10 Things You Didn't Know About Metallica
6. All Nightmare Long Was Originally Slated For St. Anger
Death Magnetic was the type of Metallica release that fans really needed in 2008. Even though the album had its flaws in terms of the mixing, the band was finally back to sounding like thrash metal after years of toying with their sound. “All Nightmare Long” acts as the perfect mission statement for the album, but it’s origins date back to one of the darkest times in Metallica’s history.
Though the riff had been slated for the album early on, its first appearance actually dates back to the St. Anger sessions. According to the demos debuted in the Some Kind of Monster movie, the lick appears when the band is still working in the Presidio studio before James leaves to go to rehab.
At this stage, the riff is still badass, but the detuned mess and shoddy production makes it feel too much like a jam than a well thought out idea.
The band might not have been able to make it work during this stage, but once the band started working on a flamenco flavored lick from Robert Trujillo, the riff finally found its home as the band’s return to their metal wheelhouse.
St. Anger is rightfully dragged through the mud by many, but we at least got one great song out of it a few years down the road.