Magnum Opus
Who would have thought that Master of Puppets could be topped? And Justice For All is Metallica's greatest work. This album is a masterpiece that will stand the test of time.

This album does the group justice.
In an attempt to follow up their masterpiece, "Master Of Puppets", Metallica basically took that album's formula and turned it up a notch. Indeed, the songs on, "...And Justice For All", have that same progressive edge as the ones on, "Puppets", with the layers of guitars, complex time signatures, and the shear length of the songs but while the previous album was set to 10, this one's set to 11. Two of the songs clock in at over nine minutes and at nine songs long and over an hour in length, this was their longest album at that time.

The progressive formula is taken as far as it can go on this album. Many of the songs have multiple riffs and doom and gloom lyrics that put to shame anything on their previous albums. It should be noted that the production on this album is unlike any other of the groups records. The recording and mixing make for a sparse sound with thinner than usual guitars and drums that click more than they thud. Sometimes, the drums simply don't seem to want to mix in with the rest of the mix. The Bass is not a noticeable as on other Metallica albums, (appearently, new bassist Jason Newsted was being, "initiated" into the band by having his instrument nearly removed from the mix).

Despite these short comings, the album is still among the group's best work. Maybe do to the fact that this is their last album to feature the raw, underground thrash that would be largly done away with on, "The Black Album" or because the group managed to continue on even after the unfortunate death of bassist Cliff Burton. Or it could simply be because this is the most progressive album they ever did and will most likely ever do. It should be noted that the anti-war lament, "One", features Metallica's first taste of commercialism as the song was their first to have it's own MTV video. Metallica's transformation into a more "pop" oriented MTV band would of course become complete by the time the afterformentioned, "Black Album", came out. Because of this, many people see, "Justice", as being the group's swan song...or at least for their years as a true, underground thrash band.

The perfect thrash album
This is possibly my all time favorite album of heavy metal music of any kind. It has a unique sound of its own, the bass is rather quiet on this album, but actually I think this very sound is a part of why this album is so good, the unique sound grows on you. It sounds kind of like everything unnecessary is stripped away, and I think this sound fits perfectly with the general feeling of this album and the themes in its lyrics. I don't think it could have been mixed any other way without sacrificing some of this album's uniqueness. When you compare the sound to the Black Album, of course the latter has a more well-rounded sound but in some way it also lacks the edge of this album. I like both but I prefer this one.

My first truly HEAVY album
First bought this one in 1988 at 13 years old. As a fledgling guitarist, artist and social malcontent, it was HUGE for me. It opened up doors that Poison and Motley Crue would never have led me toward, and for that I will always have a nostalgic love for this disc.

Yeah, the production is thick and sludgy. Jason Newstead's bass might as well have not even been recorded, for all you hear of him. Lars learned how to keep time and play drums finally, and Kirk is at his most frantic and tasteful best on this one... before he succumbed to perpetual wah pedal abuse.

Yeah, the songs are long. Very long. But, they're mostly worth it. The shorter bursts on this album ARE far more satisfying, overall ("Blackened" and "Shortest Straw" in particular), but the epic "One"... well, who HASN'T heard it yet?

Emotionally, this album is by far the bleakest and most tortured of their career, VERY aggressive and black. Their crowning moment, before careening into hard rock territory on the "Black" album.

Metallica's last "real" album.
The world was blessed by Metallica's first three releases.
Then tragedy struck as Cliff was killed. It shows on this album.
The band seemed in turmoil as this album seems like a slowed down version of Puppets. More like a tribute to Cliff which was appropriate.
Sadly, this was the closing chapter on Metallica as they chose to turn their backs on the people that made them famous in the first place.
As far as I'm concerned, this was Metallica's swansong.
Good bye Metallica, we miss you.