Song of the Week: Metallica Turn Up the Heat on

Song of the Week delves into the fresh songs we just can’t get out of our heads. Find these tracks and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist, and for our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Metallica treats us to the dizzying title track of their upcoming album, 72 Seasons.

For the title track of their forthcoming 11th album, 72 Seasons, Metallica are putting their foot on the gas once again. Atop a relentless groove that spans nearly eight minutes, the legendary metal mainstays push and pull with careful deliberation — each member of the quartet finds ample time to shine, while never fearing the inevitable double-time tempo switch or floor-dropping chord change.

Oh, and it’s catchy as hell: Vocalist James Hetfield sounds as vital as ever on “72 Seasons,” soaring through the full-throttle chorus and making great use of his gritty and anthemic higher register. Previous 72 Seasons singles “If Darkness Had a Son” and “Screaming Suicide” were certainly standout offerings from Metallica, but the title track feels like a more appropriate thesis for this era of their career. They know what they’re capable of, they know all the different musical paths they can walk, and yet, they can’t help but return to a seven-and-a-half minute thrash odyssey like “72 Seasons.”

Within the track are dozens of dizzying moments — even the band’s pre-bridge, double-time palm-muted chugging is conducted in such a frenzy that each ensuing full-band hit feels like a lucky surprise. Seven minutes is a lot of time to fill, but on the track, you can hear songwriting moments like that pre-bridge riff designed to help the band retain their momentum. Lars Ulrich is certainly a major figure on “72 Seasons,” as always, but perhaps no moment of musicianship is more gripping than Kirk Hammett’s absurd guitar solo after the bridge: conducted at a high tempo, with multiple chord changes, and absolutely ripping.

“72 Seasons” may not have as many noticeable sonic risks as the new album’s previous singles, but it does serve as one of Metallica’s more accessible tracks from their recent output. There’s such an influx of energy and momentum teeming with each note; so much so, that you can’t help but head-bang along as the band speeds toward catharsis. In fact, “72 Seasons” isn’t just a great single, it’s a great excuse to fantasize about the live energy that Metallica brings, and how phenomenal it would be to witness a song like this in person.

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They may have been playing together for over 40 years, but Metallica makes “72 Seasons” sound like a band that has never left their prime.

— Paolo Ragusa
Associate Editor

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