Feature: We Reviewed Every Metallica Album

Leading up to the release of Metallica’s eleventh studio album 72 Seasons, Shameless SF editor Jared Stossel embarked on a journey to write about every album from the band’s decades-spanning career since the release of their 1983 debut, Kill ‘Em All. For the article, we focused solely on original material, so the cover album Garage, Inc. nor any of their live albums were included in this. The emphasis was solely on the eleven original albums that the band has created over the last forty-plus years.

Check out our full length reviews of every Metallica album below.

Album: Kill ‘Em All
Release Date: July 25th, 1983
Label: Megaforce

Despite its flaws, Kill ‘Em All still holds up rather well today, and it marked a significant indication of what was about to happen in not just the world of heavy metal, but the world of mainstream rock.” Full review here.” Read the full review here.

Album: Ride The Lightning
Release Date: July 27, 1984
Label: Megaforce

”At moments, it feels like the band is just putting in riffs for riff's sake, but there is a desire that is burning through the master tapes of Ride The Lightning that shows a band developing on all fronts. In just a few years' time, they would become masters of the genre.” Read the full review here.

Album: Master of Puppets
Release Date: March 3, 1986
Label: Elektra

”There’s no other way to put it: Master of Puppets is a masterpiece.” Read the full review here.

Album: …And Justice For All
Release Date: September 7th, 1988
Label: Elektra

”The progressive fourth album serves as a checkpoint in the band’s roadmap, their ambitions being pulled in many different directions but ultimately catapulting them towards their goal of world domination.” Read our full review here.

Album: Metallica (The Black Album)
Release Date: August 12th, 1991
Label: Elektra

”Much like Master of Puppets, The Black Album is indeed another masterpiece from one of the biggest bands in history.” Read our full review here.

Album: Load
Release Date: June 4, 1996
Label: Elektra

”Listening to Load decades later, it feels at times like Metallica were trying to put their own spin on the wave of alternative rock and grunge that was sweeping the nation. From the chord progressions, the utilization of reverb, and the usage of deeply personal lyrics tackling depression, addiction, and the death of loved ones; it feels like the sound of a band trying to find their place within a new world in which they were once the kings.” Read our full review here.

Album: Reload
Release Date: November 18th, 1997
Label: Elektra

“The trials of the biggest band in the world weree well underway, and all of it would come to a head with anger. In a weird way, Reload is the calm before the storm.” Read our full review here.

Album: St. Anger
Release Date: June 5th, 2003
Label: Elektra

“St. Anger is the sound of a band exorcising its demons in real-time. It is more nu-metal and alternative in style than its predecessors, and it serves as a record that even when you’re at the top of the world, everyone can have a bad day. However, sometimes you need to have a bad day to know where to go for your best day ever.”

Album: Death Magnetic
Release Date: September 12th, 2008
Label: Warner Bros.

”Metallica’s eighth studio record is an excellent addition to their songbook, and a complete rejuvenation of the band that had captivated the world over thousands of times before.” Read our full review here.

Album: Hardwired…To Self-Destruct
Release Date: November 18th, 2016
Label: Blackened Recordings

”Hardwired…To Self-Destruct is the culmination of nearly forty years of hard work, hardship, blood, sweat, tears, and dedication to making the best music possible.” Read our full review here.

Album: 72 Seasons
Release Date: April 14th, 2023
Label: Blackened Recordings

“72 Seasons features Metallica doing what they do best, visiting some familiar territories while still managing to keep things sounding fresh and fun.” Read our full review here.