i've heard the new song a few times (unfortunately) and only bits of other new songs...

1. hetfield just does not sound good... he does not have the edge or power to his voice that he once had... whether it is the mix (a better mix would help his sound a little) or his voice just sux now, that is what first bothers me... he is not steady on his pitches... he is forcing his voice to hit pitches that don't sound good for him anymore- it just doesn't sound good at all... and if the voice is bad- the entire music is tainted...

2. the lyrics are TERRIBLE "i'm madly in anger with you" :rolleyes: such a stupid line- and he says it like 20 times throughout the song... just pathetic...

3. the mix is horrible... Lars- fix your snare sound! - the snare drum sound makes or breaks a drummer's sound- and that annoying, overly-resonant, too loud, hollow snare is the loudest sound on the entire mix... and is there even a bass guitar in the music? it worked on master of puppets and "and justice..." only because of the exceptional guitar, voice, and drums sound- but this new music NEEDS bass- because everything else is so weak...

4. going back to the progressive metal was the approach- which is what we all wanted... and i like some of the faster parts and riffs (it is the ONLY highlight) ... but the same riffs go on forever in that song... and the riffs just don't hook you like old metallica used to... they are sub-par for what metallica has done in the past... maybe they really were using leftover "Dave mustaine" riffs and finally ran out...

5. (almost forgot) is Kirk even playing? haha- there is not one inkling of a lead sound on the new song - or even on the bits of other songs i have heard... i guess i can live without solos... but it seems the guitar sound is just 2 rythem guitars doubled up- playing the same riffs simultaneously!?!?!? haha... what a waste of a decent guitar player?? solos are kind of a dinosaur in metal now- but even that "lead" rythem (know what i mean?) is gone... always an important part of metallica's sound... gone... very sad... how do take away the best parts of the music and then expect to hold up against what they have done in the past? :rolleyes:

hate to say it- but metallica is past its peak- and has been declining for a long time... some bands seem to get better with every cd... i don't like godsmack- but there last cd really impressed me... stain'd seems to get better and better (i don't really like them a lot either...) sevendust- every cd they release just blows me away... tool peaked out at aenima- lateralus was not nearly as good... but they are still EXTREMELY good and i think they have the potential to top aenima - lets hope they don't slip like metallica did... system of a down gets better every cd... these bands are still approaching there peak- and are the current state of metal (like it or not) - much like metallica was in the late 80's... but i guess everyone has to decline at sometime...

my 2 cents... maybe a little more