“It takes a lot of time”: The song James Hetfield finds difficult to play
Anyone who knows the blood, sweat, and tears that go into any given Metallica record can understand the challenges that arise, especially the unexpected ones. For instance, Metallica’s sound isn’t easy to replicate, largely due to the powerful vocal delivery of James Hetfield. After all, it takes talent to maintain what he once described as the “in-your-face growl”.
As with most art forms, it’s easy for us as audience members to view or consume the final product and criticise it without giving credence to all the hard work that occurred behind the scenes. Metallica is one of the most celebrated acts in rock history, but some of their work also appears the most divisive, resulting in disregard without any acknowledgement of why their sound alternates between projects.
In fact, this band has probably encountered more challenges and hurdles than most, especially when it comes to fan reception. This makes sense on some level, as fans are among the most loyal in the music scene and feel betrayed or let down when certain albums or songs don’t sound like the Metallica they know and love. However, this same loyalty can make it difficult for them to evolve without anticipating backlash.
By the time they began working on Death Magnetic, Metallica knew the difficulties of their own setbacks. Following the critical controversies caused by Load, Reload, and St. Anger, Death Magnetic felt like a much-needed comeback of sorts, with each member no stranger to the perils of falling short on the boxes fans expected them to tick effortlessly.
Among these challenges was a strive to create an even better sound that appeared unmistakably Metallica. With a handful of songs in the studio and a refreshed, smoother dynamic compared to the previous releases, Death Magnetic was almost a clean slate and an opportunity to delve into everything that made the band great in the first place—from simpler riffing and melodies to complex structures.
One that veered towards the latter was ‘That Was Just Your Life’, which was so heavily serviced by clashing melodies and arrangements that Hetfield found it difficult to perform. In fact, taking on lead vocals while playing the riff wasn’t just a challenge; it enabled him to prove to himself he could actually do it, and all it took was immense practice.
As he recalled to Music Radar, something he “couldn’t do at all” soon became “second nature”, explaining, “Singing along with ‘That Was Just Your Life’ is tough too, as there’s a part where the vocals go, ‘I close my eyes and find it all fit into place’, where I’m playing a counter rhythm on the guitar, which gives me real trouble.”
Delving into how he pulled it off, he added: “It just takes practice! What I do is slow the riff right down and just figure out where my hand should go during a certain word. It takes a lot of time, but you will eventually get it.”
Perhaps these higher stakes enabled Hetfield to push his talent even further, no longer comfortable in the safety net of a sound that was guaranteed to resonate. The previous three records weren’t bad, but they disrupted the flow of their established run enough to warrant more effort and energy, resulting in songs that felt more meticulous than ever.
