Album Dive
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…AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (or AJFA if you’re an acronym fan), the 4th album from METALLICA (and the last album before “The Black Album”) was a strange yet glorious time for fans because it marked the beginning of a new era, with Jason Newsted taking over on bass duties after Cliff Burton’s tragic and untimely demise during the Master of Puppets World Tour.
Some people call AJFA “The Last Great Metallica Album”. Some people call AJFA “The ‘Pre-Black Album’ Black Album”. Metal Nerdery Podcast people call AJFA “The most progressive thrash metal album ever released by the biggest thrash metal band on the planet”. Maybe we’re wrong, maybe those other people are wrong, but one thing’s for certain: there is no other record in metal that sounds anything like AJFA!!!
Check out Metallica on the InterWebs
Released: September 7, 1988
Recorded: January 28 – May 1, 1988
Studio: One on One (Los Angeles)
Label: Elektra
Producers:
James Hetfield
Flemming Rasmussen
Lars Ulrich
It's time to “take all your get ready pills” and enjoy a “crispy fried wolf steak” taquito before you “get spit roasted” and JOIN US for our dive into one of the finest moments in progressive thrash metal and celebrate the rifftactical, juggernaut that is AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
BLACKENED:
That reversed intro always had a very palpable tension to it. And the very first riff in the song seems to amplify and explode that tension. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of “…And Justice For All” (AJFA) referred to as “The Last Great Metallica Album” before, but it’s fair to say that it was the last album of that particular ERA. This song is like an entire entrée of delicious riffaroni with thrash gravy. Ooooh, how about Cajun thrash gravy? Y’know, to go with the “Blackened” theme.
“In the exit of humanity, color our world blackened.”
…AND JUSTICE FOR ALL:
Clearly, AJFA was a bit different in concept than their three previous albums. This was a new time and a change in sound for the band. Even the riffs in this song seemed like something brand new, fresh out of the jam room.
The beautiful thing about Metallica is that the lyrical content of their songs has always been applicable to different time periods; touching on REAL issues that everyone deals with every day, everywhere, across humanity.
The other beautiful thing about Metallica, which bears repeating, are those RIFFS!!! This song has no shortage of incredible riffs!!! Ohhh 1988, what a year you were!!!
“Justice is lost, Justice is raped, Justice is gone…”
EYE OF THE BEHOLDER:
This was a favorite right out of the gate. The riffs, the lyrics, all of it. Here again, lyrics that apply to any time, any generation (including this one).
Read those lyrics. In some ways, this might be the most philosophical album in Metallica’s catalog as of this point in their career. No one can deny that up to this point, this was by far, without question, the most progressive album they had ever released, EVER!
“Do you want what I want? Desire not a thing. I hunger after independence, lengthen freedom’s ring.”
ONE:
This one certainly captured the “track 4” energy and vibe of Lightning and Puppets. A very haunting intro, with a beautifully orchestrated turn right before the verse begins. ONE was Metallica’s first video, first Grammy Performance. THIS song was a very big ONE for Metallica (no pun intended. Not a “big” pun anyway). Following the harmony break, before the guitar solo, is one of the most iconic riffs and/or breakdowns (and/or bolth) in heavy metal history!
“Nothing is real but pain now…”
THE SHORTEST STRAW:
Kinda like AJFA, this one had an unusual riff just before the verse. Definitely a great “Side 2” opener (if you’re following along on cassette). Definitely a bit slower and heavier (and perhaps even groovier) than prior “Side 2” openers.
“A mass hysteria, a megalomania, reveal dementia, REVEAL!”
HARVESTER OF SORROW:
This one always had that creepier, Thing That Should Not Be kind of vibe to it. Darker, heavier, and eviler than what’s been presented on AJFA thus far. Almost has a Sad But True flow to it, riff wise and heaviness wise. It seems that each song on AJFA has its own unique, harmony, breakdown middle section before going back into the main verse. Very progressive with loads of harmonies.
“Distributor of pain, your loss becomes my gain.”
THE FRAYED ENDS OF SANITY:
Strangely, that also sounds like a great name for a Slayer song. That beginning part comes from “The Wizard of Oz,” specifically the scene at the Castle of The Wicked Witch. This song, as well as the reset of the songs on the album, all convey a new dimension of Metallica’s sound and style that’s beyond anything they’d done previously. Most definitely a progressive album, if not THE most progressive album of their catalog.
“Life, death, want, waste, mass depression…”
TO LIVE IS TO DIE:
Of all the instrumentals Metallica has done, this one is perhaps the most haunting (for very obvious reasons). Certainly, a moving and poetic tribute to their fallen comrade, bassist Cliff Burton; a kind of eulogy. James’ guitar solo on this song really seems to capture the emotion that everyone (including Jason) no doubt must have been feeling with regard to Cliff’s tragic passing and the process of “moving on” as a band while also keeping his memory alive.
“Cannot the Kingdom of Salvation take me home?”
DYERS EVE:
If EVER there was a song that captured the essence of “be your own person and fuck what others tell you to be,” then Dyers Eve is definitely it!!! Parents do the best they can to raise their children to be their own person, but all too often, many parents raise their kids the same way their parents raised them, which makes about as much sense as trying to operate a brand new, 70 inch flat screen TV using an owner’s manual for a TV from 1970…obviously, there’s a LOT of things that don’t make sense. Plus, you can try and protect your kids from everything, but ultimately, you’re just protecting them from the experience of life when you do that. Raise your children well, but also raise them to be their own person.
“Undying spite I feel for you, living out this hell you always knew.”
Show Notes:
(00:01): #soundsofoldpeople #breath #era #deepbreath #andbegin ***WELCOME BACK TO THE METAL NERDERY PODCAST, EVERYONE!!!*** #thisepisodesclinkyoftheepisode #captainmorgancherryvanilla #goodness #HAIL to #Doro and #Robo (Mixes well with #coke) Strange feedback moment…#itsprettyfuckinggood #gobuytheirshit #limitededition #boozeohol / the weird #philosophy around #collectors and items which become highly #collectible (#weird is relative… #enjoyyourweird)/ #childhoodtoys #collectorsitems and #HulkHogansDeathMetalAlbum #Brother (***and a #factually #tangentional reference to #Studio666 with #DaveGrohl***) in theatres #everywhere #relaxerhands #allmybitches #leftandright #Wristina
(05:55): #quicksegue into #thisepisodesbeeroftheepisode #thelounge of #33rdflrInvertedUndergroundBunkerPoonStudios #snozberries #BerlinerStyleWeisse (and now with #lactose #dontbeintolerant) #salivaryspitulation #balloonknotface #PontoonBrewing #Pleasefundouralcoholismformoney ***LEAVE US A VOICE MAIL AT 980-666-8182*** #TheVoiceMailSegment : #pissingpost ***WHO’S YOUR FANTASY BAND LINEUP?*** (Boy, this is a hell of a #rabbithole…we could do multiple volumes on #fantasybandlineups) #somuchgreatness (We had to include #keyboards because it broadens the sound…plus, why the fuck not?) #ERA and #theEraOfNow #onmicburgerburpASMR #toggling ***WAIT, there’s #anothervoicemail*** #seriousquestion #MetalNerderyPodcastRoast #bringontheroasting #itsgreatformaterial #rebuttleepisodes #rebukalepisodes #numberfour and #numberthree #wearenumbertwo #manifestation and #crumbs and #beermoney / #nontangentionally related items #RIP #BonScott #HailAndFarewell and an #INCREDIBLE customer review as well as an incredibly powerful #display
(19:11): #thealbumbeforetheblackalbum (*aka The Pre-Black-Album-Album*) and an analogy that just didn’t connect regarding #Maiden / #PostCliffMetallica #PreBlackAlbumMetallica …AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (The Album) by METALLICA #TheLastGreatMetallicaAlbum #theeighties and #childhood and #thealphabet #ohno / Jump in the time machine that is Russell’s mind. #oldschooldays #ooohofdisapproval / #oldman #markthetime / #iwasconfused / #bassbeef (A #justifiable bass-beef, given the #nonproduction shown on #garagedays #imjustsayin) ***A definite curve ball relative to #Puppets and #GarageDays in production and structure*** #whereisthebass #theguitarnotthefrequency #thebestsounding (#somehowitsperfect) / #theunpopularopinion #justiceforjason (and the differences between Jason’s style vs #CliffBurton #RIP) #thelowendisthere #thebottomisthere #thebassisnot / #RussellsADDConspiracyTheorySegment #jackedoff
(34:20): Regaining control of #masters and #BlackenedRecordings / One on One studios (where #TBA was also recorded…and yes, that’s #theblackalbum) / #Breadpan (not #Breadfan) / Brief memories thinking back over AND JUSTICE FOR ALL #AJFA / #stillbitter about the #1989GrammyLoss / Reflecting on when #Metallica played #TheGrammys (***getting into “the zone”, particularly as a performer***). ***The moment that everything changed at the ’89 Grammy’s*** / Article from #loudwire regarding #AndJusticeForAllFacts (***wore out the cassette*** #walkman) / #8xplatinum / Mike Clink #drumcredits / #Large / ***The #mostprogressive and #mosttechnical Metallica album (certainly a major #progressivethrashalbum) #Justice is like Metallica’s #Hemispheres
(43:33): #burgerburpASMR #enjoy / BLACKENED #fastandsharp (*James Hetfield stacks riffs like #crispyfried #wolfsteak, #layersandlayersofgoodness) ***Go check out the Seattle show from the #LiveShitBingeAndPurge package!!! Talk about #killeropener*** / #Queensryche with Metallica seems like a strange tour. #picturetime #OlanMillsTime #dontcutitout #dogspeak #andwereback #fancydog #tittleytrackASMR (A grow-er or a show-er?) / The strange magic with the #tracklisting …AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (***that riff is definitely not your #runofthemillriff***) #waitwhat #songruiner (That cool middle part including and after the solo…) #faintlybassly #manylayersofguitars #triumphmetal #expresshyourshelf
(58:30): EYE OF THE BEHOLDER #cantbeloudenough #backshadowing (and the #faintpresence of #JasonsBass) / ONE #dudemanbro ***Go check out the #musicvideo! That was a #gamechanger for them! *** #youcanhearalittlebass / #goulash / #everytime #darkness #thatpart #fuckyesmoment
(1:07:20): #Side2Intro if you’re following along on #vinyl or #cassette SHORTEST STRAW #youcanhearveryslightbassforlikeasecond ***There was definitely some heavier sounding riffs on this one…slower and heavier.*** / A different vibe: #AlexOoooOfWTF HARVESTER OF SORROW and the various slower Metallica tunes / A weird #WizardOfOz bit of #tangentionalality #themiddlepart the #snowlo #cocainesolo #cokeboomwolfsteak FRAYED ENDS OF SANITY #grandehuevos #MetallicaFanBone #thatmiddlepart #thoseharmonies #andthen #classicriff ***There’s NOTHING wrong with #MetallicaBone!!!***
(1:20:50): The last bit of #writingcredit #tangentionalality from #thelategreat #CliffBurton #HAIL #RIP TO LIVE IS TO DIE #possibleoldCliffriffs #theloads #themiddlepart with #theviolins (those are guitars, btw). ***On lead guitar, Mr. James Hetfield! *** / Looking back on whenever James would do #guitarsolos)
(1:28:40): #favorite #fastasfuck #killercloser DYERS EVE #getready #soundsweird and #contextisimportant #keepgoing #bookingalonghella #judges #itsfine #usethoseheadphones #notyet #futureshowideas #ifhereallylovesher #madeupforit #letsgoemptyourballs #itstimetodotheloads #loadsofloads #ReinventingTheLoads and #NetflixSpecial #technically #notthelastwordASMR #Era #oldman #gettingbig #LOADS #Era #StillGotTheLastWord #UntilTheNext