Metallica studio albums ranked from worst to best
No. 6 - Death Magnetic (2008)
After the disappointment of St Anger, Metallica delivered a true return to form in 2008 with the release of Death Magnetic. The lead single "The Day That Never Comes" draws similarities from "Fade to Black" and "One" due to the song’s structure which includes a slow build-up into a high powered rock ballad. While the album suffers from lackluster production from Rick Rubin, the material returns to the band’s thrash roots and the result is the band’s best album in the 21st Century.
No. 5 - Metallica (1991)
Metallica took a huge risk in 1991 when they changed their style for the first time, going from thrash metal to a more commercialized heavy metal sound on their self-titled record. Featuring slower tempos and a more refined sound, Metallica helped usher the band into the mainstream with radio-friendly tracks including "Enter Sandman", "Nothing Else Matters", and "Sad But True".
While this was not the band’s intention, they were looking to record shorter, more compact songs following the lengthy compositions on And Justice For All, and the result was a masterpiece that helped the metal industry gain more widespread appreciation in the media.
Fans of the band were initially skeptical of the release as they grew accustomed to the band’s aggressive style of music, but over time the album has aged gracefully and has become one of the highest-selling albums of all time and rightfully so.
No. 4 - Kill ‘Em All (1983)
Metallica changed the metal genre forever when they unleashed their debut album Kill ‘Em All in July 1983. Perhaps one of the heaviest and fastest albums in music history, Kill ‘Em All is raw and energetic and sets the bar high for their future releases.
The record did a wonderful job of blending the punk rock and speed metal genres and the result paved the way for bands such as Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slipknot, Avenged Sevenfold, Trivium, and countless others who have carried the torch in the metal genre over the years.