they made a damn video for "One."

Lots of bands i like had horrible inage changes and album cover I didn't like. I didn't give up on those bands. I didn't stop loving Metal Church because of the Hanging in the Balance album cover.

Just Metallica. Because those songs aren't very good.

Understood. My original comment wasn't defining everyone that disliked the album. But we both know that music fans dismiss albums and bands all the time for the dumbest things, stuff that has nothing to do with the music. There are people who think all Christian bands such just because they're Christian, and countless Christians think anything that isn't Christian sucks. The list goes on and on and on...

The black album is the best of “the weakest” Metallica albums.

My thought was, that's it, I'm done! And I was all the way until Death Magnetic.

Now I can enjoy most of Load and about half of Reload but at the time I had despised what they had become. They were my very first metal band (the debut of the music video for Enter Sandman). I then got all the other ones on tape including Garage Days Revisited (which was eventually destroyed by my step-sister's first baby). They were one of my favorites. I was shocked to find out most die hards hated TBA because while I could tell it was slower, it was still heavy AF. Load was not and I realized perhaps they were right to be disappointed with TBA as it led to Load.

I remember it coming out and the middle aged shopkeeper at the local metal shop was asking "Why would they put this out? All the fans wanted them to be heavy." I didn't realize it then, but it was the end of metal being a truly relevant economic force. Almost as if he knew then end was near. I'm pretty sure that store went out of business a couple years later. In any case it's been gone for along time.
Looking back, 1996 was a HORRIBLE year for metal in general, IMHO. Just look at this list :http://www.bnrmetal.com/v5/topten/year/1996. I'm sure some of you fellas like a few on the list, but to me 1996 was metal's nadir.

The first time I heard it?

I remember thinking, what a “Load” of shit! Lol!

Seriously though I didn’t like it but have grown to enjoy some of it over time. You just have to think of it as a different band.

John Madden wrote:

I remember it coming out and the middle aged shopkeeper at the local metal shop was asking "Why would they put this out? All the fans wanted them to be heavy." I didn't realize it then, but it was the end of metal being a truly relevant economic force. Almost as if he knew then end was near. I'm pretty sure that store went out of business a couple years later. In any case it's been gone for along time.
   Looking back, 1996 was a HORRIBLE year for metal in general, IMHO. Just look at this list :http://www.bnrmetal.com/v5/topten/year/1996. I'm sure some of you fellas like a few on the list, but to me 1996 was metal's nadir.

Horrible? That entire list is full of kick-ass albums!

Sepultura Roots
Pantera The Great Southern Trendkill
Moonspell Irreligious
Amorphis Elegy
Therion Theli
Tool Aenima
Iced Earth The Dark Saga
Metallica Load
Corrosion Of Conformity Wiseblood
Nevermore The Politics Of Ecstasy
In Flames The Jester Race
Manowar Louder Than Hell
Angra Freedom Call
Edge Of Sanity Crimson
Anathema Eternity
Carcass Swansong
Samael Passage
Marilyn Manson Antichrist Superstar
Sentenced Down
Prong Rude Awakening
Rage Against The Machine Evil Empire
Katatonia Brave Murder Day
Acid Bath Paegan Terrorism Tactics
Blind Guardian The Forgotten Tales
Rage Lingua Mortis
Floodgate Penalty
Thought Industry Outer Space Is Just A Martini Away
Stratovarius Episode
Biohazard Mata Leao
Cathedral Supernatural Birth Machine
Dark Tranquillity Enter Suicidal Angels
King's X Ear Candy
Fu Manchu In Search Of
Virgin Steele The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell II
Opeth Morningrise
Symphony X The Divine Wings Of Tragedy
Grave Digger Tunes Of War
Galactic Cowboys Feel The Rage
The 3rd And The Mortal Painting On Glass
Memory Garden Tides
Stabbing Westward Wither, Blister, Burn And Peel
Stuck Mojo Pigwalk
Memento Mori La Danse Macabre
Crisis Deathshead Extermination
Psychotic Waltz Bleeding
Gothic Knights Gothic Knights

All great albums!

Definitely some great albums on that list!

Actually that looks pretty terrible if those are the Best albums of an entire year.

I agree about the nadir.

Can’t stand the Load albums. Too many lame changes both music and image...

Although I think Load is slightly better than Re-Load (which isn’t saying much) the Lars and Kirk love affair, the haircuts, makeup and the ultra commercial musical direction is all terrible. Not to mention that cream puddle album cover. It’s atrocious.

I can’t imagine a guy like Cliff Burton going along with that image makeover. I think he would’ve kept his denim and long hair forever.

Lari wrote:

Actually that looks pretty terrible if those are the Best albums of an entire year.

I agree about the nadir.

I agree. I'd call about a third of those great.

I saw about 22 on the list I liked. 14 I really like.

I actually saw some great albums on that list.

Gilbert wrote:

I actually saw some great albums on that list.

Your mileage may vary