Metallica: And Justice For All (Remastered) – 3-CD Expanded Edition Review

Metallica marches onward with their extensive reissue campaign. The long awaited …And Justice For All remaster has arrived.

As with the first three albums, a deluxe box set is available. The 6 record, 11 CD, and 4 DVD set offers complete immersion in the Justice writing sessions and subsequent tour. Other bounty includes a download card, tour laminate, patches, lyric folder, and a 120 page hardcover book.

Not everyone is willing to drop nearly $200 on a lavish box set. Many fans will be satisfied with the 3CD Expanded Edition. Complete with demos, live material, and vintage photos, the package provides ample content for a fair price.

The expanded edition of …And Justice For All uses the mini box set aesthetic that made the Master of Puppets set attractive. Packaging is bulky and this collection will stand out on a shelf of compact discs.

The expanded edition unfolds into four panels that hold three discs. There are vintage photographs and a booklet that contains artwork and lyrics.

Considering the box set contained a 120-page book, the absence of liner notes is perplexing. Surely it would have been easy to print an excerpt in the CD booklet. Even without liner notes, lyrics and artwork lend substance to the insert.

Disc One contains the remastered edition of …And Justice For All. Played on my humble system, the album sounded clear and precise. I felt myself transported back to 1988 when Metallica was a brand new discovery.

Inaudible bass guitar has been an enduring criticism of …And Justice For All. It should be noted that the album has been REMASTERED and not REMIXED. Jason’s bass remains buried by competing frequencies. Anyone curious to hear Newsted’s contribution can check out a fan-made remix.

The real draw of this reissue is unreleased bonus material. Labeled “Demos & Rough Mixes,” Disc Two offers a glimpse into the writing process.

Demos and “Writing in Progress” tracks offer songs in various degrees of completion. Many recordings are instrumental takes. Other times, only a certain phrase will have been written. In the absence of lyrics, James scats sounds to mimic the vocal melody.

Disc Three compiles live material from the Damaged Justice tour. Instead of offering a complete show, multiple concerts are presented. Metallica perform “Harvester of Sorrow” in addition to the first four Justice tracks. “Blackened” is particularly potent. Pyro explosions can be heard clearly. Background vocals from Jason Newsted also make the track special.

Standards like “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “Seek and Destroy” provide the feel of a typical Metallica concert. It’s the rare songs that make the live CD special. We are treated to “Leper Messiah,” and an energetic interpretation of “Breadfan.”

Not everyone cares about bonus material. It’s possible to simply purchase the remastered version of …And Justice For All as a single CD, double vinyl, and even cassette. However, the 3CD Expanded Edition offers a balance between a standard edition and the deluxe box set. It will surely become collectible but is recommended for its comprehensive view of a classic era in Metallica history.