I’m a pretty casual Metallica fan, but two songs I’m in love with are “Low Man’s Lyric” and “The Unforgiven” (not to be confused with “The Unforgiven II”). I’m wondering if anyone can throw out some more titles here- on the ‘softer side’ of Metallica. Thanks.
The entire self titled (black) album. The entire Loaded album. Also, selected tracks off …And Justice For All.
I was started out on Nothing Else Matters, graduated to The Unforgiven and the rest of that album, then given a dose of One before moving on to Master of Puppets. I’ve never gotten in to their really early stuff, but Master of Puppets is still one of my all-time favourite albums.
Well, as far as soft stuff, you’ve got to look here and there, but I think I can suggest you some songs to look for.
“Nothing Else Matters” off the Black album
“Mama Said” off Load (based on your likes in the OP, I think this song will be right up your alley)
“Orion” off Master of Puppets"
“Fade to Black” and “Call of Ktulu” from the Ride the Lightning album.
Youll probably want to focus your search on newer Metallica, as they seem to be doing more experimental and softer things, while their earlier output is more in the “speed metal” vein. I second the recommendation for the black album (which is a phenopmenal album, despite it being a bit overrated) as well as the “Load” and “Reload” albums. (both underrated). Thats where the bulk of their softer stuff is.
‘One’ off of …And Justice For All has more clean guitar than any pre-Black Album Metallica song. It does get fast and heavy towards the end, though.
I can’t really recomend much else. I don’t like anything after Justice, and all the mellower songs from that era have already been recomended.
The softer side of Metallica? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
If you wanted to groove to Metallica, you could listen to the Live Shit: Binge and Purge record. But be aware that your soft doughy face would be rocked off your underdeveloped skull.
You might want to check out S&M, a recording of a show they did with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Not all soft, but definitely worth a listen.
Hmmm…
“Master of Puppets”
“Disposable Heroes”
“Am I Evil?” (It’s a cover song, but still good)
Hell, I can’t think of only songs though because I keep thinking ALL Metallica BEFORE the Black Album and a couple of songs after the Black Album. heh
I pretty much stopped following Metallica after Load, which by and large simply didn’t do anything for me. I didn’t mind them branching away from speed metal (I really like the Black Album, and at the time it was released it caused howls of protest from some chunks of the then-fanbase), but too much of Load struck me mostly as…Bland Rock.
“Mama Said”, however is definitely a worthy track–I would have liked that album far more if more of it had been along that song’s lines.
And I hit Submit too soon. A group by the name of Apocalyptica has released at least one disc of Metallica covers–all instrumental, played by a string quartet. It’s really good.
Oh good call! This is an album I need to get myself. Actually, they have 2 albums out. The first is all Metallica songs done on 4 cellos. The second album, “Inquisition Symphony” has another 4 or 5 Metallica songs, but then they also do a few from Sepultura and another band or 2 I think.
Apocalyptica is more or less straight covers, with everything played on celli. It works much better IMHO than Kamen’s orchestrations for S&M – which mostly sounds like the band and the orchestra playing near each other rather than with each other.
It looks like you prefer more of metallica’s softer stuff after they went hard rock (er… sold out). You see, the self titled album (often called the black album) was transition album for metallica. They used to be thrash/speed metal, but now they’re hard rock. But that’s not what you asked.
Assuming you want to know individual songs, and not albums, i recommend to you:
The Outlaw Torn
Bleeding Me
Until It Sleeps
Nothing Else Matters
One
Fade to Black
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
The Call of Ktulu
These are all soft songs, and although the last four are from their metal years, they’re very accessible.
Now, if you want to know the best metallica songs, soft or not, accessible or not, you can email me.
I say just keep downloading their songs off Napster until you find one you like.
The Thing That Should Not Be isn’t exactly soft, but isn’t speed metal either. It has an interesting sound, and it’s an underrated song (no one has metioned it yet?). It’s sort of good ‘science fiction metal’.
In Orion first and final sections are speed metal, but there is an extended slow section.
Anyway just get Master of Puppets and Ride The Lightning. Even people who don’t normally like ‘thrash’ or ‘speed metal’ will think they are great. Personally, its the only heavy metal I still enjoy. Kill 'Em All is more for true metalheads. …And Justice For All just sounds bad (productionwise) despite having many great musical ideas. It’s lyrics can get all little too preachy or topical too at times.
The ‘Black Album’ is the opposite, it sounds terrific, but the music is much simpler and the lyrics are not really earth shattering statements.
After that album, I have no interest in what they have done.