When Metallica released …And Justice For All in 1988, the band was at a crossroads as far as balancing the thrash metal they helped popularize with their mission to become one of the biggest metal bands of all time. Of course, it wasn’t until 1991’s Black Album that they were truly reached that point, but the seeds were certainly sown in the band’s classic early material.
Released on this day in 1988, …And Justice For All marked a turning point in Metallica’s career. The album featured new bassist Jason Newsted (who replaced the iconic Cliff Burton), as well as the band’s first music video for “One”. No doubt a catalyst in helping the band reach a wider audience (the track was the band’s first to reach the Billboard Hot 100), the song is a concert staple to this day. Of course, that’s not the only great track here – forgetting about somewhat underrated ones like “Blackened” and “Harvester Of Sorrow” would do it a great disservice.
