James Hetfield Pokes Fun At Metallica Fans Who Hate ‘St. Anger’

Metallica’s iconic frontman James Hetfield addressed Metallica fans who expressed hate toward the album ‘St. Anger’ during a recent performance.

The metal icons have been rocking the stage since 1981 and have significantly contributed to the popularization of the heavy metal genre. While some like the band’s recent music efforts better, many Metallica fans prefer their early sound. Due to the differences in fans’ tastes, some albums in Metallica’s catalog weren’t well received by their fanbase.

Throughout Metallica’s music career, the 2003  album ‘St. Anger’ holds the record for getting the most negative reviews from the fans. Released on June 5, 2003, the album is Metallica’s only album recorded by the original trio because Jason Newsted decided to leave before the recordings. Instead of Newsted, their producer Bob Rock played bass on the album.

Although Metallica began recording ‘St. Anger’ on April 23, 2001, they had to postpone the recordings because Hetfield entered rehabilitation for his substance addiction. As a result, Metallica had to resume recording the album in May 2002. Even though it achieved chart success, fans criticized ‘St. Anger’ due to Ulrich’s snare drum sound and the absence of guitar solos.

During a recent show, James Hetfield reacted to fans who booed at ‘St. Anger.’ He joked with the fans by dubbing the album their favorite and advised them to give ‘St. Anger’ more try until they get it. After that, Hetfield jokingly said the band would play eight more songs from the album. Upon seeing this video, fans praised Papa Het’s sense of humor.

Here is what James Hetfield told the audience during the show:

“Alright. That’s from your favorite album, ‘St. Anger.’ Oh, come on. It’s growing on you now. Just give it a little more time, buddy. You’ll get it.

Okay, eight more songs from ‘St. Anger.’ Ready? Yeah, just kidding.”

You can watch the video below.