Metallica's 11th Album: 10 Things Fans NEED To See
3. Solos From James
James Hetfield gets a lot of credit for his endless well of riffs, but why does everyone overlook his soloing? While Kirk has been known as the king of shred by many metal fans, even Hetfield himself has downplayed his own solos as nothing but rudimentary. What people overlook is that the solos from the Riffmaster are some of most mesmerizing sections on Metallica's records.
From the harmony guitar freakout at the end of "Fight Fire With Fire" to the absolutely beautiful downtempo section of "Master of Puppets," each of these guitar parts have left a lasting impact on listeners for generations. Many people even forget that "Nothing Else Matters" doesn't feature Kirk Hammett, with all of the guitar parts handled by James.
It's a rare occurrence for James to take a solo on a track, but the care he puts into his note selection is so tasteful that you can practically feel the emotion radiating through the speakers. Across every solo Hetfield has laid down, he provides the heart of the band's sound rather than just the relentless downpicking he has been known for.
Sure they may not be as off-the-wall as some of Kirk Hammett's finest moments, but a featured guitar break by James might be a welcome switch up from the usual Metallica formula.