10 Of the Worst Metallica Songs Ever Made

The worst Metallica songs can be a tricky topic because of the band’s different eras. This band has come up with multiple records with a wide variety of styles.

Granted, most people prefer their 80s output, but even those have some weaker tracks. However, it also highlights Metallica‘s massive career and the many ups and downs they have gone through.

It is also worth pointing out that this list is entirely subjective. Every single fan has their own version of the worst Metallica songs. Furthermore, this is done from a place of respect. It is only meant to portray some tracks that don’t live up to this band’s legacy.

Metallica’s great, but even a legendary band can have a few misses. Here’s a look at ten of them and why these songs are the way they are:

1. Escape

This list can begin by including a song that could generate controversy. “Escape” has a very serious problem and that is that it is one of the best albums in the history of metal. Moreover, possibly the best Metallica album. Being surrounded by songs like “Fight Fire with Fire”, “For Whom the Bell Tolls, “Fade to Black” or “Creeping Death is difficult. Without really being a bad song, on an album that has so much, “Escape” does not convince.

It clashes considerably with the overwhelming quality of “Ride the Lightning“. There is no denying that this track has its defenders, but it is mostly criticized. It makes sense when considering that it is part of such a legendary record. Definitely a prime example of the worst Metallica songs.

2. Shoot Me Again

And speaking of controversy, now we go with a song from the controversial and polarizing “St. Anger”. With this album, Metallica moved away (too far) from the sound that characterized them in their beginnings, something that did not happen overnight but rather happened progressively. The album has things that fans of the band did not like (and still do not like).

They consider that, for example, the drums sound like a garbage can, which is fair enough. Furthermore, it does not include solos and the raw production ends up sounding unprofessional. Well, “Shoot Me Again” embodies all those elements that not only make it the worst of a not very good album by the band but also one of the Worst Metallica songs. It is a poor song from a very negative part of the group’s history.

3. Don’t Thread On Me

The Black Album is a mix of songs that achieved great commercial success without being great songs with great songs with much less recognition. In the first group, “Enter Sandman” and “Nothing Else Matters” stand out. In the second, “The Unforgiven”, Of Wolf and Man” or “Wherever I May Roam”. “Don’t Tread on Me” is somewhere in the middle, very inconsequential, which makes it a little irrelevant. Like “Escape”, it is a song that never quite gels.

The album as a whole was a massive hit, but some songs highlight a painful transition. The writing sessions and war with producer Bob Rock at the time have become legendary. It makes sense that some songs never worked in these productions. It is also ironic that one of the worst Metallica songs came from such a successful album. However, it makes a lot of sense given the context of the band’s moment at the time.

4. Poor Twisted Me

On “Load”, the band has a certain maturity that allows them to make good songs, although not with the energy and speed of yesteryear. You can see that maturity in the songwriting and lyrics. “Until It Sleeps”, “Hero of the Day” or “The Outlaw Torn” are good examples of this. On the other hand, “Poor Twisted Me” seems like something that started out as a good idea but never really turned into a good song.

It is simply a weak song. “Load” does have some truly excellent moments, but songs like this waters down the record. There is also the fact that it feels like a half-baked idea. Several tracks during this band’s era have that feeling, sadly enough. That’s why it is included among the worst Metallica songs.

5. Suicide and Redemption

Talking about “The Call of Ktulu” or “Orion“ is talking about some of the best instrumentals of the genre. They are songs that, without being excessively long, are a kind of journey with higher and lower moments, some faster and others more melodic.

That epicness that these instrumentals have is what “Suicide & Redemption” lacks. Perhaps the best way to describe one of worst Metallica songs is with the word bland. “Suicide & Redemption” lacks those elements that make an instrumental have quality. It is a very good example of how a song in this band’s repertoire doesn’t live up to their legacy.

6. All Within My Hands

For whatever reason, we’re back to “St. Anger” on this list. We’ve already talked about some of the things that are criticized about this album and almost all of them can be found in “All Within My Hands”. But, it’s not just that, since we have to add another element, James Hetfield‘s vocals.

Metallica‘s lead singer has never been a particularly virtuoso singer. However, in this song, Hetfield didn’t seem to be in tune. Although it’s also true that the song didn’t seem to have a very defined structure or style and that affected Hetfield‘s vocals, which were very variable. It is definitely one of the weakest performances in his career and one of the worst Metallica songs.

7. Attitude

Legend has it that both “Load” and “Reload” had a lot of material that, at another time in the band, would have been discarded. We’re talking about songs that wouldn’t pass the band’s standard filter. If we look at both albums in detail, they have many more songs than the rest of Metallica‘s discography. In that lack of discards, songs like “Attitude” make it onto “Reload”, which, in itself, is not one of the band’s strongest albums. So, it’s a poor song on an album without so much good material.

8. The Struggle Within

“The Struggle Within” seemed like an attempt to go back to sounding like they did at the beginning of their career. Clearly, it wasn’t a successful attempt. In fact, we could say that both in this song and in much of the Black Album, they were moving away from that. The song ends up being somewhat weak and bland, it lacks things to catch the band’s fanatic attention. Logically, it couldn’t be left out of the list of worst Metallica songs.

Ultimately, “The Struggle Within” feels like an afterthought. Despite being the band’s highest-selling record, this song doesn’t stand out. It feels like a missed opportunity from a songwriting perspective. It is not the band’s classic thrash metal style. But it doesn’t have the commercial and melodic appeal of the new sound, either. It feels like an underdeveloped idea, which was probably a sign of things to come.

9. Ronnie

Another song that should have been left off the “Load” album. It’s an underdeveloped idea that, perhaps with a little more dedication, could have reached the level of acceptable. We could say that one of Hetfield‘s strong points is his riffs and “Ronnie” has one of the worst in the band’s discography. A song that you can skip if you like Metallica. It is also another song that should have been left off “Load”.

Perhaps the biggest problem with this song, as mentioned earlier, is that it is underdeveloped. This is an issue with the vast majority of the “Load” and “Reload” productions It makes sense because Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield don’t like wasting ideas. It is a respectable decision, but this song is a prime example that it should have stayed in the studio.

10. The Unforgiven III

It’s not easy to write “The Unforgiven” alongside the worst Metallica songs, but it is what it is. The first two (and especially the first one) are important songs in the band’s discography. Even though they break considerably with the band’s classic style, it has become iconic. It’s also that this song tries to replicate the style of the previous ones, although with a Metallica version that is very different.

Hetfield‘s vocals don’t provide the strength that the previous ones had. This third part falls into no man’s land and the name ends up being what condemns it. Perhaps leaving “The Unforgiven” as a two-part song would have been better. There is also the fact that there is always going to be a comparison with the first two songs. It is something that can’t be avoided and also feels like a weak part of “Death Magnetic“.