I’m not sure what to think. I purchased the new Metallica album Death Magnetic on the weekend, along with 500 thousand others but was somewhat appalled by the sound quality, it just sounded wrong. I initially thought that there was something wrong with the MP3′s I had bought from 7digital but a quick internet search confirmed that the so called “Loudness Wars” was the culprit for the heavily distorted sound I was experiencing. The drums became even more irritating when I was listening to the album on my Creative Zen Vision M – the rattly squashy sound of the drums made me squirm and I honestly wanted to smash whoever was near with my fist to their head and I’m generally a fairly passive nondescript character.

Death Magnetic Cover Art

It’s hard to imagine that the sound wasn’t intentional and in some weird way it grows on you the more you listen to it. Perhaps the only reconciliation one can gather from the listening experience is to regard it as a distinct sound that will most certainly not be forgotten. Maybe it is a process – to become accustomed to this new “improved” style in loud sound. Musically the album is fast and furious and it has taken me a few listens to become acclimatised to the speed and intricate tempo shifts – I’m still in the process of finding this album and as with most new albums I listen to, there is sometimes a slow shift in adoring that something new.

The added distortion is the biggest hurdle in truly accepting this as Metallica’s come back to thrash. It isn’t to say that I have anything really against distortion as Skepticism’s Stormcrowfleet is testament to and I particularly like that album even though it took some time in appreciating the crushing lowly, distorted melancholy but there is something about having a distortion that is designed instrumentally as opposed to an added effect by manipulating the loudness dial in a mix.

It’ll be interesting to follow the Death Magnetic loudness war over the coming weeks. I did sign a petition for Metallica to release a remastered or remixed version of DM to the public. The petition can be found here ! I’ll keep the MP3′s running and see how accustomed my ears become to this new distorted hyperbole.