The Collegian : the weekly newspaper of Behrend College. (Erie, PA) 1989-1993, September 05, 1991, Image 8

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    Page 8
Metallica's
Newest album
b Jon Flick
The Collegian
Metallica's self-titled sixth
album (Elektra records) looks like
a real winner. The production,
by Bob Rock with lead vocalist
James Hetfield and percussionist
Lars Ulrich, proved to be top
notch. Waiting three years for
this album was definitely worth
it.
Small surprises lie waiting for
Metallica fans on this new
album. It seems that, in general,
the band is aiming for a more
mainstream audience. One does
not really need a lyric sheet to
understand Hetfield's vocals. The
speed-metal approach used in the
1988 album ...and Justice for All
has been abandoned for a slower,
slightly more contemporary
format.
All this does not necessarily
mean the band is growing weary.
The songs still execute the
distinctive Metallica sharp edge,
but now, rather than thrash-only
fans, more people can enjoy the
awesome sound.
Metallica obviously enjoyed
the success of their 1988 video,
"One." Their current hit, "Enter
Sandman," is getting plenty of
MTV airplay, and is also making
the rounds of popular radio. The
cut is even being played on
popular Erie radio stations, a F ,t
for Metallica.
Along with the fact that
"...Sandman" is an excellent
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sixth is a good mix
will reach wider audience
track, one can predict that non
headbangers might take an active
interest in what Metallica has to
Powerful vocals by Hetfield
make "Sad But True," the next
track, rip into you like a knife.
This slower tempo track has
enough drive to perk you up as
you listen, yet is slow enough to
keep you from tearing your
ceiling tiles out.
What follows is classic
inspired Metallica writing with
"Holier Than Thou." What an
accurate description of those who
love to think about others more
than themselves! Kirk Hammet
performed brilliantly with some
excellent guitar work here.
Now comes the most pleasant
surprise of the album. "The
*********************
THERE WILL BE A MANDATORY'
PRESIDENTS AND TREASURERS MEETING
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 1991
5:00 p.m. ; REED 117.
* **************
Thursday, September 5, 1991
Entertainment
Unforgiven" is a beautiful
Metallica ballad. It commences
with a clean, chilling melody,
followed by a heavy stretch with
powerful Hetfield vocals. The
song returns to clean, and so does
Hetfield, whose voice becomes
surprisingly soft. It really
worked on this track, which is
somewhat reminiscent of "Fade
to Black," from the Ride the
Lightning album.
"Nothing Else Matters" lies
on the same line with
"...Unforgiven," as a beautiful
slow song. Production was very
smooth on this cut and the band's
talents were combined with a
beautiful orchestral arrangement
by Michael Kamen.
Just a couple tracks away are
the hard-hitting songs, "The God
That Failed," and "My Friend of
Misery." These songs are ideal
showcases for bassist Jason
Newsted, who has a brief solo at
the beginning of each.
Those are just the highlights
of the sixth album from one of
the founders of modern heavy
metal. Every self-respecting
metalhead should have this album
in their collection. Those who
only have tape decks will rejoice
that Metallica was recorded in
DlGalog. This system markedly
improves the sound quality over
that of standard cassette
recordings. There is no reason
not to get this album.
Living Colour
cooks up Biscuits
b Brad Kane
The Collegian
The best hard rock band in
America, period. No longer is
Living Colour merely the best
black rock band in the country,
but with the release of last
year's searing Time's Up and
the recent arrival of the EP
Biscuits in stores, Vernon Reid
and company stand poised on
the mantel of greatness.
Too much praise, one might
ask, for a band that's released
only three albums so far? Just
check out Biscuits for any
further reassurance. A
collection of covers and live
tracks, Biscuits allows Living
Colour to explore the band's
musical roots while forging
onward, tearing down musical
barriers.
"Oh-so-slight hip-hop influences and
Reid's droning guitar combine to form a
smash single."
The bridging of funk, hard
core, reggae, and all-out R&B
soul combine to form an
excellent mix.
The highlights are
everywhere here. From the
driving soul of "Love and
Happiness," an Al Green tune
on which vocalist Corey
Glover shines, to the all-out
hard-core of "Money Talks," a
Living Colour original.
The album's lead single,
"Talkin' Loud and Saying
Nothing," currently lodged in
the Modern Rock chart Top 20,
is an excellent rendition of the
James Brown original. Oh-so
slight hip-hop influences and
Reid's droning guitar combine
to form a smash single.
Reid also remains faithful
to the original with funk
influenced fretwork on the
MINH fOX THERE'S ONLY ONE W
THESE TWO A RE N e iCO
TO GET ALONG
- 111 - 6.4 am
angr , %
th;
..HARO
)WAY
Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
10:30 10:30 8:00 Mid 8:00 10:30
Students: $1.50 w/Activities Card: FREE
remake of Jimi Hendrix's
"Burning of the Midnight
Lamp."
As for the live tracks, two
cuts from the 1988 debut
album, Vivid, are featured.
"Desperate People," recorded at
New York's CBGB is a
scalding track, featuring Reid's
relentless walls of guitars and
drummer Will Calhoun's brain
rattling time-keeping.
These and many more
elements are evident on the
live cut of "Memories Can't
Wait," caught at The Ritz two
years ago. While "Memories,"
also from Vivid, may not
necessarily be one of Living
Colour's finest songs, the
diversity of this Talking
Head's-penned tune is brought
to light when it's played live.
Glover's voice soars as Muzz
Skilling's bass drives the song
onward to a reggae tinged
ending.
It's fitting that some live
material has made its way onto
Biscuits. Living Colour is an
excellent concert act, adding
additional touches to a song
that, when played live, comes
across better than the recorded
original does. Not all musical
acts can claim this type of
status today.
It's too bad that Biscuits
isn't a full length album. Every
song is hot, oven-fresh; not
just good to admire, but
excellent to sample as well.
Maybe these biscuits are too
good. For when the tasting is
through, the sampler will be
left hungry for much, much
more.