Believing themselves smart for using a character absent on most keyboards across the globe, Metallica is back, and they leave as much of a mark as they did the last time they were together. Since their fateful collaboration with Lou Reed, Metallica appears to have simmered down a bit. Whether they wish to put that behind them or respect it as they go forth as a new iteration of the heavy metal genre impacts Lux Æterna not one bit. It is a track that is gracious enough to not outstay its welcome, but does demand a level of acceptance, that their new piece is nothing but standard speed metal of a comically self-parodical variety.
For those in doubt about another Metallica track, there is a relative gracefulness when compared to the other dad rock bands of the time. Guns ‘n’ Roses marked Hard Skool by noting that they had not grown from their now embarrassing skin-tight leather phase. Metallica are an impressive-sounding band, but they struggle to score Lux Æterna as anything particularly unique. There is a consistency and scheduled feel to it, a guitar solo here, a repetition of the title there, and it all comes together with about as much clarity as would be wanted of a piece where the lyrics mean nothing and the structure means everything. Ruffle Lars Ulrich’s hair, note that Lux Æterna is a neat track from an otherwise unknowable album, and move on. That’s all there is to be done with this piece.
It does not set the world on fire as the band would have once done, not because the genre has moved on but because Metallica stick to what they know and how they do so does not change. That is good for the fans that do not want a challenge, but it is fatal to the progress of the genre Metallica are no longer championing. Lux Æterna is unequivocally fine. It is as fine as it gets. Absolutely tempered with, not mediocrity, but a sameness that infects much of the working discography of the band. As a piece of music that promotes an upcoming album and tour that has sparse dates to it, Lux Æterna plays it unfortunately safe and does nothing in particular. James Hetfield still boasts a quality vocal range, it is reassuring to see he has not lost that.
What he has lost, however, is the ability to write with a challenge. Lux Æterna is one piece that does very little. It is as inoffensive as it gets. Is that a message or image ever associated with Metallica? A band that, for better or worse, has not quite played it safe in their tenured careers. “Full speed or nothing,” Hetfield sings of. Nothing it is, then. Lux Æterna is absolutely fine. Lyrically disingenuous it is not, it is more confused than anything. Ramblings of a band that broke themselves time and time again with great musical highs are now reduced to grumbling through a standard piece that plays up their integral, never-changing sound without the challenge or chance to bring in anything new to the fold. Perhaps that is hidden away on 72 Seasons, but that is wishful thinking.
Totally agree!