Appreciation: Metallica - St. Anger

St. Anger. Just uttering the title of Metallica’s 2003 effort makes longtime fans… well, angry (for the most part). The album was released during my more “metalhead” phase in high school. I wore the Metallica shirts, I worshipped albums such as Master Of Puppets and …And Justice For All (I still do consider them to be the epitome of metal releases). Needless to say, I was clamoring for some new Metallica music in 2003. After the Load/Garage Inc./S&M era of the band, Metallica went through a much publicized period of turmoil. This period resulted in frontman James Hetfield departing from the band and being kicked out of his house because of his significant struggles with alcohol abuse. This brought the band into an indefinite hiatus.

When Hetfield returned from a successful stint in rehab, Metallica had hoped to put their troubles behind them and release an aggressive, back-to-the-roots kind of album. Something that would usher in a revitalized, yet familiar sound for the band. And thus, St. Anger was born.

Released in June 2003, St. Anger was Metallica’s first album of original material since 1998’s Reload. Again, I had been anticipating this record like no other, so my expectations were fairly high at the time. However, not only was I extremely disappointed with the album, but I really wondered if Metallica was going to recover from the backlash that this album received. Trust me when I say that the distaste for this album is still going strong after almost thirteen years. I did see them on the tour for St. Anger and they only showcased the title track from the album during my show. It made me appreciate the song a little more, but the album was still a far cry from what I wanted Metallica to be. Again, I was a metalhead who only wanted a band to sound like they did from the 80’s. Not the case anymore, but that’s getting into a different story with my musical tastes.

So why was there such a backlash following the release of St. Anger? The album suffers from overly long, repetitive songs, odd vocals from Hetfield in some parts, insanely raw production values (along with a drum sound that is just bombarded with hate to this day), and lyrics that cross over into somewhat juvenile territory at times. Some songs have a sort of cut-and-paste quality to them, which hinders an album of this length. Not to mention the fact that there is not a guitar solo to be found on this record. A fact that disturbed fans to no end. This is an article to show appreciation, but make no mistake about it: St. Anger is not even close to a perfect album. For a band that has made quintessential metal masterpieces during their career, St. Anger won’t be remembered as one of them. I began to see the album in a different light around 2009. I had befriended a fellow teaching candidate in teacher’s college who was absolutely in love with the album. His fondness for it really confused me at the time. I kept picking his brain, trying to figure out why the album clicked with him. At the end of the day, he just liked how it sounded. He liked how raw and unpolished it was. It was honest, unforced, and brutal, and he loved every bit of it. Now, his opinion didn’t make me do a 180 on my own viewpoint right away, but it allowed me to gain a little perspective about what the album was, beyond my own expectations/impressions. Moreover, it was easier to get a grasp on St. Anger after the band had released Death Magnetic in 2008. Personally, I found the latter to be a much better album at the time, but I have noticed that I’m appreciating both in different ways after having compared the two.

With the 30 year anniversary of Master Of Puppets in March of 2016, I have found myself revisiting that album, but also taking St. Anger for another spin. My opinion on it had slightly shifted back when my buddy was telling me about it. But listening to it these days, I’ve gained an even higher appreciation for this 75-minute behemoth. Many Metallica fans tend to ignore the album, but there is an honesty to this album that allows it to be accessible. It’s still muddy sounding, but the riffs are absolutely crushing at times, the drumming is great (yeah, I don’t really find too much issue with the “tin can” sound), and it is perfectly aggressive for what it is attempting to be; an album that is meant to exorcise demons and be a bit of a cleansing for the soul. Songs such as St. Anger, Sweet Amber, The Unnamed Feeling, and All Within My Hands are intense, while also providing an emotional edge. The lyrics don’t go for some higher meaning. They’re just honest and to the point. Yes, they are a little juvenile at times, but I’m happy that there aren’t so many metal clichés on this record. We don’t have to listen about science fiction, fictitious wars, or historical contexts. These are all personal lyrics. Sure, sometimes Hetfield’s vocals do sound strained from yelling. But at other times, he really hits the mark with emotional delivery. For example, the repeating lyric, “God, it feels like it only rains on me,” on My World is a brief emotional moment. Another example of Hetfield’s cerebral vocal performance is on All Within My Hands, when he uses his guttural voice to say, “Kill all within my hands again,” letting his breath run out at the end so his vocals are delivered with an incredible vulnerability. All this while the guitar purposely stutters in the mix around the five-minute mark. It’s perfectly executed.

As time has gone by since its release, I’ve just discovered a fondness for this album. I don’t attribute that to any kind of nostalgia or anything of the sort. But being older now, I can appreciate the honest, emotional approach that anchors the album. Outside of the music, I can also be grateful that this album probably saved Metallica’s life as a band. As a kid who was, admittedly, not necessarily into music throughout my childhood, Metallica was a gateway band for me. They brought a lot of life into music for me, and St. Anger was the antidote to allow them to continue onward as a band. Thus, now that I can understand its impact outside of a purely musical element, it certainly deserves a fond look. Now, that doesn’t mean that everyone would enjoy this. It’s a headache to get through and it’s also a tremendously exhausting recording. But, while some music can bring wonderment to people, there’s something to be said about an album that can also be painfully direct and raw to the core. I’m glad I’ve been able to revisit this album over the years and gain an appreciation for it. St. Anger leaves it all out there for the listener, and while it may never garner a full appreciation from the fanbase, it has finally won me over.