Metallica release new song ‘If Darkness Had a Son’
The kings of thrash metal have returned once again. In preparation for their latest album, 72 Seasons, Metallica have released their third single ‘If Darkness Had a Son’, which arrives after ‘Lux Eterna’ and ‘Screaming Suicide’.
Starting with a mid-tempo drum groove, the riffs from James Hetfield are sinister without being as speedy as a typical Metallica track. Since the entire song is structured around one riff, and the pacing is reminiscent of the band’s flirtations with hard rock on Load. While Hetfield’s vocals on the releases from 72 Seasons are some of his strongest to dates, equally pairing tuneful accuracy with the grit and gravel from the band’s speed-metal past, the rest of the track leaves plenty to be desired.
Although there is a dark atmosphere throughout the song, the statement Metallica make across seven minutes says a lot less potent than what the opening single ‘Lux Eterna’ said within just three minutes. Though Lars Ulrich holds the beat together his performance is serviceable instead of anything mind-blowing. While Kirk Hammett’s solo is inventive, the tone tends to get swallowed up in the wah-wah effects that he chose to use.
Going into this new album, Hetfield mentioned bringing Metallica back to their roots and said of 72 Seasons: “The first 18 years of our lives that form our true or false selves. I think the most interesting part of this is the continued study of those core beliefs and how it affects our perception of the world today. Much of our adult experience is reenactment or reaction to these childhood experiences. Prisoners of childhood or breaking free of those bondages we carry”.
Seeing how the band is getting back in touch with their roots, the rest of the album should be reminiscent of Metallica’s thrash metal roots. Since their first handful of singles were a nod to the new wave of British heavy metal, this could mean an album packed to the brim with killer riffs, balancing the tone of the Load era with what they were doing on Kill Em All. Metallica are also set to hit the road later this year for a global tour, crisscrossing the world with opening acts including Pantera, Greta Van Fleet, Five Finger Death Punch, and Volbeat.
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