Metallica’s Explanation Of “Death Magnetic” Isn’t Helping Matters

July 25th, 2008 // 12 Comments

deathmagneticcover.jpgAs Metallica titles go, Death Magnetic isn’t too bad. But leaving a little mystery behind its origins might have been a good idea. James Hetfield apparently felt the need to clarify, saying “It started out as kind of a tribute to people that have fallen in our business, like [Alice In Chains frontman] Layne Staley and a lot of the people that have died, basically – rock and roll martyrs of sorts. And then it kind of grew from there…Thinking about death…just like a magnet, some people are drawn towards it, [and] other people are afraid of it and push away.” So, death is like a magnet? Polarity, pulling, pushing, we all die someday? Cool, I guess, in a stoner logic sort of way, but it’s not going to get me to buy the album, any more than the fact that this is the best-dressed Metallica lineup ever will. [NME]


  1. NeverEnough

    If the 12 year old, Metallica-obsessed me saw that photo I would have gone on a killing spree. I distinctly recall being on the phone with my best friend and crying hysterically as only a pre-teen can when “Headbangers Ball” showed the “One” video for the first time. We were HORRIFIED that they’d sold out by making a video. Ahhh, the good ol’ days…

  2. Ned Raggett

    If Robert Trujillo ever feels a bit down at least he knows he has a horde of Jezebel commenters wanting to jump his bones.

  3. Chris N.

    The Jezebel commenters are surprisingly well-versed in Metallica in general.

  4. Ned Raggett

    Nothing else matters.

  5. BBDisk

    That cover looks like a hairy vagina.

  6. RaptorAvatar

    I wanna hear their half-baked explaination of why the vajayjay and the fingerpint had to be fused together.

  7. Chris N.

    I think that’s called “third base.”

  8. ragandboneshop

    Death Magnetic is obviously an anagram for “Can it, Megadeth.”

  9. uptonking

    Cover looks like an Absolut Vodka ad.

  10. Charlie Kerfelds Jetsons Tee

    @ragandboneshop: Brilliantly done.

  11. Chris N.

    “Absolut Fingerprintpussycasket.”

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