Monthly Archives: April 2023

A to Z of Making It, Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Derivative Works, Influenced, Music, My Stories

Metallica – 72 Seasons

It bored me on the first couple of listens.

Then my vinyl came in and I listened to it the old way, cranking the stereo with the lyric sheet in front of me.

And I kept thinking.

Stryper would like to have their yellow and black colors back. The colors of caution. If you grew up in the 80’s you would know that Stryper had the “Yellow And Black”. And as much as those colors are associated with Stryper, as part of the Stryper reunion in the early 2000’s, one of the stipulations from Michael Sweet was that he wouldn’t wear the Yellow and Black anymore.

So Metallica took it 20 years later.

In the “So What” interviews conducted by Stefan Chirazi and available on the Metallica website, Chirazi asked James Hetfield what the colour yellow means. James, responded with the following;

“Yellow, for me, is light. It’s a source of goodness. So against the black, it really pops.

My vision was I wanted this album [to be] called “Lux Aeterna” because that summed up all the songs for me, kind of an eternal light that was always inside of us that maybe is just now coming out.

And I was out-voted, which is great. “72 Seasons” is definitely more chewable. But that colour came out of “Lux Aeterna.”

“72 Seasons” is released on their own “Blackened Records”.

They are free to do what they want, and it all happened because they control their masters and the highly lucrative back catalogue. Not another label or some investment fund. It is them.

They print so much vinyl they purchased their own vinyl press. Because they can.

As part of the press releases, Hetfield stated “the first 18 years of our lives, that form our true or false selves. Much of our adult experience is re-enactment or reaction to those childhood experiences”.

So here we go.

72 Seasons

As told to Stefan Chirazi, in the “So What” interview, this is what James had to say about it; “It was the “72 seasons of sorrow,” and I dropped the “sorrow” part because the first 18 years of life aren’t all sorrow”.

One thing about the songwriting team of Hetfield and Ulrich is that they sure know how to start off a song.

When that fast riff comes in at 50 seconds it’s mosh pit time. And at 65 seconds it’s the same riff but played with a hard rock feel.

“Shot down, traumatic, time haunted by the past”

What an opening line.

It’s easy to read the situation as someone who has experienced significant emotional trauma, and this trauma continues to affect them in the present.

The opening phrase “shot down” is interesting to me. It generally implies a sudden, unexpected loss or defeat. This could be a reference to a specific event that caused the trauma, such as the loss of a loved one or a significant failure.

And with the phrase “time haunted by the past”, it suggests that it is difficult to focus on the present, as the events of the past are a constant reminder.

Shadows Follow

I gotta say, I like the way this song starts. Actually all of the riffs in this song are headbanging.

I also like the whole “Seething, breathing, nightmares grow”. It’s a different vocal style for Hetfield. It’s simple and very melodic.

“Facing my demons, now I run, still my shadows follow”

It’s menacing and it goes to show the mind state of Hetfield as he tries to confront his inner demons or personal issues, but despite his efforts to escape or avoid them, the problems continue to affect him.

And then there is the word “shadows”.

It could be interpreted as a metaphor for the negative aspects of Hetfield’s personality or past experiences that continue to linger and affect him.

Screaming Suicide

This track is classic Metallica.

Rob Trujilo thinks this song would be a killer in the live arena because there is a groove element to it.

Via the “So What” interviews, Trujilo has stated that; “the verse in that song is different from anything Metallica’s ever done, and it’s surrounded by this groove that is just so infectious, it captures you, kicks you in the ass, and, well, you’ve got to move.”

Lyrically it’s dark.

In the first verse, Hetfield is telling us about a voice inside and how it is questioning if he’s good enough and how he should just give up.

In the second verse, the lyrics state;

“Then a voice appears, whisper in your ears, “you are good enough”, throwing down a rope, a lifeline of hope, never give you up”.

Does it suggests a moment of encouragement and support as the rope is pulling Hetfield out of the dark hole or is the rope a noose.

The phrase “you are good enough” could be a powerful statement of validation and acceptance.

How can it be that the Metal God known as Hetfield is struggling with feelings of inadequacy or self-doubt?

But is the voice offering a message of self-worth and confidence as a way to trick the person into listening to it.

How good is the section from 3.50?

Sleepwalk My Life Away

The Intro.

It builds perfectly. The bass is dominant while the guitars decorate like “Enter Sandman”.

And the bluesy riffing is back.

Maybe it’s back too much but i don’t care.

“Stagger on through the fog in the midnight sun”.

Its metaphorical.

It could represent a challenging and confusing situation that the person is facing, where they must navigate through unclear circumstances (the fog) while enduring a continuous period of brightness and clarity (the midnight sun).

Additionally, the word “stagger”, a lack of balance, due to alcohol or some other addiction, shows that the person is unable to maintain their composure in the face of difficulty.

You Must Burn

Hearing this, I can hear those groove metal tracks like “Harvester Of Sorrow” and “Sad But True”. And I like it.

Via “So What”, this is what Trujilo had to say about the twisting middle section;

With this particular middle section that came to be, that was really centered around a jam and was very moody, and there’s a danger to it; I like how the bass is walking. It’s got a feel to it where it’s “walking through a forest,” like a scene from a Tim Burton movie or something. That’s the feel I get. And James and I just started kind of grooving on it. It was just the two of us.”

How good is the riff at 4.26?

“Smile as it burns to the ground, the perfect don’t want you around, question yourself you may learn who’s the next witch you must burn”

Smile people as you watch that something you disliked or have been rejected from burn to the ground.

The latter part of the line, “question yourself you may learn who’s the next witch you must burn,” is more metaphorical. Its asking is to reflect on our own actions and judgments, perhaps in relation to the exclusion we also might have experienced.

Overall, this line seems to be expressing a somewhat dark and cynical perspective on social dynamics and human behavior otherwise known as social media.

Lux Aeterna

I had to look up what “Lux Aeterna” meant. I knew that “Lux” meant “Light” but wanted to know more. Well “Eternal Light” is the answer.

While acts like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Def Leppard became commcercially successful, the biggest Metal band in the world right now, wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Diamond Head.

A tribute to “Diamond Head”, their “Kill Em All” album and their fans.

“Amplification, lighting the nation” Hetfield sings.

Crank it.

Crown Of Barbed Wire

“So tight this crown of barbed wire”

The Metaphorical Crown of Thorns.

The “crown of thorns” is often used to refer to the painful burden that someone is forced to bear.

The “crown of barbed wire” suggests the heavy burden Hetfield is carrying, that is causing him pain and distress.

Barbed wire is also used to create boundaries or to keep people in or out of certain areas. The “crown” of barbed wire could represent the sense of being hemmed in or limited in some way.

I like the “Harvester Of Sorrow“ feel in the Interlude and Solo Section.

Chasing Light

“Harvester Of Sorrow” is back again. I love the groove from the original song and I like it here.

Then it morphs into a speed Metal track.

How good is that Chorus?

I’m screaming at the top of my lungs, “chase the light, lean on me”.

If Darkness Had A Son

The military style drumming hooks me in. And the way Hetfield builds the guitars reminds me of “Now That We’re Dead” which is my favorite song from the “Hardwired” album.

Let’s go back to 2019.

I remember it well. Metallica were about to arrive in Australia to play a lot of sold out shows, but the tour was cancelled a week before the shows as Hetfield entered rehab again.

Are we surprised when Hetfield chants “temptation”?

“If darkness had a son, here I am”

What an iconic and powerful line.

It suggests a willingness to confront the darkness and embrace one’s own inner struggles, but it also carries a sense of danger and potential for evil.

Too Far Gone

It’s classic Metallica.

And I’m a big fan of the fast punk vibe in the Chorus.

Finally Kirk Hammett breaks out some decent licks. Especially the fast picking bit between the Chorus and Verse. Very “Master Of Puppets” like.

And that “all away” section is perfect.

The song ends with “make it through the day, just for today”.

Room Of Mirrors

It’s a punk song.

“In a mirrored room, all alone I stand, strip away the phantom fame”.

It shows a desire for self-reflection, authenticity, and honesty. Hetfield wants to show us who he truly is, without the illusions of fame and celebrity getting in the way.

And I like that Thin Lizzy like harmony after the solo, which they use a few more times throughout the song.

Inamorata

I had to look up what it meant.

“Inamorata” means “the woman that a man loves”.

The woman here is called Misery and when Hetfield sings “She’s not why I’m living” and “She’s not what I’m living for”, you feel every word.

Via “So What”, this is how Hetfield sums it up; “Misery as my mistress, and I’m trying to hide her. I enjoy her at certain times, but I don’t want the world to know about her.

I don’t want to introduce her to the world because it’s not okay. So misery as a mistress, it does serve a purpose in my life, but I don’t want it to be my life, and I’m tired of it running my life.”

Via the “So What” interviews, Trujilo stated they “hit a grand slam with “Inamorata”. It’s a cross between a beautiful old film with a really cool painting or something… it resonates “California.”

5.11.

It’s the breakdown. The hi-hat shimmering in the background. The bass playing a groove. Swing like. The guitars decorate.

It’s got a Bill Ward Sabbath groove and swing.

And Hetfield, The anguish.

Then the harmonies begin, like “My Friend Of Misery” and a section from “Orion”.

Its why I press play.

Press play and band that head. \::/

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A to Z of Making It, Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Influenced, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

Darker Still

“Darker Still” is a song by the Australian band Parkway Drive. It is also the title track of their 2022 album.

It is one of the best Metal tracks released in the 2020’s decade.

When it comes to Metal, there is always a discussion as to “what is Metal?”

Growing up in the 80s, there was a period up to about 1985 when any album with distortion guitar was classed as Metal.

This meant that you would find AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Kiss, Metallica, Venom, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Twisted Sister, Judas Priest, Van Halen, Scorpions and Quiet Riot (just to name a few) in the Metal section. Even Punk bands ended up in the Metal section.

But the scene fragmented. Blame the labels and MTV.

The massive sales of albums from Def Leppard, Scorpions, Judas Priest and Van Halen in 84 and 85, paved the way for the massive sales to come from Bon Jovi, Europe, Guns N Roses, Whitesnake and Def Leppard again between 1986 and 1989.

The labels needed new names and suddenly Glam/Hair Metal was a thing, Hard Rock was a thing, Melodic Rock was a thing, Thrash Metal was a thing, Death Metal became a thing, Melodic Metal became a thing and then Melodic Death Metal became a thing.

And somehow a thing called Black Metal and Extreme Metal became a genre.

On the other side you had Speed Metal, which morphed to Power Metal and then elements of that style became known as Symphonic Metal and another element became known as Pirate Metal.

And we all know that Grunge came and created a wasteland of rock acts. Industrial Metal and Industrial Rock started to rule the wastelands, and then Alternative Rock and Alternative Metal came briefly just to give way to Nu Metal.

And before Nu Metal, there was Grindcore, Hardcore, Doom Metal and everything else that didn’t fit in.

Parkway Drive started off in the 2000s with a Metalcore label. Metalcore is described as a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. Its known for its use of breakdowns, slow, intense passages conducive to moshing.

These days Parkway Drive is basically a Metal act (and a pretty big one) that has so many different styles in their repertoire.

Like Metallica.

Metallica in the 90s, had became a very different version to the speed Metal band that started off. While their 80s output focused on speed, they did push some boundaries in the progressive Metal world before scaling it back to end up with the biggest selling groove Metal album ever.

Then they incorporated Blues Rock and Southern Rock into their sound for the “Load” and “Reload” album cycles. And when Nu Metal became a thing with no guitar solos becoming the norm they did this as well with the “St Anger” album. But since the fans became madly in anger with them, they never returned to the “No guitar solos”.

Metal to me is an “anything goes” attitude. And that’s what Parkway Drive brings to the table.

“Darker Still” has a lot of solos. Melodic solos. Emotive and sad by Jeff Ling who is the lead guitarist and man, he plays the sections wonderfully. But the recording sessions for this album along with some personal issues broke him and he lashed out badly at vocalist Winston McCall.

Just the way it begins with the whistling and the acoustic guitar is enough to hook me in.

But it’s the whistling melody which comes in at the 28 second mark that forms the foundations of the song. Because the same melody appears later as a solo, and with a choir and with violins and it’s massive.

Especially from 4.08. You hear it all, the guitar lead, the voices and the violins. Just close your eyes and let the music take you away.

And Ling breaks free again, for one of his best solos.

The song’s lyrics to me are about a person struggling with depression and the darkness that comes with it. It describes the feeling of being trapped in a cycle of self-destructive behavior, unable to break free despite the toll it takes on their life and relationships.

The chorus of the song is powerful, with the lyrics “And the night grows darker still”

This line speaks to the idea that even in the darkest moments of our lives, there is still hope and the possibility for redemption and recovery.

After they finished doing the tracking for the “Darker Still” album, the band members started the process of breaking up. No one wanted to be in the band anymore.

More volatile meetings were held and the guys realized they needed help.

Rhythm guitarist and manager, Luke Kilpatrick, saved the band. He suggested that they get counseling. Like Metallica.

The April 2022 tour they cancelled of the U.S for undisclosed reasons was due to the weekly counseling sessions they started to have.

And they made it.

Until I die, until I die and the night grows darker still.

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Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Influenced, Music, My Stories

Holier Than Thou

It’s my favourite song from the self-titled “Black” album and I just saw footage of Metallica playing it live on Jimmy Kimmel a few days ago.

It’s down-tuned a little bit, a sign of aging and how the voice needs those lower keys. It’s also sped up a little bit (yep they can still play a fast tempo song even faster) and it’s still as powerful.

On Spotify, it is at 52 million streams.

Basically forgotten and it pales compared to songs like “Enter Sandman” at 1.072 billion streams, “Nothing Else Matters” at 925 million streams, “The Unforgiven” at 428 million streams, “Sad But True” at 267 million streams and “Wherever I May Roam” at 167 million streams. It’s no surprise that the singles have a high listen rate.

Behind the singles, it’s song’s like “Holier Than Thou”, “The God That Failed” and “My Friend Of Misery” that make albums great. At one stage “Holier Than Thou” was going to be the lead single from the album, but Mr Ulrich had other ideas.

Most of the talk today is on the release of “72 Seasons”. As I type this, the new album is playing on Spotify.

But for Metallica to have the career they have had, it all comes back to the monumental “Black” album. It’s the Championship Ring, the one that gets you to do multiple victory laps.

A few years ago it celebrated 30 Years and as bands do these days, they celebrated the release with a special Anniversary edition.

And what I like about these Anniversary editions, is when bands add the demos. David Coverdale splices them together and calls them “Evolution” versions. Metallica gives you the warts and all, with mistakes and all that.

And I tracked the evolution of the song.

For the ones that have heard the “Holier Than You – From James’ Riffs Tapes” version on the Remastered Deluxe Box Set, you can hear the drum groove already established via James programming the drum machine.

And James is scatting vocally for the verses, but he had the Chorus hook. Short and sweet. Song writing 101 is to always start with the Chorus hook and work backwards.

The next version of the song is listed as the “August 13th Demo”. This time it’s just James and Lars and you get to hear that machine gun picking from James with Lars making the drumming a bit more tighter and refined.

And James has the vocal melody down, but not the words as he “Obi Wans” and “Yeahs” his way through the song, except for the Chorus. Because the hook is still there.

“No more the crap rolls out your mouth again”

What an opening line. I feel like this is about those TV Evangelists that ended up getting caught with their pants down, doing hookers and cocaine back in the late 80s and early 90s.

But these days, it could be about politicians and lobbyist who seem to push agendas that don’t benefit the people who voted them in, but those same agendas do benefit the corporations who funded their campaigns.

Even celebrities say or type words that get them into trouble. Social Media is the cesspool for this.

“You lie so much you believe yourself”

And iconic line and even more important now than ever before when lies are sold as truth and people surround themselves within echo chambers, unable to read critically nor able to analyse the data.

Differing opinions on facts is healthy for society but its unhealthy when opinions are formed without any basis of facts. Then again, if everyone saw everything the same, there would be no hate or division.

That section from 3.13.

It happens after the solo.

It’s just drums and bass. It’s brief but it definitely gets the foot tapping and the head moving. Then the guitars kick in and the song ends. I think at 3.47 it could be the shortest Metallica song. But one of their heaviest and leanest.

Crank it.

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A to Z of Making It, Classic Songs to Be Discovered, Music, My Stories, Unsung Heroes

Dust And Gold

A shimmering clean tone guitar sets the song but it’s the vocals from Dave Hodges which makes me a fan.

Yes it’s the same David Hodges who was a studio contributor to Evanescence between 1999–2002 which accumulated in the “Fallen” album.

He has since had success co-writing and co-producing for various pop, pop rock and country artists, including Kelly Clarkson, Celine Dion, Daughtry, Backstreet Boys, Avril Lavigne, David Archuleta, Christina Aguilera, Carrie Underwood, Jessie James, 5 Seconds of Summer, and Tim McGraw. His career is basically an “A to Z in Making It”.

“Dust and Gold” is a song by Arrows To Athens, a David Hodges band project. It was released as a single in 2011 and later included on the band’s debut album, “Kings & Thieves” released in the same year.

It’s sitting at 5.4 million streams on Spotify. Forgotten. It’s a tragedy.

It’s down to you and me
On these cold and empty streets
Forgotten what we’re living for

The “you “ in this case is the persons belief.

The lyrics describe a struggle to find meaning and purpose in life. Their is reflection on the challenges and hardships faced, and wonders if there is any deeper significance to the experiences.

All I see are kings and thieves
When all I own is just dust and gold

The album title in the Chorus of another song.

The phrase could be interpreted in a few different ways, but generally, it speaks to the idea that people in power and those who steal or exploit others, who are normally the ones in power, seem to be the most visible and influential figures in society, while the second part of the phrase, “when all I own is just dust and gold,” could mean that the person has come to the realization that material possessions, hold little value in the grand scheme of things. This may contrast with the wealth and power of the kings and thieves mentioned in the first part of the phrase.

It can also be interpreted as a metaphor for the idea that while we may be insignificant in the grand scheme of things, we still have value and worth.

The mood and feel of the song has made it a popular choice for use in film and television, and it has been featured in trailers for movies like “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” and TV shows like “The Vampire Diaries.”

Musically, “Dust and Gold” features a driving beat and soaring vocals, with a sound that is reminiscent of bands like Thirty Seconds to Mars and Imagine Dragons.

Overall, “Dust and Gold” is a powerful and inspiring song that speaks to the universal human desire to find meaning and purpose in life, and to recognize the value of our own experiences and struggles.

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