Metallica have announced that songs from St Anger are now available on online guitar learning app Fender Play – and have used the opportunity to take swipes at the much maligned album.
Metallica released St Anger as their eighth album on June 5, 2003, following years of intra-band tension due to bassist Jason Newsted’s exit and singer/guitarist James Hetfield entering rehab.
It was met with mixed reviews from critics and harsh backlash from fans, but still reached number one on the US Billboard charts.
Criticism was levied at the album’s snare drum sound, the rawness of which has often been likened to the banging of rubbish bins, as well as the lack of solos from lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and the songs’ lengths.
The band played into the response to the album in their announcement yesterday (January 16), writing on social media: “Everyone’s favorite album is now on Fender Play!
“Dust off your guitar (sorry, the snare drums will have to wait for another day) and get started on Frantic, St Anger, Some Kind Of Monster, and The Unnamed Feeling.”
Metallica distanced themselves from the sound of St Anger on 2008 followup Death Magnetic, which brought them back to their original thrash metal style.
Hetfield told Kerrang! in 2007: “With St Anger, it became so open-minded that it became unfocused.”
He added: “It was very unrealistic. We went from tearing each other’s throats out with sarcasm, anger and not speaking to the polar opposite where we’d embrace every stupid idea so as to not hurt anyone’s feelings. And that didn’t work either!”
Nonetheless, Metallica continue to perform certain songs from St Anger live, and Hetfield has played along with the negative response to the album onstage.
In 2022, a video was uploaded of Hetfield engaging with a St Anger hater at a live show, after playing Frantic.
“That was from your favourite album, St Anger,” the frontman quipped.
After noticing the seemingly disgruntled fan, he added: “Just give it a little more time, buddy. You’ll get it.”
Metallica are currently promoting their 11th album, 72 Seasons, with the M72 tour, which will resume in May. The M72 run sees the band play two shows at every city they visit with no repeated songs. Dates are below and tickets are available now.
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Metallica M72 world tour 2024 dates
May 24: Munich Olympiastadion, Germany
May 26: Munich Olympiastadion, Germany
May 29: Milan I-Days Festival, Italy
Jun 01: Vienna Racino Rocks Festival, Austria
Jun 07: Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Finland
Jun 09: Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Finland
Jun 14: Copenhagen Parken Stadium, Denmark
Jun 16: Copenhagen Parken Stadium, Denmark
Jun 26: Oslo Tons Of Rock Festival, Norway
Jun 29: Clisson Hellfest, France
Jul 05: Warsaw PGE Narodowy, Poland
Jul 07: Warsaw PGE Narodowy, Poland
Jul 12: Madrid Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, Spain
Jul 14: Madrid Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, Spain
Aug 02: Foxborough Gillette Stadium, MA, USA
Aug 04: Foxborough Gillette Stadium, MA, USA
Aug 09: Chicago Soldier Field, IL, USA
Aug 11: Chicago Soldier Field, IL, USA
Aug 16: Minneapolis US Bank Stadium, MN, USA
Aug 18: Minneapolis US Bank Stadium, MN, USA
Aug 23: Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium, Canada
Aug 25: Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium, Canada
Aug 30: Seattle Lumen Field, WA, USA
Sep 01: Seattle Lumen Field, WA, USA
Sep 20: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 22: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 27: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 29: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
