“Lars has a thing that every time they’ve done an album, he comes and plays it to me, and hopes that I nod and say, ‘That’s a good lad’. I said, ’You forgot the bass!’“: Flemming Rasmussen is still confused by Metallica’s bassless ...And Justice For All

Danish audio engineer and record producer Flemming Rasmussen.

Former Metallica producer Flemming Rasmussen has been talking about his work on the band’s 1988 album ...And Justice For All and the notorious absence of bass in its final mix. Essentially, he’s still baffled by it.

The album – Metallica’s fourth – was the third that Rasmussen had worked on. He came into the project late. Recording had begun with Guns N’ Roses producer Mike Clink before Rasmussen reshuffled his schedule and came onboard. As he explained to Chilean radio station Futuro, the band’s decision to eschew bass puzzled him.