Underrated Record Club: St. Anger
St. Anger is a fascinating mess. It's brutal, it's terribly produced and it's real. Those conflicting thoughts plague this album and it's undoubtably the most polarizing album in Metallica's discography. While I'll readily admit that it's their weakest album, it does have some positive aspects that save it from being a total waste. I'm not a big metal fan but I do enjoy Metallica's music and their willingness to try new things, even if those chances don't always pay off. If nothing else, this album is upfront and feels emotionally authentic. St. Anger is the sound of pure frustration, surely born out of James Hetfield's stint in rehab and tensions inside the band. Listening to him work out his struggles and personal demons is both frightening and incredible, giving this record a feel unlike any other they've made before or since. The record is a snapshot in time of a band on the verge of imploding, a fact that's further enforced ...