Despite his enormous success with heavy metal legends, Lars Ulrich has always nurtured his passion for rock music. Even as Metallica rose to prominence, Ulrich maintained the enthusiasm of a devoted young fan. He regularly enjoyed the performances of his favorite rock bands.
Metallica’s major influences include iconic heavy metal bands from the 1970s such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Judas Priest, and Motörhead. These pioneering acts were instrumental in defining metal as a gritty, edgy, and captivating genre. It greatly influenced the musical perspective of James Hetfield, Ulrich, and Kirk Hammett when they formed the band in 1983.
However, being a key member of one of the most well-known rock bands is not without its challenges. In reality, the members frequently struggle on stage as they strive for perfection while navigating an extensive repertoire of fan favorites. Ulrich described the difficulties they encountered while performing four of the new songs live after the album’s release.
Lars Ulrich explained, “‘Unnamed Feeling’ is one of those songs that, to me, makes it easier to forget when you mess up. Kirk says, “When you’re doing one thing, you’re doing that, you’re singing.”There are a lot of counter energies going on, and when one of them goes out of sync, the whole thing tilts over. ‘Dirty Window‘ has a movement to it. The cowbell takes it to another level, and it’s got a guitar solo.”
It is not uncommon for band members to acknowledge the challenges of performing specific songs live. Hammett, too, experiences similar difficulties on occasion. Bringing Death Magnetic to an abrupt halt, ‘My Apocalypse’ features a massive descending riff perfectly complemented by Hetfield’s synchronized growls. In an interview with Guitar Center, Hammett discussed the difficulties presented by that specific riff.
He recalled: “That’s a riff I hope I get every night because when it comes on, I’m the only one playing it.” “If I don’t practice that riff, I’m going to mess it up.” Death Magnetic may not have received universal acclaim as a Metallica album. But it was not meant to replicate the success of their previous hits. Following the harrowing tale of St. Anger, however, this album served as evidence that Metallica had not definitively strayed from its path.
As Ulrich once said, “You can’t have Death Magnetic and the decisions made on that record without St. Anger. As a result, everything is intertwined in such a way that the conversation becomes useless at some point. Because everything is part of a larger picture. And I suppose I’m very good at accepting the journey.
