Metallica And Justice For All...

[Dawn of the Shred]

It’s my favorite Metallica album... I know I know Lol. Most hate the guitar tone some like it. My question Is there any mids at all on the guitar tone? It’s so scooped that it sounds like every mid in the universe was taken out. But I still feel like there might be a little bit of mids in it. It’s just got this weird sound to it that I can’t explain.

 

[p0ke]

Well, if it literally didn't have any mids, then all you would hear would be oomph and shhhh So there are definitely some frequencies of mids there, but I'll leave the explaining to someone more competent.

I actually don't mind the guitar tone, but that might be because of the awesome riffs and not the actual tone...

 

[Dawn of the Shred]

Well, if it literally didn't have any mids, then all you would hear would be oomph and shhhh So there are definitely some frequencies of mids there, but I'll leave the explaining to someone more competent.

Kinda my thoughts.. It has to have some mids

 

[fps]

My fave of theirs. The one I keep coming back to.

 

[BenjaminW]

There's times where I like AJFA's tone, and there's times where I can't listen to it. But despite that, AJFA is definitely in my top 3 Metallica albums.

 

[Werecow]

I love the guitar tone. Also the mix feels so aggressive and grim, it sorta sums up the feeling of Cliff dying. I think it fits the music and where they were at perfectly.

 

[USMarine75]

Pro tip: The louder you turn up AJFA the better it sounds.

 

[Werecow]

Pro tip: The louder you turn up AJFA the better it sounds.

It's weird how that applies to some albums more than others. I've always thought it applies to Vulgar Display Of Power as well. Maybe it's albums with scooped tones?

 

[KailM]

It’s their best album and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the guitar tone or mix.

 

[TheBlackBard]

For me, it's Metallica's black metal album or the closest a band like them would ever get to it. The tone is cold, yet crushing, and for some reason Harvester of Sorrow makes me think of Conan the Barbarian. The riffs are so damn barbaric, they really feel like they're coming from a land of anger, which they probably are, going by James' lyrics.

 

[brector]

It was the album that got me into metal, so even if it does/did sound bad, I don't care at this point. Plus I was playing it over and over on a walk-man while I mowed yards haha

 

[gnoll]

For me the wimpy snare is the biggest problem of that album, but I still think the mix is okay overall. Guitars sound great.

Like, listen to Blackened from Seattle 89. When the snare hits come in. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM. That's how it should have sounded.

 

[nickgray]

My question Is there any mids at all on the guitar tone?

Of course. Take any solo rhythm guitar track and EQ the mids out. It will sound like trash. Proper scooped tones (studio worthy tones, not high school band with Metal Zone into Marshall MG kind of tones) still have tons of mids in them.

The chief problem with the album is that there's no bass. Bass also fills out the mid frequencies, not just the bass ones, and that filler simply isn't there. If you add to that overly bright cymbals, scooped guitars, and you have that thin af AJFA tone. The drums are kinda weird sounding too. I've read that Lars specifically wanted this tone, so that explains it.

 

[NosralTserrof]

It's weird how that applies to some albums more than others. I've always thought it applies to Vulgar Display Of Power as well. Maybe it's albums with scooped tones?

https://blog.landr.com/fletcher-munson-curves/

tl;dr, our perception of different frequencies depends on how loud something is. I don't know the exact knowledge first hand on how that relates to mixing and making shit sound better but generally, loud = nice barring a few notable examples

AJFA is my favorite 'tallica record as well! Harvester, Blackened, Shortest Straw, so many R I F F S

 

[USMarine75]

I always thought the AJFA remix with bass sounds "wrong" lol.

 

[slan]

It's my favorite, too. The weird mix somehow adds to the charm of the record. I wouldn't change a thing about it.

 

[Seabeast2000]

Youtuber should remix the album with st anger snare and a Steve Harris bass mix

 

[Dawn of the Shred]

It’s by far my favorite Metallica album. I’m glad I’m not the only one and it’s getting some love on here!! I just love the guitar tone on it... So cold, hollow and chunky sounding

 

[p0ke]

I always thought the AJFA remix with bass sounds "wrong" lol.

Me too. It's probably mostly because I'm not used to hearing the bass there, but the mix also just doesn't work out of the box by just adding bass. It'd need a whole bunch of other tweaking to make it fit in.
It'd be really cool to hear how the original producer wanted to make it sound, but no matter what, the original version will always be the real version.

To return back to topic: the guitar tone is definitely not the problem

 

[Zender]

It was the album that got me into metal, so even if it does/did sound bad, I don't care at this point. Plus I was playing it over and over on a walk-man while I mowed yards haha

Exactly this. It was the first album I bought back in, I think '97 or '98. Still have that same physical disk in the car audio. Need to study the parts for a complete playthrough.