... AND JUSTICE FOR ALL

A thrash metal album with progressive metal tendencies, it blends complex arrangements with speed and aggression, and sections of melodic bliss. The songs are perfectly crafted and you can tell that James and Lars have put a lot of effort into creating passages that intrigue the listener and leave them wondering "Where's this going?", only to deliver a final devastating blow.

Hetfield's lyrics, referencing injustice within the legal system, freedom of speech, war, depression, insanity and hate, act as a commentary on political and social themes. These issues are voiced in a way that is in no way preachy and yet firmly displays his opinions on these topics.

The musicianship on the album is nothing short of outstanding, with the years of solid touring before recording this album obviously paying off. Hetfield and Ulrich are incredibly tight and Hammett delivers some of the best melodies and solos of his career. This brings us to one of the downfalls of the album. With Hetfield's and Ulrich's lack of confidence in the newly recruited Jason Newstead resulting in his bass lines being almost completely mixed out. It's hard to say whether this was a wrong decision in my opinion as I feel the album has a very distinct and original sound that has stood the test of time.

That being said, do I consider this album to be a slightly flawed masterpiece? And the answer is no, I consider it one of the best metal albums ever released.

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