The hard rock/heavy metal community has been eagerly awaiting the release of Metallica’s 11th studio album, 72 Seasons (Blackened) since the band’s November ’22 announcement of an enormous two-year worldwide stadium tour—46 shows in 23 cities. And the guys, now all pushing 60, have delivered a solid body of work, certainly their best since 1991’s “Black Album,” and in line with their killer first three releases: Kill ‘Em All (1983), Ride the Lightning (1984) and Master of Puppets (1986).

72 Seasons is a most welcome return to form for the band, who had previously ventured into more alternative styles and released collaborations with other artists.

The new album comes close to the rage, speed, riff-riddled and hook-heavy sound Metallica helped define and bring to stratospheric levels. What distinguishes 72 Seasons from more recent releases like Hardwired…to Self-Destruct and Death Magnetic is the full incorporation of Robert Trujillo. His bass is more audible here than on any Metallica album, amid James Hetfield’s stronger-than-ever vocals and the return of Kirk Hammett’s furious, frenetic guitar solos.

At 77 minutes long, Seasons delivers everything you could possibly want from a Metallica album in 2023.

Metallica are unquestionably the most successful heavy metal band of all time, and have held that title for over 30 years. They are one of the few bands still playing that can be identified immediately by their unmistakable sound—as witnessed on such new tracks as “Shadows Follow,” “Lux Aeterna” and “If Darkness Had a Son.”