Through the Never

As a member of thrash metal's heralded "big four," Metallica helped to bring heavy metal from the underground into the mainstream, becoming one of the most influential and successful metal bands of all time in the process. And while the band's output after the breakout success of the Black Album in 1991 has been less than stellar, one need only take a listen to Through the Never, the live album that accompanies the band's IMAX film of the same name, to remember the driving brilliance the band once delivered. Packed with classic tracks like "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "And Justice for All," and "Master of Puppets," the album shows Metallica diving back into their past with the same vigor and creativity they brought to the table almost 30 years ago when this kind of metal seemed more like a musical endurance test than a Grammy-winning endeavor. While the album doesn't quite cover the ground of Live Shit: Binge & Purge, it's a relatively compact listening experience showing that, even though they might be spending their time making movies and collaborating with Lou Reed, the Metallica we all know and love is still in there somewhere. ~ Gregory Heaney