. . .
Some are born into metal, but most enter it from outside. The before/after dynamic is so strong that as a subcultural initiation story, “when I became a metalhead” is, for many, as significant as religious conversion or coming out of the closet. But one brings one’s past into metal; that’s one of the ideals of folk metal. You don’t become a metalhead and lose your identity, hopefully. Beneath that metal uniform is your own self, right?
I was raised on classical music, including classical guitar. So when I discovered metal, I gravitated towards acoustic guitars and clean tones; Anthrax’ “A.D.I.” was probably the first metal riff I ever tried to play. On …And Justice for All, “To Live Is to Die” caught my ear with its deceptively pastoral intro. It sounded like music I’d heard before; it wasn’t alien.
But what followed it most definitely was. If you’re coming from outside of metal, “To Live Is to Die” is very, very strange. A medieval-sounding acoustic intro gets steamrolled slowly by a distorted march in an unrelated key. After a few minutes, the march waxes melodic, then drops into a clean tone section (which feels a lot like the one in “Master of Puppets”). Distortion comes back, then seemingly peters out before launching into a spoken word section. Then the song un-steamrolls and returns to its initial acoustic passage. It’s a mess.
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“To Live Is to Die” on cellos
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In the context of the otherwise monolithic AJFA, “To Live” is a little odd. (Thematically and musically, it’s sort of a bolted-together Frankenstein prototype of “One”.) But in the context of Metallica’s first four albums, it’s apt. So many threads have tied into Metallica at this point, from NWOBHM to classical music to Hemingway to various films. The addition of a 17th century Germany writer (Paul Gerhardt, half of the spoken word section) and the simultaneous presence of two Metallica bassists (Jason Newsted, Cliff Burton on the other half of the spoken word section) make sense as much as any of the aforementioned influences.
Metallica has many entry points – hence the band’s wide appeal. Unlike a lot of other metal, the thing called Metallica is very inclusive. Perhaps it got too inclusive later, when country music and orchestras muddied the waters. But those first four records were a big tent that attracted countless newcomers. Like me, they heard something of themselves in the music. For them – us – past became present became future forever more.
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“To Live Is to Die”
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METALLICA: THE FIRST FOUR ALBUMS
“The Frayed Ends of Sanity”
“Harvester of Sorrow
“The Shortest Straw”
“One”
“Eye of the Beholder”
“…And Justice for All”
“Blackened”
“Damage Inc.”
“Orion”
“Leper Messiah”
“Disposable Heroes”
“Welcome Home (Sanitarium)”
“The Thing That Should Not Be”
“Master of Puppets”
“Battery”
“The Call of Ktulu”
“Creeping Death”
“Escape”
“Trapped Under Ice”
“Fade to Black”
“For Whom the Bell Tolls”
“Ride the Lightning”
“Fight Fire With Fire”
“Metal Militia”
“Seek & Destroy”
“No Remorse”
“Phantom Lord”
“Whiplash”
“(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth”
“Jump in the Fire”
“Motorbreath”
“The Four Horsemen”
“Hit the Lights”
. . .
always found this to be too monolithic and full of dead weight, except for the acoustic middle section which i think is beautiful and just about saves this for me- but that main riff is just dull, just stock- the best thing about this track is knowing that ‘dyers eve’ is waiting to punch you in the face
‘orion’ and ‘…ktulu’ are awe-inspiring but ‘to live…’ and ’suicide…’ are less than stellar i reckon
It’s my favorite of the three instumentals, easily. Even if only for that beautiful acoustic intro/outro and James’ short speech.
It’s also the only song on AJFA whose plodding I can excuse completely. Allows for quite the philosophical self-reflection…
And, of course, rest in peace, Cliff Burton.
The occasional china crash stab makes the main riff. Without it, the whole thing falls apart.
I always think of the instrumentals as the “Cliff songs”. The first three because you can see his fingerprints all over the place, with the epic harmonization and the ease of every transition: everything in its place. In his absence, this song is a trainwreck. Since it’s all about the guy in the first place, it becomes the perfect reminder of why he was so important to the band, and just how much he would be missed from here on out. Of course that’s just hindsight rendering a blunder prophetic, finding meaning in the mess.
The top half of the song sees us lurching, barely stumbling forward, and it’s not until we hit 4:30 when we get a peek at the brilliant melodic stuff that Cliff was so good at orchestrating. It breaks down into the acoustic gorgeousness, and you can feel that sense of loss creep under your skin. The volume swells take it even further, but they elevate the sensation — we build up to rock again, soaring… only to let the whole thing crash back to earth, fucking dead.
But that’s why these albums are great. They’re important enough to all of us that we graft on all this mythology and baggage until they become things of legend — intrinsic cultural artifacts. Even at their lowest points, these songs are impossible not to romanticize. Until the next album, at least.
Wash, you are absolutely right about “that sense of loss that creep under your skin”. Cliff’s death was very recent in our minds when AJFA was released and, in a way, we knew it was going to be the last Metallica instrumental because, as you say, we all assumed those were Cliff’s songs.
Add those spoken lyrics and there you have it: a very heavy, sad and doomy epic. To say I love this song would be an understatement.
Cheers.
The main riff octave melody which uses an F# Phrygian Dominant figure is also super-neato especially when it resolves to A leading to the F#m blues riff.
To Age is To Cash Grab
HA! LOL!
Now, I always thought this was one of the better songs towards the end of the album. I was never a huge fan of Shortest Straw or Frayed Ends, but TLITD was always something I looked forward to. I never thought of the riff as being “stock”, it always seemed towering and heavy to me. I never thought that it sounded like a mess, either, although I started listening to this album long before I knew what I do now about music, so maybe that has something to do with it. I didn’t know that Cliff’s playing is on the second half of the song! I think it sounds alot like a funeral march for Cliff should.
Cliff Burton does NOT play on the second half of the song. Cosmo was referring to James’ reading of Cliff’s poem.
Oh, right, duh. I guess that should’ve been obvious haha, my mistake.
I know it’s not technically an instrumental with that monologue, but I’ve always considered it the best of the Metallica instrumentals. That part at 6:20 sends shivers up my spine every single time.
My favorite Metallica instrumental as well. The slow middle part is nothing short of beautiful.
Thank you Mr Lee for this incredible venture of chronicling the first four albums of an epic band.
Merci monsieur!
“Metallica has many entry points – hence the band’s wide appeal. Unlike a lot of other metal, the thing called Metallica is very inclusive.”
Absolutely spot-on, brilliant. It also speaks volumes about their capability as artists and growth both personally and professionally.
This song contains my absolute favorite Hetfield solo, in the right mood it can bring tears to your eyes.
BURTON GOT THE SPOKEN WORD BIT FROM THE FILM ‘EXCALIBUR’ WHERE IT WAS SPOKEN BY MERLIN.
MY OXFORD BUDDIES AND I USED TO WATCH THE SHIT OUT OF THAT VHS BACK IN THE 80s AS I’M SURE THE METALLICA LADS DID TOO.
PARTICULARLY MEMORABLE FOR IT’S NUMEROUS SCENES OF HELEN MIRREN NUDE, AND THE RAVISHING BEAUTY OF THE DELIGHTFUL CHERIE LUNGHI.
I’D HAVE LIKED TO SHOW HER A THING OR TWO ABOUT EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN! EH?!
speak up lad, we can’t hear you.
LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE SLIGHTLY LACKING IN YOUR COMPREHENSIVE ABILITIES.
EVOLUTION STRIKES AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!
master of puppets and justice for all, appear to be , bookend albums, a part 1 & 2, has this notion struck anyone else? i suppose the albums would be, due to riding out a creative wave that crashed with cliffs death.