However, this raised several questions in my mind. ‘One’ is virtually unaltered, and after comparing this to the original record on headphone, stereo speakers, and car audio, it’s safe to say lot of it remains unchanged. However, drums do not sound as flat and have a slightly rounder fuller tone. I was not a big fan of the tinny drum tone, then again neither was Flemming Rasmussen but at the end of the day as mentioned earlier – remaster and not remix. I am not sure if this is due to improved compression, or just my mind playing tricks on me because my ears are yearning for audible bass lines, but for the most part it sounds like they have scooped out the guitar tone a little more to give the overall sound more bottom end which sometimes just ends up booming in the background rather than deliver a meaty bass rhythm. The third quarter of the title song ‘Justice for all’ and bits of ‘Eye of the beholder’ have parts where you can hear a deep ring in the background. The bass continues to be low in the mix however can be heard a little better in songs like ‘To live is to die’ and the already released ‘Dyers Eve’ thanks to an overall clean-up on sound. This is a remaster and not a remix, so the scope for enhancement lies within the boundaries of an already finished product and does not really allow for a rip-and-replace. Firstly, if you’re seeking #justiceforJason then tough break. I won’t be going into song-by-song analysis as almost everyone already knows what its like, but let’s talk about how it sounds. That brings us to what this review is all about – ‘…And Justice For All (Remastered 2018). We later saw lead guitarist Kirk Hammet unboxing this deluxe set in a video on YouTube discussing the contents of the box comprising of the record itself in various formats, a bunch of photos, artwork and plenty of merchandise.
In September, the band announced a reissue in special remastered editions including a comprehensive deluxe box set. Irrespective, it went on to become one among Rolling Stone’s 100 greatest metal albums of all time. While the album was and remains a favourite among heavy metal fans it had its share of critique, mainly around how non-existent the bass was in the mix and Lars Ulrich insisting on his drum tones. It is also an album that mourned the loss of legendary bass guitarist Cliff Burton and the debut of his successor Jason Newsted, who would go on to perform bass and backing vocal duties for over a decade. An album that pronounced the ‘death of the American dream’ as dubbed in 1998’s Behind the Music is a portrayal of politically fueled thrash metal the band represented and a violent frenzy that makes James Hetfield one hell of a frontman.
A landmark record which was for many reasons a tectonic shift in their career. Arguably the biggest metal band in the world, Metallica celebrated the 30 th anniversary of their fourth studio album ‘ …And Justice for All’ earlier this year.