Why You'll Actually Applaud After Listening To Metallica's New 'Hardwired' LP

18 November 2016 | 11:26 am | Bryget Chrisfield

"No one talks at all during this track; it makes you wanna stop and concentrate."

More Metallica More Metallica

The wait is over — Metallica's first album in eight years is finally here. 

But does Hardwired ...To Self Destruct live up to the hype? The Music editor Bryget Chrisfield walks you through the double LP, track-by-track.


"Can we mosh?" a member of today’s Metallica listening party inquires just before playback time.

Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter

disc one

1. hardwired

This album opener is immediately agro, as you would probably expect from its title. There’s a stacks-on arrangement and lyrics to match: "We’re so FUCKED/Shit outta luck!" A lot of air drummers in the house try to mimic the complex, galloping drum patterns, which is entertaining to watch while we listen to the urgent, arresting riffs. A grand statement: "We-re BA-ack!"

2. atlas, rise!​

Layers are pulled back to showcase separate instrumental parts. A tricky beat you can’t dance to, but definitely wanna get to know. There’s dual riffery and then in comes a guitar solo capable of singeing your ear hairs. What a beast of a song! It’s almost like the instruments are controlling the players, going off on one. And these drum patterns definitely tease air drummers – changes are impossible to anticipate.

3. now that we're dead

Has a rollicking groove, almost laidback compared to Metallica’s usual tempo. Directive lyrics: "All sinners..."/"All saints..." Sprays of machine gunfire-paced drumming. There’s a lot of grinning heads nodding around the room, so that’s gotta be a good sign. A thrilling arrangement.     

4. moth into flame

Cymbal-heavy with percussive riffs utilising stuttering, repeated chords. And then right on time, the guitar solo is ushered in – you could almost set your stopwatch to Kirk Hammett’s unleashing in each song (around the two- or three-minute mark, perhaps?). "A moth inTO the flaaaaame/Burn!" Had to stop ourselves from applauding after this one. Some hands were even raised at the ready.

5. dream no more

This one’s a sultry stripper track; as close as Metallica get to mating ritual accompaniment. The requisite guitar solo here is doubled up like a guitar couple doing the nasty. No one talks at all during this track; it makes you wanna stop and concentrate.   

6. halo on fire

Almost a ballad. Lyrics tell of "thoughts most impure". Listeners pull various expressions as if they’re trying to interpret and comprehend the song. James Hetfield does love adding an “ah!” onto the end of words for added emphasis (eg. "Direction-AH!")   

disc two

*At around this point, and with the average track length extending well beyond radio-friendly, we’re wondering whether a double album was in fact necessary. But so far none of these tracks sound like filler.

1. confusion

Calls to mind a demented marching band. Just over nine minutes long. The vocals are distant and the rumbling bass here calls to mind Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song.

2. manunkind

We overhear one listener commenting, "It’s not what I was expecting". This song has a carnival-esque, show-offy guitar riff and a skittish drum beat; it’s rhythmic but unpredictable, like stone skipping.

3. here comes revenge

This song builds. The riff insists. The tempo shifts again to cold and calculated just like the act of seeking revenge – clever.

4. am i savage?

"Welcome back to heeeeeeell-AH!" Maybe this song could be sacrificed to trim tracks back and make Hardwired... To Self-Destruct just a long album rather than a double album? It’s the blandest track yet, but in a set this long there’s just gotta be a runt, right?

5. murder one

Then Metallica are straight back on form with one of the album’s highlight tracks. Don’t be fooled by the gentle intro, this is another one where the riffs challenge the drumming, but, of course, Lars Ulrich always rises to the occasion. It does sound like a spontaneous play-off, as if they’re daring each other to explore increasingly technically challenging sonic terrain. And just who is "the man in black" Hetfield refers to in this song? It couldn’t be Johnny Cash, could it?  

6. spit out the bone

This album closer has a similar energy and intensity to opener, Hardwired. Is Metallica courting a vampire/werewolf franchise with Spit Out The Bone? We can actually imagine Ulrich ducking down while drumming to catch Kirk Hammett‘s eye, gnashing his teeth beneath a cymbal. The band throws everything at this one; it’s almost as epic as Enter SandmanHardwired... To Self-Destruct’s cover art depicts Hetfield looking like a werewolf in transition and this track would fittingly soundtrack transmogrification.  

*Phew! This double album actually goes for so long that you’ll feel like sparking up a dart afterwards, even if you don’t smoke. 

*Actual applause from all listeners*