Metallica, … And Justice For All - A Classical Musician’s First Listen, Reaction, and Study
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ส.ค. 2022
- This is my first Metallica piece. It’s my longest video so far and that should tell you a lot about my experience with this song. I’ve never listened to anything so hard before but, surprisingly for me, I was able not only to find a way into the piece, but also to appreciate its place and role in the world of art. And I appreciate it!
If this is the first time you’re watching one of my videos and you’re curious about who I am and my fields of expertise, follow this link:
• All about Virgin Rock ...
Join the classical musician Amy Shafer in her first listen of … And Justice For All by Metallica and watch her follow-up thoughts and discoveries about this piece of music.
_________________________
If you want me to do a First Listen and In-depth Analysis of YOUR song of choice, or if you want an exclusive 1:1 session where I can answer your questions, dig deeper into a topic, or even coach you in your musical experience, such as a music theory, piano, or harp lesson, singing, music reading, etc, follow this link:
ko-fi.com/amyshaferarts/commi...
If you enjoyed this well enough to support my work, here’s a link where you can “buy me a coffee”… or two :)
ko-fi.com/amyshaferarts
_________________________
Amy Shafer, LRSM, FRSM, RYC, is a classical harpist, pianist, and music teacher, Director of Piano Studies and Assistant Director of Harp Studies for The Harp School, Inc., holds multiple degrees in harp and piano performance and teaching, and is active as a solo and collaborative performer. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she teaches privately, presents masterclasses and coaching sessions, and has performed and taught in Europe and USA.
_________________________
Credits: Music written and performed by Metallica
This video may contain copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. VirginRock, as a non-monetized channel, is using this material for educational, critical, research, and commentary purposes in our effort to promote musical literacy and understanding. We believe that this constitutes a “fair use” of the copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, which provides allowance for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond “fair use”, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
If your copyrighted material appears on this channel and you disagree with our assessment that it constitutes “fair use”, please contact us. - เพลง
These were one of the most engrossing 53 minutes of my youtube experience. Very genuine and original reaction/analysis video. Thank you!
I am glad you enjoy my work!
i concur !! didn't even feel that long, and i sure learned a lot ! thank you for your work ! i subbed.
I have a habit of scanning comments and I thought you said egregious. First of, I thought, I disagree, I liked it. Then I thought if that was your opinion why bother commenting. Then I read responses and they didn’t quite jive so I reread and realized my mistake. Glad I didn’t comment aggressively.
@@VirginRock È vero che fa un'ottima analisi, ma ho da dire un piccolo disappunto. Voglio dire intanto in anticipo non come in merito ma come presentazione della mia persona che sono un percussionista, che ho fatto il liceo classico musicale, e come si vede in Italia: il problema è che non dà la continuità dell'ascolto! Perché dico questo; perché si perde troppo il filo logico della canzone. Secondo me può dare un'ottima analisi del pezzo se prima ascolta tutto il pezzo, e poi andare in ogni punto della canzone l'analisi! Questo è solo una piccolissima critica, ma come ho detto prima: il merito è di un'ottima analisi come si dovrebbe fare nella musica. Ovvio che un musicista può dare molto di più rispetto ad un appassionato di musica, ovviamente noi musicisti capitiamo tutti i minimi particolari quindi è normale. Comunque continua così, cerchiamo di salvare la vera musica!
@@VirginRock The aggressive sound is meant to trigger a release of adrenaline. It will either scare you or make you feel euphoria. Like a roller coaster.
If the release of adrenaline is interpreted positively then you will really enjoy the music. If not then not.
"Somebody likes the drums." That might sum up the Justice experience completely in 4 words.
Yeah, that's just Lars.
I thought it was "Someone hates Jason's bass"
I laughed so hard when she said that!
@@daveqr me too!!!
@@reineh3477 Jason should have never left Flotsam....everyone in Metallica treated him like crap.
As a lifelong metalhead, it's fascinating to see a classically trained person figuring out what a riff is, fascinating in a beautiful way.
I am going to sound like a smarty pants by mentioning this, but there are riffs in classical, and every form of music. A riff is just a pattern of notes arranged in a rhythm that can repeat. In classical music, riffs are often used more melodically, but there are also a lot of Classical riffs that are more rhythm based with fewer notes. A lot of classical riffs could easily be translated into a Metal style, and it would still sound just as cool.
i know - rite!!
@@donavonhoward114 I agree but a lot of metal riffs (with no formal training - self taught) can be translated into classical. Metallica’s S&M when then teamed up with a classical symphony. All riffs come from the heart !
she did mentioned wat riff is in classical terms in her Black Sabbath’s analysis…. gonna use that so i’ll look like Mr Knowitall…. now when there’s guitar solos or drum solos… i’ll shout ‘cadenza’… 😅😅😅
The hilarious bit to me is when she figures out what a guitar solo is
"Someone likes the drums" - best musical analysis ever. You get right to the heart of it!
Metallica's 'Orion' is a must-hear, incredible instrumental.
Other instrumentals too
Orion is my favorite Metallica music piece
True
Nope awful wimpy band
All 3 up to that point showcase Cliff but Orion takes the cake
As much as I like this song, it's probably not the best choice when coming from a classical background. Metallica have songs that are a lot less repetitive and have much more interesting arrangements.
I am looking forward to digging deeper into it!
I agree! Master of Puppets is a much more interesting song imo. In fact that whole album has some great songs I'd like to see broken down.
Ride The Lightning is a great track.
Orion. Definitely Orion. As a classical musician you should be able to appreciate the composition and pick out the Bach in there.
One is incredibly composed, some very technical parts. Battery intro and Fight fire witj fire also have traditionally classical sounds to them.
"perhaps there's something I'm missing here".... yeah, the bass. 😂
The internet is full of posers, but you are so earnest and genuine that it is very refreshing. Not only are you insightful, but you express yourself well, and your musical expertise is apparent very quickly. Your reaction and analysis are very comprehensive too (mood, color, lyrics, rhythm). Great start to your channel!
"Kind of a show-off moment isn't it?" Absolutely True! 😃
I can't believe nobody has suggested "to live is to die" from the same album... its absolutely my favorite song...like of all time...not just in metal lol
I come to support this! My fav too!! hehehehe
Yessss to live is to die, must
I come to support this X2
I was thinking the same thing. to live is to die is my favorite metallica song, it probably has one of my favorite guitar riffs (the clean interlude riff)
I can’t believe the price you pay
For my wedding, I hired a string quartet to play the intro for this song as first the minister then I walked down the aisle. The parents thought it was pretty but surprising, and in the back, all my friends knew what it was.
Then, after a year, your life was more like, "Peace sells but whose buying." Lol
Legend move 😊 Little Kruta do the whole and justice album and it's all strings and a lady singing them. I'd have their version of to live is to die for my wedding and no one except a few would know it was metallica
“Ok, I think I’m beginning to get the idea of the piece” is the most wholesome thing I’ve heard anyone say about a Metallica song.
It is said, that anger is a higher emotional state than fear, depression and despair. If you imagine that the person listing to this style of music comes from a lower emotional state, then you can see it is an uplifting experience. The Listener can feel an emotional catharsis and release form the deep dark place from where they started. When I was young I would listen to this music as almost bedtime lullaby's compared to my experience of the world. When anger would arise and the tension in the body changes, the mind feels freer. This is not the place to live, but as a way point on the path to Happiness, Angry fierce music helps as a Balm for depression.
Thank you for your work. Please continue.
beautiful point of view
Thats why I say I live in spite of life. Everytime I get depressed I need anger to get a release and move on. Then I envigorated and like going out and making the world a better place!
yep i used it as an escape a lot of times. I'd fall asleep to the most insane metal.
I used to fall asleep to the …And Justice album.
Sepultura. Nice wall of sound. I could not sleep listening to pink floyd, too much different sounds.
Amy…your reaction channel is going to BLOW UP because you are doing something different, and being a teacher, you present your thoughts well and with clarity. This is going to be amazing.
My grandmother was a pianist and when I was listening to this as a teen she said "I can't stand that beat, but these guys are good. They know music."
At first I was a bit disappointed to hear no comments about the harmonies and time signature changes -- both very important elements in this song (and in AJFA as a whole). But then it dawned on me how alien this song must've been to her not only sonically but -- perhaps most importantly -- structurally. As someone else said, there is something beautiful about seeing her trying to figure out what a riff is. Enjoyed the video!
It's inconceivable to me that someone could exist having never listened to heavy metal, because it has been a core part of my life for so long. But that's what makes a video like this interesting - someone with a totally different life experience approaching something with which I am so familiar and really enjoy with completely fresh ears, relating and connecting it to things from her experience in a way I could never do hearing a metal song for the first time.
"Seeking no truth. Winning is all. Find it so grim, so true, so real" ~ song written in the 80s and still so relevant.
life repeats itself with a few improvements but the core of people I don't think changes if ever. Im thinking as a group here, individuals can make changes but its harder to influence the group on the same level. Its very often easier to keep going the same way.
I'm a 50 year old metalhead (B2 English level only) and I really enjoyed this video. Excellent analysis, very interesting point of view, great charm of this girl. Thank you
As a lifelong fan of Metallica and of this song, it was incredibly refreshing to see such an in depth analysis of something that is so familiar to me that I can't recall what hearing this for the first time was like.
Your thoughts and interpretation of the song both musically and thematically are so spot on; I really think you nailed this analysis.
For a lot of fans of this type of music, listening is about the experience and the emotion expressed, and this song is a shining example for that. It expresses anger, sadness, grief, and outrage. Most people experience this specific issue at some point and feel the same way; Those of us who regularly partake of this style of music use it as an outlet for our own emotions, as well as a way to feel seen and relate to other people; Maybe we're not alone if we're all feeling this way.
Thank you for your work to understand something so foreign to you, your breakdown of the song was thoroughly enjoyable and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your content!
Metal at it's core is about catharsis. Letting go. There's a reason it stuck to "the rebellious youth" (even tho I'm an old fart now) with it's image.
@@k.v.7681 finally! Someone who sees metal like I do. I’ve always thought of metal as a brute force cathartic release.
80’s metal. 70’s metal not so much
Something tells me this channel is going to become really popular
Might be! I hope people will not only have fun here, but will learn something new as well….
@@VirginRock you should listen to Orion off of their Master of Puppets album
Beautiful analysis from classical musician pov! Please check out their instrumental masterpiece “Orion”
I’ll add it to my list!
@@VirginRock Definitely 'Orion' then check out 'Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)' by Metallica and the version played on their S&M2 video with the orchestra and how it translated to the electric cello.
@@VirginRock you most certainly should do Orion. But please do "ONE" the music video pairs masterfully with the song. It brings much deeper meaning. The song alone was already a favorite by the time I got MTV but the video cements the meaning (it is an adaptation of a book and movie).
@@VirginRock Japanese Metal put an interesting twist on metal. You are correct that the lyrics fit the aggressive sound of the music. That is how it was done for 40 years. But what if they didn't fit? They made much more aggressive and loud songs sung by girls about Makeup. I think it's pretty hilarious. 'Sentimental Heroine' by Hanabie is way heavier than this and it's cute Japanese girls singing about Makeup. Or 'Doki Doki Morning' by Babymetal is a song about girls getting ready for school in the morning that is equally as heavy as this. It's a subversion of expectations. There are SOO many HEAVY Japanese all girl bands now.
call of ktulu
I would say "One" from this album or "Master of Puppets" from the album of the same name would be worth checking out. Both of them are quite dynamic songs that change in style and tempo throughout and where the music kind of enforces the meaning of the song.
YES! I was going to recommend the exact same two songs! And they're both great for a first time listener...especially a clasically trained one!
What a wholesome, sweet, and highly intellectual analysis of this song. Thank you for making this content!
Now this is a reaction channel . Great reaction, very genuine!
I am glad you enjoy my work!
A couple of minutes in you started bobbing your head, the heartbeat of the song works.
It does indeed!
"somebody likes the drums" 😂 pure genius! such a low key statement summed up the bands... existence, you absolutely nailed it after about 5min listening. Not to be taken as a negative comment towards their music, I've been a fan for decades. Great content you are creating.
As a Metallica fan, I appreciate your analysis of this song as a kind of protest song. It's not easy to listen to in a somewhat similar manner that Picasso's painting "Guernica" is not easy to look at because it is a protest painting. In both cases, the art succeeds by expressing its thesis.
She has a lot to learn about rock n' roll, and why it is just so popular, especially compared to classical music.
Wow this is how you start a channel. The largest and most successful metal band of all time. This is gonna be good.
Lol, the channel started with Queen! Then The Beatles!
That's how you start a channel!
It has been started a week ago, but yeah: one of the first!
@@grandtheftmanualv945 It was their harp which made me decide to go for it right away :)
@Noor Khammas
Your reaction is awful.
Go away.
@Noor Khammas Why? How? This is exactly the type of reaction I've been waiting for ages.
A classically trained musician first listen and reaction to Metallica's ...And Justice For All album whilst providing commentary on the experience!? I am so very, very here for this.
When you said "It's kind of a show off moment, isn't it" about Kirk Hammett's solo, I almost chocked on what I was drinking! that was funny in all the right ways. PRICELESS reaction, very enjoyable and well done!
Edit: I just wanted to add that Metal/Rock can be a deeply spiritual experience. And Justice for All is a very in your face song. it is a masterpiece in its own right, yet I can understand how it can be difficult to listen to if you have had little exposure to it. Rock and Metal have flavors that span the width of an ocean, this is just one extremity/flavor of it. this journey will take you to many places, some of songs and artists you will hate and some you won't be able to live without after experiencing them.
Here analysis after taking a few days to listen to it again are much better though. She will learn to more fully appreciate these great metal artists that
have stood the test of time easily as good as Mozart and Beetoven - in it's own way. I love the fact that these classical musicians are doing this not just for the money, as TH-cam influencers at this level make more than 100K a year, but for understnding us rock n' roll fanantics. Soon she will understand that going to a rock concert has so many things going on at once, and for some people the therapuetic effect and even the "release" we
can feel when attending one.
Her discovering Metal solos is hilarious, what else would you call showoffs in Classical?
Such an authentic reaction - so real LOL! Thank you. You make me want to be there to respond to your comments and feelings through the reaction.
Funny thing: the lead singer didnt learn to sing until the following album, calling what he did on this album "Yelliing." So you're spot on.
For the theme of the song, he did a good job!
@@VirginRock more precisely he was yelling in key which is how he didn't completely kill his voice earlier, especially in 1989
Metallica also worked with the San Francisco Orchestra. Incredible music. 🤘
They are indeed very fine musicians!
@@VirginRock I HIGHLY recommend checking out some of the "Metallica S&M" performance. Moreso than Metallica's music, I would be _very_ interested in your thoughts on how Michael Kamen composed the symphony parts to work with Metallica's music. The first 20 mins or so from the first concert (there were TWO performances of Metallica with the S.F. Symphony) is quite "rich", to say the least. :)
Worked with is a stretch. They paid them to play charts. Happens all the time.
@@VirginRock *they used to be
Well done. This song was the theme of my young life, as my Dad was wrongly incarcerated by a corrupt system. While you (and my wife) find the music stressful, people like me listen to it as a form of therapy, as we identify with the message and feel understood in our outrage and anguish. The song accurately and thoroughly expresses our impotent rage against our perpetrators.
I can’t tell you how much I love this reaction.
Cadenza is exactly analogous. In most rock and metal music, there is a section for a guitar solo where the lead guitarist has a chance to show off his skill while often (hopefully) adding to the piece compositionally.
That’s what I thought when I heard the solo during this piece!
@@VirginRock I like how Kirk Hammet of Metallica always makes sure his solos are virtuosic while still making perfect sense for the music.
@@RealDrumPyles if by “always” you mean “used to,” I would agree.
There's definitely an element of classical music theory and technique in a lot of modern metal guitar solos, though its in no way a requirement!
For every jazzy, messy, free-form-avant-guard noisemaker there's a guy who just takes the most "metal" sounding parts of a bunch of Etudes and sticks them together lmao.
@@mjdillaha -- Yeah, James doesn't let Kirk solo much on their new songs. But fun fact, the most icon riff in pop culture (Enter Sandman) was written by Kirk and arranged by Lars.
I've listened to this song hundreds - thousands? - of times over the years, and your analysis in the last 10 mins especially gave me a whole new level of appreciation.
Amy, I have to say you have much more patience than I do. I grew up listening to rock music, and Black Sabbath was the second concert I attended. Having said that, as heavy metal became a genre, my tastes drifted more towards fusion jazz, now straight jazz, and I never cared for Metallica. I was introduced to your channel by your listen to "Strawberry Fields Forever," and then went back to your first video to watch them all chronologically. If I were in your position listening to this song, I would have taken the headphones off and said, "That's it. If the project requires me to listen all the way through this song, then the project's over." Well, I continued to listen as you did. I had to look up the lyrics to see what he was yelling about. I must say that the message of the lyrics is quite poignant, and the interpretation of the lyrics by the music is spot on. While I still don't care for this style of music and will not become a Metallica fan, you brought me to realize there is artistic value in this music and creative genius in the musicians that I was not aware of before. Thank you. Stay with the patience.
Been a Metallica fan since I was a kid. I really enjoyed you taking the time to listen. Thank you. I hope you do more. They were literally kids when they got started.
Great reaction and analysis! I would recommend the song "One" from the same album, one of their most popular songs and more musically interesting I would say.
Thank you! I’ll add it on my list!
@@VirginRock for sure it's a Masterpiece!
@@therocketsg4087 I look forward to it!
@@VirginRock if you were to listen to/study "One", please don't fall into the same trap as other reactors/similar channels and react to the music video as your first listen (I don't think you would anyway, as I feel like it kind of goes against what you're doing, more of a study of the music), as it tends to distract from the song given it incorporates movie clips, etc. I'm definitely not saying don't watch it (if you were even interested in watching it at all), just better off reacting to it separately or watching it later in the video for the added context. Really enjoyed this video, so keen to see if you do something similar for "One" and other Metallica songs. 👍🏻
@@joshuawynne4 yes this 100%. listen to the album track, don't watch the music video.
i'm so excited to see your journey through rock music.
Oh, it’s an exciting journey!
This is the pinnacle of reaction channels to the point that it is no longer merely a reaction channel but a novel take on the whole TH-cam channel -genre bringing well informed top tier analysis from a perspective that is both rare and valuable. Keep up the great work. It brings the joy of music to both beer chugging denim and leather clad moshers and classically trained musicians as well and bridges the gaps in between.
You just got a new sub! One thing that stood out from your videos is the sound quality of them.
The performance of Ghost Love Score at Wacken by Nightwish is almost mandatory for anyone doing music reactions. So much so that even Floor Jansen, who sang it, did a reaction on her channels. Hers began as an April Fool’s joke about doing it because everyone else does but she went ahead and did it.
It's already on my list!
@@VirginRock I was born in 1965 and had been listening to rock bands since my early teens. A lot of metal is too heavy for me as I don’t have the ear for it, but Nightwish are easy to listen to. Disturbed are still beyond me most of the time but their cover of The Sound Of Silence is sublime and Making Memories is something I wish I’d had when my grandfather died. I’d given him CPR until the ambulance arrived and listened to Prayer For The Dying by Seal as the sun came up on a beautiful morning the day my best friend died. For a good introduction to Seal I’d recommend his performance of Crazy at The Nobel Peace Prize Concert. It’s on TH-cam. When he has a guitar he plays it upside down, with the high notes closest to him, from being left handed and learning to play on right handed friends’ guitars.
I think you will really like this one.
@@VirginRock yes nightwish is a symphonic metal band..and you'll like it..and ghost love score live at wacken 2013 is a great version of this song..
Sub'd and waiting for this!!!
The elipses at the beginning is actually important, along with the album cover. Metallica isn't just some blind thrash metal band... they actually have something to say. This music is for a very specific demographic of young people who are looking around them, and seeing corruption in every single representative there was, (and still is). This album was my personal introduction to Metallica, all the way back on cassette tape. So starting at the beginning of the tape, this song was the face of the band. The ablum is more or less telling a single story, with it's cohesion and call backs. I felt the closing pair of songs were like an opus at the end of a more classical symphony. And for a teenager with limited access to music, it was eye opening.
illegitimacy is a real problem - now more than ever - Metallica have always been a step ahead
I was holding on with great anticipation for your analysis…
That you found this song to be “…an eloquent portrayal of an experience that is felt by many… to be treated unjustly by the very systems which were established to protect and defend…” -nailed it, IMHO.
•
Thank you so much for listening, granting deference to something which was outside your comfort zone, and also talking about comparative musical structure. I have tried to express to classical sticklers that metal has different instrumentation, yes, is distorted, uh-huh, with lyrics that are often growled or screamed, that is correct… but in a strophic baroque/classical structure overlain with abruptly altered meters shocking the listener into self examination (“Oh, you were bopping along, and then the meter changed, huh. That’s right-check yourself”), so there is overlap.
•
The lyrics so often deal with social disorder, injustice, or personal struggles a la Jungian shadow work (in that the evil in the world was created by people, not monsters, and we are not so far from them as to be worthy of elevated status).
•
This album is a bit more groove oriented (pronounced “repetitive”) than their previous album and magnum opus, Master of Puppets-universally regarded as one of the greatest albums (not just “metal albums”) of all time notable for its virtuosic guitar work (not only by lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, but by rhythm guitarist and lead singer James Hetfield, who sings while playing those crazy syncopations), deep harmonic structure, and highly visual and complex lyricism.
Any of its songs are worth a listen, but the title track is one for the ages.
•
I look forward to hearing future analyses.
Subscribed👍
•
If you do a Tool reaction, you will gain about 200k subscribers in a heartbeat, and like Metallica, they are a deep dive, BUT be prepared for your analysis/breakdown to take a week or two to prepare. Tool are the gods of prog metal… for good reason.
I absolutely love and respect how open minded you are. I went from purely classical to metal within a year and it was the most powerful expansion of musical experience I never knew I needed for the sake of soul enrichment. Amazing to watch your musical journey 😊
Also acknowledging how they can effectively use music theory to literally sound pseudo patriotic with a descending whole tone scale and then go metal phrygian to drive the point home. They sure did craft-fully utilize ugliness flawlessly. The.. justice.. system. Metallica at their prime🫡 such an underrated song
First, Metallica fans thank you for taking such long time to review one of masterpieces. Even for you being a listener of a totally different genre, this song was pretty heavy even forml me when I started listening to it. It has a punch. I think here the music does not go up in first place, but it only serves to strengthen and support the theme of the song. Broken justice. In many different ways. Metallica just touches on parts of society nobody likes talking about, but everyone experiences every once in a while. What a great and detailed analysis! 👍👏 I felt compeled to comment, it's very well deserved!!
You spent more time on this song than 90% of hard core Metallica fans lol
The Cadenza moment is a very important portion to most metal and rock fans, mostly just identified as the Guitar Solo. Most metal music especially from this era has a variation of this in almost every song. Metal is heavily based on "Riffs" as a building block like a motif you mentioned. So you might want to look that up as a pop music concept.
LOL! I used to go to sleep with Metallica (and other thrash bands) in my Walkman at volume 10 on loop. What an honest and instructive reaction. You embraced discomfort for art's sake and left me, a lover of this album since it came out in '88, a wiser music lover. Thank you.
When Metallica were touring to promote this album they found that the songs were so long that by the halfway mark the crowd was dying down, so after a while they condensed the coolest parts of the album into a 'Justice-medley' and got it over and done with in favor of the the less drawn out songs of other albums.
That’s what I learned, yes! Too bad though, because the son makes perfect sense as it is!
@@VirginRock try "The Call of Ktulu"
The coolest parts of the album are the entire album 🤣
I'd suggest reacting to "One" as it is a emotial story and quite easy to follow if you're actually listening. Any of the symphony orchestra arrangements they've done as well.
"The same thing coming back" is called riff and is the basic piece of music that holds the song together, I'd say from the very beginning of rock'n'roll till few years ago, you don't hear lot of riffs anymore (sadly)
You do if you listen to the right music
Most metal music still uses riffs
Hello,
I love that you don't rip music apart and degrade it just because it's different from what you are use to. You actually break it down and are able to view it through a different lense and appreciate the idea it's trying to convey. Not many people can do that, so thank you.
I think you might actually like Metallica's song The Unforgiven. It's a little on their calmer side, and has some classical guitar elements that remind me of Moonlight Sonata. I believe it would be more enjoyable for you. I would love to hear your thoughts and analysis of it.
As someone raised on classical music but also a metal fan from adolescence onward, I REALLY appreciated your perspective on the song construction as someone who was previously unfamiliar with Metallica. I also appreciated your willingness to investigate and relisten despite being understandably overwhelmed by your first listening experience.
Best breakdown, dissection, and explanation of a metal song EVER. Metalheads breakdown metal songs constantly, but this, she totally killed it. Especially the explanation of the solo portion of the song. Most metal explanation ever.
Reaction videos are ten a penny, especially those involving Metallica ... what we have here is a not simple reaction but a thoughtful, articulate and informed analysis of the song. This was so engaging and entertaining! Thank you so much - you deserve to gain many followers for your content, so please keep at it!
Thank you for reacting. This entire album is about injustices in society. I think you would really love another song for this album called “One”.
Can't wait for her to hear their evolution in songwriting. These guys were like 26 when they made Justice. So much angst. They grew up musically by the Black Album. Load and reload have some huge songs that I think she would appreciate.
I am looking forward to exploring more of their work!
I would say the opposite. The Black Album taught them how to be repetitive and pop oriented. Their later stuff is far more boring and Lars just checks out completely.
@@halofour01 as a kid I was super disappointed in the post justice Metallica. However in my 30s now iv learned that less is more. The songs are vocally driven and Lars in my opinion does not "checkout". Their approach was just different. With songs like Outlaw torn and Unforgiven 2 they transcended the genre. I get it...you want a riff salad and an arthritis inducing solo bt in terms of atmosphere and pushing the envelope I really dig the evolution of the band. I guess it comes with maturity.
@@kristovj827 I love that different people get different things out of music. It's cool. I'm 52. I bought Kill em All when it came out. And RTL and MOP and AJFA. I grew up with them and followed them in their journey. The Black Album was pretty great, but also a harbinger of things to come. I like a band that grows and changes, but not when they stop writing interesting music. I am a massive Opeth fan and my favorite material from them is The Damnation album forward. They got better (imo) when they stopped using growl vocals and added keyboards and more jazz influence. Metallica just started writing 3 minute pop songs with country beats compared to their past work. imo of course, I do love a riff salad! lol
As a 35 year dedicated fan of Metallica I can honestly say this was absolutely incredible! Well done ma'am, well done !!
And yet, your final interpretation is impeccable! Wow! I give you the highest regards!
"to live is to die" is a must if you return to Metallica.
Metal and Classical are closer than most realize. You will find their S&M album/concert. Enjoy this journey. Peace/JT
You were right about the show offiness lol. Here's what I found on wikipedia. ...And Justice for All is a musically progressive album featuring long and complex songs,[24] fast tempos and few verse-chorus structures.[25] Metallica decided to broaden its sonic range, writing songs with multiple sections, heavy guitar arpeggios and unusual time signatures.[26] Hetfield explained: "Songwriting-wise, [the album] was just us really showing off and trying to show what we could do. 'We've jammed six riffs into one song? Let's make it eight. Let's go crazy with it.'"[22]
This was possibly the most sincere bit of TH-cam content I've heard. I am particularly impressed that you managed to break through your initial revulsion - I'm thinking that's a fair word - to get to the song's meaning and to understand it in a far deeper way than most listeners would. My deepest respect.
Now I can't wait for you to collaborate with Doug Helvering.
Except she's nothing like Doug, she could learn from him you don't interrupt the tune so much. It was kind of annoying.
@@metalmike570 Yes, they are very different in style, attitude and, dare I say, personality. But that's why I would really love to see them collaborate. They do both bring a depth of knowledge to their videos, and seeing them together would be great. Well, for us viewers, at least. Can't imagine Amy saying "Y'all" out loud :). Or Doug delving into the picking technique on the harp.
@@mertanos Ok but Doug's wife will get jealous. LMAO
@@metalmike570 Yep. Also, let's not go there... 😄
@@mertanos Ok yeah it would be awesome!!
The show off moment... I love it. It's a solo. It is part of the basic structure of rock (metal) music
If it were possible to invest into TH-cam channels the same way one could invest into stocks when a new company appears out of nowhere, I would put lots of money into your channel. Haven’t watched anything as professional as this related to music in years, not even on famous television networks. I have the feeling you will be famous sooner than some might think. Congrats for everything you do!
I have had similar thoughts. I was thinking BBC4!
It seems that your investment is higher than money….
I agree
Completely agree! I initially read this comment as the video started. By the end, I was ready to put my money where my mouth is! TH-cam just found it's new best music reaction/review channel!!!
Look up Rick Beato, another TH-camr and professional musician, producer and educator. His background is jazz and rock but his knowledge and passion is quite similar to Amy's.
I was a huge metal fan when I was young (especially Metallica) and I've listened to a lot of classical music in recent years, so I always find it interesting when someone from a classical background reacts to heavy metal pieces.
I am very impressed by your interpretation of this song. Your thoughtful views and impressions of it from your classical perspective are remarkable. I look forward to watching more of your reactions.
Insightful, sensitive, honest reaction! Thank you for that!
What an amazing and thoughtful analysis. Everyone should watch this until the end.
Wow, you really jumped into the deep end with Metallica. Thank you for the video. Your going to get a lot of metal heads coming over flooding you with metal requests. If your going to try more Metallica then I think Orion(instermental) might be something you would enjoy. Otherwise Boston "More than a Feeling" would be my request.
Thank you! Orion is on my list!
Alright, another Possum! Howdy 👋
Metallica has done two (yes two!) albums with the San Francisco Orchestra. You can check out "S & M" (symphony and metalica) and "S & M 2" to see how they mesh with more familiar instruments.
their worst albums imho
@@knightofbrokenglass9237 Yet its still better then most other bands.
@@knightofbrokenglass9237 not gonna lie. i quite enjoyed S&M
“Someone likes the drums…..”
You have no idea how right you are. 😂😂
Omg, what if she said " someone doesn't like bass"🤣🤣🤣
@@georgelanders4271 😂
Thank you for your honest feedback!!
"For whom the bell tolls" by Metallica, another excellent song 👍
I stumbled across this in my recommended videos and I have to say that I really appreciated your take! I laughed for a moment when you said "somebody likes the drums" because the drummer of the band infamously influenced the mixing of this album to his liking.
If they haven't been mentioned in the comments yet, a few bands that do *very* well in these type of reaction and analysis videos would be Rush, Tool, Dream Theater, and Iron Maiden. Each band being known for their complex songs both musically and lyrically, including one Tool song being written using the Fibonacci sequence in both verse word count and time signatures.
Best of luck on growing your channel!
I know I'm a year late, but every time you hear Metallica, you have to think in 4s. Almost every riff they do, they play it for at least 4 bars, sometimes 8, sometimes 16. It can seem repetative but it gives the guitar-heads time to appreciate it
An excellent methodical breakdown not only from a musical/compositional perspective, you also breakdown the lyrics, emotions and total delivery effectiveness.
I thoroughly enjoyed this reaction and breakdown. Keep up the multi-dimensional artistic education and authentic, honest reviews.. Great work!
The cadenza, what it is musically, is not just a showoff moment. It's actually more poetic. In vocal performances the instruments support the vocals. The singer is the one saying everything. The music can't speak it only emotes. The solo is the instrument's opinion of the piece, topic, or story being told. Usually, the guitar solo either supports, agrees, and sympathizes with the vocalist or voices it's opposition. The instrument's solo can also be its own "reaction" to the lyrics within the song. In another context, one could imagine the guitar solo is like a loyal dog offering it's opinion to its owner.
Wise words - this is what I expect of a pro musician
Well said
Indeed. Well said.
This kind of music is known as heavy metal. I've been a Metallica fan for over 20 years now, and they're typically the group one first listens to when first discovering heavy metal music. They are the "gateway drug" into metal music, as it were. As you listen to more, you'll find, that heavy metal (especially heavy metal from the 1980s) and classical have a lot in common both compositionally and in playing. '...And Justice for All' is definitely Metallica's most technically proficient album, however 'Master of Puppets' is widely considered to be their best, and I suggest you listen to the title track from that album next. If you'd like to listen to more on 'Justice,' I would suggest the tracks 'Blackened,' 'One,' and 'To Live Is To Die.' If you've got a spare hour, 'Master of Puppets' is best enjoyed in its entirety from start to finish.
Thrash Metal.
@@TheDannyGoodman Metal is an adequate description for Metallica for those who are new to the metal genre, and got the point of the message across without needing to be specified further
@@mfkrwill nope its thrash metal urrrgg
The real Gateway into Metal is Black Sabbath. They are the inventors of Heavy Metal and almost everyone knows it.
As a lifelong fan of rock music and classical musician myself (brass player), this is the content I've needed. Thank you!
This was very interesting and informative. I am a fan of heavy metal and I enjoyed seeing a comprehensive musical breakdown of the song and the parallels between classical and metal. Thank you for this.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching and listening to your analysis! Right into the deep end of the pool!
Remember heavy metal, especially thrash metal (as Metallica is sub-categorized) is a rebellious evolution of rebellious music. First rock & roll as a rebellion toward mainstream big band, then as rock became "commercialized", a new form of protest was needed. How to grab everyone's attention? Simple, be as loud as possible. Distortion in the beginning was just turning up the amplifiers as much as possible. Nowadays it's become the staple of the genre. Then writing lyrics that, rather than expressing freedom and rebellious joy, writing lyrics to convey a problem. Most kids (my younger self) were more inspired by these rebellious nature than the actual musical quality. Anything to play as loud as possible to annoy your parents and teachers.
You'll find most heavy metal more closely connected to Romantic style classical. Remove the love of the romantic and keep the fascination with death (Der Erlkonig and Symphonie Fantastique would be most comparable). Most metal is, of course, simpler. As you pointed out in your video, thanks to evolution of music (specifically radio) most songs will be shorter and limited in scope (see Dream Theater for the antithesis of modern songwriting). Lyrics will mostly be rebellious in nature.
If your goal is to get a better appreciation for heavy metal, you might want to start with 60's and 70's metal before exploring further to get a better foothold on the genre as it deviates from rock and hard rock. Bands like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple are good starting points before going to Iron Maiden and maybe Alice Cooper to see to music become progressively louder and faster. I fear starting with Metallica as your ambassador to the genre without having that already rebellious nature will only make other metal bands less approachable.
Thank you for your recommendations!
awesome on your analysis....interesting perspective you bring to this genre of music
I am glad you enjoy my work!
Amazing video. And Justice for all is a true masterpiece.
Thanks for sharing!
A little "reminding" dead stop appears in every verse as well, on every line's third beat, alltogether instruments and words. It's like a "hammer of justice" reminding you the whole song trough. And the repeating of that (slightly modified) verse riff with the short dead stop right after the solo is like a high energy point to me where no words are necessary to get to the point, all is summed up in that riff.
AJFA is a masterpiece of finely-tuned riffology. I can understand how, coming from the Classical world, she would not have immediately picked up on all the clockwork stuff going on that keeps us coming back to this stuff, just trying to get her head around the 500-ton steamroller that is this tune. Makes me wonder what her reaction to "Blackened" would have been...
Oh man, I thoroughly enjoyed the professionalism in your reaction. Honestly, anything off Metallica’s first 4 albums would be great to react to. Looking forward to more!!
I like to periodically remind myself that Metallica is no more heavy metal than the 1812 Overture was in its day. It doesn't get more metal than firing cannons during a song. Heavy metal music lends itself to symphonic arrangement very easily and sounds amazing. So much so, in fact, that Metallica has 2 albums (I think it's 2?) that they recorded with the San Francisco Symphony.
Please do more of this!! As a Metallica fan, it is REALLY COOL to see someone with your background analyze the music I enjoy so much. You even noticed and gave name to stuff I have been noticing for years, but I lack de formal preparation to put them into words.
I've been getting into classical a while now. But I'm still a virgin in regards to knowing names of progression, structures etc. So like you Amy (My eldest daughter is called Amy btw) I'm finding out new things and listening to things I wouldn't listen to normally. So stumbling across you channel today has been a breath of fresh air. A different reactive perspective & analysis.i could give you so many songs to make vids on. But I'd rather you discover on your own. My favourite music genre is Electronic Dance Music. I was listening to Rock / Metal for many years. Then in 1992 it all changed for me. Maybe you can have a second channel where you can discover dance music and do your own unique & interesting takes. Ultimately, it is so great to see someone reacting like their tastebuds have discovered manna from heaven. Thank you Amy for your videos and your enthusiasm.
Your understanding of the bands crafting of tension, and the push and pull with the lyrics on Justice.., Just(ice) amazing.
Nice work here!
This channel is really exciting. I love the analysis from your point of view. Can’t wait for your breakdown of nightwish, I always wanted to know more about their composition.
I'd be very curious on your thoughts on Metallica's "The Call of Ktulu" from their "Ride the Lightning" album. It's an instrumental from their second album. The version with the San Francisco Symphony is outstanding in my opinion but I always enjoyed the original version too!
Such a beautiful song, that and Orion are two of my favorites to play 🥰
Orion, fade to black, for whom the belt are also great choice for her to analyze, a lot of variations, beauty, power, speed, and slowness in melodies and rythm
I am a huge Metallica fan. I've never actually seen anyone breakdown and give an analysis of their music in the way you have. I quite enjoyed this. I'll be looking at your other works on this channel and subscribing.
When I first heard Metallica I was already a fan of this type of music, but it still took several listens to this album before I really 'got' it. So I can understand how difficult it must have been for you to approach this song.
I loved your video and analysis! Since you briefly expressed an interest in this album, May I suggest the song named “One”. It’s a powerful anti war song that tells a compelling and heavy story, that’s driven home by (in my opinion) their best song writing ever. OR if you’d like to see the overlap between Metallica and classical music. “Call Of Ktulu” is a great instrumental that’s been taken to new heights by the San Francisco Symphony
They are both on my list!
"Dad, what is democracy?" "For democracy, a man would give his only begotten son."
I've looked for a copy of that movie for decades, would love to see it.
Find the extended version with the intro if you can, it is from a book/movie called "Johnny Got His Gun".
@@JustSomeGuyInTheMtns finding a copy would be difficult but if you just want to watch it, the whole film is up on TH-cam
@@Karen-vf8no Aww thank you! I just found it too! I never thought to search here for it. Movie night tonight, and thanks again!
@@JustSomeGuyInTheMtns enjoy your night
Brilliant analysis! Such great perspective.
I adore how far into the music you look and analyze. I had given up on reaction videos as most people simply listen to the song and offer the most vapid, shallow opinion rather than giving any consideration as to what really took place in the music. You really take the songs seriously even when the music isn’t something you’re overly interested in and that sets you apart. I’m now a subscriber and look forward to more of your content.