LAMONT’S MUSIC NOTES-JUNE 4, 2019…METALLICA RELEASED THE ALBUM ‘LOAD’ ON JUNE 4 1996.
THIS ALBUM WAS A MEGA ALBUM FOR METALLICA IN TERMS OF CONTENT AND COMMERCIAL SUCCESS. THE RECORD SOLD OVER 15 MILLION COPIES IN SALES AND DOWNLOADS. IT BOASTS 4 HIT SINGLES ‘UNTIL IT SLEEPS’ ‘MAMA SAID’ ‘HERO OF THE DAY’ AND ‘KING NOTHING’. IT ALSO DEBUTED AT #1 ON THE BILLBOARD ALBUM CHARTS AND STAYED THERE FOR 4 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS.
IN TERMS OF CONTENT IT’S ALSO METALLICA’S LONGEST STUDIO ALBUM AT 78:59 MINUTES. WHEN THE GROUP WAS DOING THE FINAL SEQUENCING FOR THE RECORD, THE RECORD COMPANY TOLD THEM THE BAND COULDN’T GO PAST 78:59 OR THE CD’S WOULDN’T PLAY WITHOUT SKIPPING. WITH 14 SONGS FOR THE ALBUM, A DECISION WAS MADE TO CHOP APPROXIMATELY 1 MINUTE OF A REALLY COOL JAM AT THE END OF THE SONG ‘OUTLAW’. THE FULL VERSION OF THE SONG WOULD LATER BE RELEASED AS ‘THE OUTLAW TORN’ AS A SINGLE WITH ‘THE MEMORY REMAINS’
THE LOAD CD WAS MORE EXPLORATORY IN NATURE THAN PREVIOUS METALLICA ALBUMS. LARS ULRICH HAD THIS TO SAY:
“This album and what we’re doing with it – that, to me, is what Metallica are all about: exploring different things. The minute you stop exploring, then just sit down and f***ing die”.
HERE’S ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS FROM METALLICA AND FROM ‘LOAD’
