I have to disagree - metal is enjoying something of a renaissance at the moment. You've got bands like In Flames, Killswitch Engage etc. selling lots of records, a recent revival and evolution of black metal (Darkthrone are as strong as ever, Enslaved's new album ISA is a f*cking masterpiece, and bands like Xasthur and Anaal Nathrakh are taking the genre forward in other ways), and NWOBHM is going strong, with Maiden and Priest releasing their best albums for 15 years or more, and underground "trad" metal bands like Overlorde, Brocas Helm and Slough Feg are producing fantastic records. Thrash is doing well - last year had very good albums from Kreator, Death Angel and others - and death metal should have a good time this year, with the new Nile record and a cracking new one from Immolation.
I personally don't want metal in the charts. It cheapens it, exposes it to commercial interests (which invariably results in crap music) and makes it subject to trends and fashions, which is also bad. (just look at what fame did to the Darkness. They slogged away on the pub circuit for years, building up their reputation, then a big label comes along, pastes them all over the media, and turned them into a fashion accessory. They'll never get their cult status back now...) Darkthrone were nominated for a Grammy (or some award like that) recently, and they told the people running it to f*ck off - they don't want anything to do with the mainstream. Music should be made for the music, not to fill some corporate dickhead's pockets.
As for Metallica, I haven't written them off. Yes, St. Anger was crap, but go and watch "Some Kind of Monster" and see what they were going through when they made it - that'll give you some idea of why it sounds like it does. Their next album will be the one to watch, IMO.
Fall of the Leafe - Big Ol' Fat Rain Inside
Phreak - did you get this album yet? Wotcha think of it?
