My ranking of Metallica’s albums:
1. Load (1996)
2. Reload (1997)
3. Garage Inc. (1998)
4. Master Of Puppets
5. Ride The Lightning (1984)
6. …And Justice For All (1988)
7. Metallica (The Black Album) (1991)
8. Kill ‘Em All (1983)
9. St. Anger (2003) (I think I was high when I made that thread about this album on here)
10. Hardwired…To Self-Destruct (2016)
11. Death Magnetic (2008)
12. 72 Seasons (2023)
Haha the last album got the last spot. I still haven't listened to most songs but the ones I did, the melody didn't catch me... Unfortunately... I wish they took a load and reload angle instead of going back to more heavy metal. Seemed like a really good transition. Dunno if they saw it didn't sit well with the fans or if they just thought that heavy metal was better in the sense they got back to it naturally.
I listen to Until It Sleeps a lot too. The Outlaw Torn seems also a good one. Loverman is a cover but damn, James' voice there sounds very nice and the song is really interesting for reflection. Astronomy, another couvert, is very nice as well, so is Turn the Pages, so yeah, Garage Inc is very nice.
Still though, I had been listening to And Justice for All and Ride the Lightning more so these days. Their earliest phase. Nice albums too. I like that heavy energy with Metallica since I like the energy of the melodies and James' voice sounds killer and manly haha. ...And Justice for All has some blends of softer, acoustic melodies that are remarkable like to live is to die, and I can relate to some songs like The Frayed Ends of Sanity, more so with the lyrics tho, the melody doesn't go well with my tastes, although I like the singing. The own And Justice for All song was the only political one from Metallica I've seen, or at least, the most openly political one, though it's a broad criticism and it can't be attached to a specific agenda I think other than a criticism of the judge system and corruption.
As for Ride the Lightning I used to like Creeping Death, specially after I live I had seen... Now, I avoid it for some reasons.
For Whom the Bell Tolls is very nice, the bass intro from Cliff is badass and the definition of cool. Kinda unforgettable. The lives when James was younger and his voice would stand out in lines like "look at the sky just before you die, it's the last time you will!!!! " or "why is the silence so LOUD!!!!? " ... Would give chills.
Death Magnetic has some cool one too, most notably The Day that Never comes for instance. The instrumental is pretty cool... That recent live, from Belgium or Sweden idk, 2023 it was, damn, the instrumental and singing was surreal for their age... Still the best live version of The Day that Never Comes I've listened to and that's crazy considering it's from past year.
Some songs from Master of Puppets like Welcome Home Sanitarium or My Friend or Misery (this latter from the black album iirc) deserved more recognition imo. Fantastic songs. That 1989 Seattle version James sings "Can't you see that's why my brain says RAGE!!! " ... Was a killer... And My Friend of Misery has Wich a sound nice instrumental, that live from 2012 from Lisboa (iirc) with the crowd participation in the "ohh ohh ohhhh" part was very, very cool... Remarkable. "This times are meant to torment souls, but something is wrong with what you see, you, you take it all on yourself, remember, misery loves company!! "... Damn... So cool.
Bleeding me and Hero of the Day from load and reload are also such underated songs...... Bleeding Me sounds a huge symbology for regrets, past mistakes and search for redemption with a very impactful melody... And Hero of the Day is interesting with the Lyrics all around, I got that need for a home place after venturing in the outside world, but that something home like calling you back that you can't get away from, your origins...