A funny thing happened to me last night. As I was going home at around 7:30pm, I put the car radio on and switched to NU 107. (I was all alone, by the way.)

I heard a familiar heavy metal mellow intro. By “familiar”, I mean I know the song is a heavy metal one but I don’t necessarily know the title of the song. I thought, “Hmmm, new band. Feels like they know what they are doing though.”

“Wow, I really like the guitar riffs on this one. ” I said to myself. The distorted guitars chugging away was very “clean”.  The voice was very powerful - suits a heavy metal band (some metal bands have weird-voiced vocalists).

Then, when the chorus (or refrain, or whatever) finally came along, the vocalist’s voice strained (beautifully, of course) and suddenly I realized, this is no new band. I know that growl.  I’ve known that growl since 1990!  THIS IS…. METALLICA! (not Sparta)

Of course, I already knew that they have an upcoming album.  I just didn’t realize I was longing to hear it until I heard this song blurting from the radio.

A lot of fans have shied away since the Load, Reload and St. Anger albums. I don’t like those albums either, but I never trashed Metallica, I just listened to their old songs (haha).  They are still my favorite band.  Now, if that song is any indication of how back they are, I know I have made the right choice of staying with them. Once a Metallica fan, always a Metallica fan.

The album debuted at no. 1 in New Zealand. And somebody said, “oh my f*&%ing god“.

I say:

The horsemen are drawing nearer.
On leather steeds, they ride.
They come to take your life.
On through the dead of night,
With the four hoursemen ride.
Or choose your fate and die!