142. 🤘Metallica's MTV Era: The Black Album, Load, & Reload

Dan & Billy welcome back longtime friend & Nostalgia Test Podcast Allstar Jeremy Madson to put Metallica's 90s MTV Era to the ultimate test—THE NOSTALGIA TEST! “We’re on the reverse trajectory of Kiss. Right? Because KISS took the makeup off in the nineties and Metallic put it on.” -Jeremy Madson The boys continue the Metallica Eras journey Nostalgia Test Podcast Metalheads with the controversial 90s studio albums The Black Album, Load, & Reload, also known as the MTV era & the Jason Newstead. Dan, Billy, & Jeremy headbang down memory lane and talk about hearing these albums for the first time, the weird transition from the thrash era to whatever this mid-life metal crisis was, the shift in Metallica's musical style, the peculiar cover art for Load & Reload, and production choices. They go track-by-track and create a 10-track merged version of Load & Reload called Unload, which you can listen to here. In the end, the guys rank the 90s era albums.   If you’re a Metallica nerd, this episode is for you. If you’re not, listen anyway and give it 5-stars. Listen to Unload on Spotify! Email us ([email protected]) ranking so we can share them on the next Metallica episode!    APPROXIMATE RUN OF SHOW: 00:00 Introduction to the Metallica Nostalgia Test 00:37 Recap of Previous Episodes and Albums 01:17 The Nineties Era: MTV and Jason Newstead 01:55 Metallica's Costume Era and Music Videos 03:23 High School Memories and Metallica's Influence 09:26 The Black Album: A Turning Point 19:24 Load and Reload: The Controversial Albums 40:51 Guitar Solos and Bob Rock's Influence 41:58 Debating the Merits of 'Bleeding Me' 42:34 Critiquing 'Cure' and Other Tracks 44:24 Discussing 'Wasting My Hate' 46:38 Country Influences in Metallica's Music 47:11 The Controversial 'Mama Said' 47:46 Evaluating 'Thorn Within' and 'Ronnie' 50:42 The Outlaw Torn and Album Reflection 51:10 Nostalgia Test: Does 'Load' Hold Up? 55:50 Comparing 'Load' to Other Albums of the Era 58:13 Introduction to 'Reload' and Its Reception 58:48 Lead Singles and Album Strategy 01:00:35 Track-by-Track Breakdown of 'Reload' 01:09:32 The Unforgiven II: A Sequel Song 01:13:29 Mixed Reviews on 'Better Than You' and 'Slither' 01:14:56 Debating the Middle Part of the Song 01:15:25 Critiquing the Lyrics and Vocals 01:15:49 Generic Hard Rock and Stoner Rock Comparisons 01:16:39 Discussing 'Where the Wild Things Are' 01:17:05 Lars' Dad's Brutal Honesty 01:17:44 Evaluating 'Prince Charming' 01:18:07 The Unmemorable Riffs 01:20:33 The Irish Bar Drinking Song Vibe 01:21:20 WWE and 'Attitude' 01:21:27 The Lengthy 'Fixer' 01:23:01 Reload Exhaustion and Nostalgia 01:29:50 Ranking and Sequencing the Best Tracks 01:43:45 Final Thoughts and Ranking the Era     Contact/Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast! If you had a great time listening to The Nostalgia Test Podcast and want to book us on your next podcast or have perform at your themed party, or have us host a special event, fill out the form below and LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! We can do so many fun Nostalgic Events! Podcast Guest Appearances Themed Parties Hosting Screenings Corporate Events Reunions Weddings Birthday Parties Trivia The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create a personalized Nostalgic experience for any occasion! Email us at [email protected] or fill out the Google Form below to get the process started. We're open to in-person and virtual events. Pricing may vary depending on the details of your event/party.   LET'S GET NOSTALGIC!       Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook   The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected