13. Metallica - My Apocalypse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUNfRpuowoE Metallica obviously need no introduction, and following the previous two entrants who essentially owe their careers to these guys, it serves to point out that when the masters of any craft drop new material, it's always down to the fans to decide whether or not they get to keep their crown. Luckily for Metallica their previous album was the insanely divisive St. Anger, meaning that anything other than a well-produced fart would have been accepted as progress for many. However, fart they did not! Instead turning out a phenomenal return to form, with Kirk Hammett once again soloing like his life depended on it (It kind of did at this point), Hetfield penning a finale to his Unforgiven trilogy, and Lars remembering how to use both his bass pedals again. The closer for such an album was the ferocious My Apocalypse, a track that features one of my favourite solo lead-ins ever recorded. Not only does the descending riff first herald Hetfield barking "GO!" as everything gets cranked back up, but in one of the single best most metal things Metallica has ever done, Hetfield bellows "split apart..split apart...spit...SPIT IT OUT!" just as the solo kicks in, and Hammett bends multiple strings skyward, ending the album in the best way possible. Metallica were back with a vengeance, and all would be right with the world for the foreseeable future. Sorry what? Lulu? No she's err...she's not in.