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Metallica Gets Magnetic, Heroic

More Guitar Hero synergy than you can shake a drumstick at.

The return of the logo found on countless high-school army jackets.
The return of the logo found on countless high-school army jackets.
The plastic-guitar arms race between Rock Band and Guitar Hero continues to ramp up with today's announcement that Metallica's upcoming album, Death Magnetic, will be released as DLC for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock this Friday, coinciding with the album's proper retail release. The Guitar Hero III version of Death Magnetic will run you about $18 for either the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 version, and it will also be forward-compatible with Guitar Hero World Tour.

Considering how much Activision and Harmonix were both talking up the inclusion of Metallica in their games at E3, this is probably a pretty big deal to someone, though my Metallica needs begin and end at The Black Album. Maybe this speaks more to my decade-plus of indifference towards Metallica than anything else, but I found it baffling that one of the tracks from Death Magnetic is titled "The Unforgiven III". First off, there was a "The Unforgiven II"? And second, can it be a very good sign when a band resorts to writing sequels to 17-year-old songs?

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Ryan

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Edited By Ryan  Staff
The return of the logo found on countless high-school army jackets.
The return of the logo found on countless high-school army jackets.
The plastic-guitar arms race between Rock Band and Guitar Hero continues to ramp up with today's announcement that Metallica's upcoming album, Death Magnetic, will be released as DLC for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock this Friday, coinciding with the album's proper retail release. The Guitar Hero III version of Death Magnetic will run you about $18 for either the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 version, and it will also be forward-compatible with Guitar Hero World Tour.

Considering how much Activision and Harmonix were both talking up the inclusion of Metallica in their games at E3, this is probably a pretty big deal to someone, though my Metallica needs begin and end at The Black Album. Maybe this speaks more to my decade-plus of indifference towards Metallica than anything else, but I found it baffling that one of the tracks from Death Magnetic is titled "The Unforgiven III".First off, there was a "The Unforgiven II"? And second, can it be a very good sign when a band resorts to writing sequels to 17-year-old songs?

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brian3d

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Edited By brian3d

COOOOOOOOOOL.

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JJWeatherman

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Edited By JJWeatherman

ehhh....

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RHCPfan24

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Edited By RHCPfan24

Any true Metallica fan would want Master of Puppets and ...And Justice For All as album downloads, but since I am not one of those I also want to see the Black Album.

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heavymtlhead

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Edited By heavymtlhead

A few things:

1) The Unforgiven II was in the the 1997 album "Reload" (and was not that great).
2) I am a HUGE Metallica fan so naturally this would sound appealing to me. My problem is that I feel kinda done with Guitar Hero. I might go try this out though.
3) I find it funny that Activision and Harmonix are in this "Metallica arms race". It's a bit rediculous.

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jakob187

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Edited By jakob187

Ryan, poor Ryan...

"Unforgiven II" was on Reload.  It wasn't that great.

As for your love of Metallica, to each their own...I guess.  Regardless, Master of Puppets is still the best metal album ever made.  The Black Album...well...I try to do whatever I can to pretend that album never existed.  Then again, I loved Load and St. Anger, as well as all their early stuff.  So I don't know.

As for Death Magnetic...not that great of an album...but it's good for Guitar Hero, I guess.  I agree that having Master of Puppets on there would've been a pants-creamer.
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Ben_H

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Edited By Ben_H

Yes, there was an Unforgiven II.  It was off Reload (I think,  I don't like that band anymore so I can't quite remember).  I think we need more power metal. =P

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alsnuts2

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Edited By alsnuts2

Im honestly stunned that someone just admitted to liking St Anger?  I used that CD to play fetch with my dog, my dog got cancer and died. 

Best Metallica CDs
1) S&M
2) Ride the Lightning
3) Load

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Manachild

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Edited By Manachild

unforgiven 2 was on the reload album (1997) ryan

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DaemonBlack

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Edited By DaemonBlack

Ryan Davis' Metallica knowledge and credibility begins and ends with "my Metallica needs begin and end at The Black Album"

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MisterSpiffy

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Edited By MisterSpiffy

No thanks, the album will cut it for me.

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albedos_shadow

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Edited By albedos_shadow

My Metallica knowledge goes to about Ride the Lightning, and appropriately ends there.

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MrKlorox

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Edited By MrKlorox

Yeah... "Unforgiven II" was the perfect example of the direction Metallica went after The Black Album. Black album was more like the previous albums than any of that load/saint anger bullshit they churn out post megastardom.

As an avid death metaller, I'm frankly offended that they put the word "Death" in the new album title. Trash, Metallica is.

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bennyboy

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Edited By bennyboy

it's been said before but it must be said again the album art looks like a vagina

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Superchris129

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Edited By Superchris129

My Metallica appreciation makes a hard stop at One, which was great for the DJ to put on while he took a dump.

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ThrashCowboy666

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Edited By ThrashCowboy666

Master of Puppets is Metallica's best album, but not the best metal album of all time. Reign in Blood is.

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Lookin2GetSmoked

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Edited By Lookin2GetSmoked

I enjoyed the unforgivin II.

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kboy

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Edited By kboy

Paying for the physical album and the privilege to play the album in a game everyone's probably forgotten about seems more expensive than it's worth. But since the shortest song on the album is only five minutes and one second long I suppose you'd be getting your money's worth. I know I won't be paying $18 for that and the other nine 8-minute songs.

As far my "Metallica knowledge" goes "...And Justice for All" and "Master of Puppets" were about as far as I'm willing to delve into their catalog. I've listened to it, but I don't count "St. Anger." Metallica fan or not, "St. Anger" was just a shit record.

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Metamorphic

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Edited By Metamorphic

"Ryan Davis' Metallica knowledge and credibility begins and ends with "my Metallica needs begin and end at The Black Album""


These are the Good Metallica albums:
Ride the Lightning (album)
...And Justice for All (album)
Master of Puppets (album)
Kill 'em All (album)
Death Magnetic is pretty good too.

Anything besides that... not so much.

PS: Death Magnetics album art looks like a hairy vagina.
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deactivated-6296e29cde7c5

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All Metallica is good. New album is great, from the tracks I've heard. The Unforgiven III is really good, yet not as good as the first two. I wish someone would include the SONG St. Anger in the game. I think it's a really good song, and sounds fun to play!

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Sushbag

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Edited By Sushbag

Sucks to be Ryan, who's never listened to Master of Puppets. Oh well, some people aren't into music I guess.

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duxup

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Edited By duxup

If the song is good, I don't care if it is a sequel or how old the original is.  Heck I don't care who the band is.

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Popojiju

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Edited By Popojiju

As a big Metallica fan, I have to say after hearing Death Magnetic, that playing it on GH would probably be one of the best experiences one could have if a fan. I've heard the whole album already, and it's madness (in an awesome way). Granted, the Unforgiven III is probably, in my opinion, the weakest song of the bunch, but the remaining 9 songs just kill from start to finish. Before you knock it, discount it, discredit it, or bock at the band for past mistakes, listen to it. I'm sure any fan of ...And Justice and The Black Album will surely find this CD to be a treat for your ear drums!

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jakob187

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Edited By jakob187

You know, I love people that hate on St. Anger and Load.  Load was a fresh breath of air in the middle of a bunch of nu metal bullshit, and you folks wanna complain?  Go back and listen to that album, but in terms of attitude, that album was all Metallica, and the riffs are classic...just like all Metallica albums should be.

I also love how the people that bash St. Anger probably haven't plugged that disc in since it came out.  It's been five years.  Give it another spin, because with all the turmoil they went through on that album...I don't know.  I help to produce local bands, and hearing Metallica just jamming is, again, a breath of fresh air from them trying to nail down everything perfect.

We're talking about one of the biggest bands in the world in the '80s and '90s.  They've done huge and massive arena tours for years, pleasing fans all over the world, and yet as fans, we're not supposed to let them experiment and try to grow as musicians at all?

I'm sorry, but I'm pretty pissed that they are going back to the '80s style of shit.  Granted, I love the shit they wrote back then...but that's the thing.  They wrote it BACK THEN!  Let it stay in the time of BACK THEN!  This isn't the '80s, despite how much the trendies want to make it out like it is.

I want them to just write honest and good music, period.  That's all I ask from any band.  People hated on Tool, and still do, because they became a more experimental band from what they did with Opiate and Undertow.  People hated on Pantera because Trendkill and Steel were quite different than Vulgar and Driven.  People hated on Zeppelin when they wrote Houses of the Holy.  People hated on fucking ZZ Top in the '80s because they were "caving in" to the fads of the time.

And yet, regardless, they were all/are all writing good music with those experiments they did.  Hell, people even hated on Pink Floyd when they made Dark Side of the Moon.  Look at it now.

The riffs on St. Anger were incredibly well-written.  Yes, the album had no solos, and that makes me sad.  At the same time, the songs didn't have room for solos.

So hate all you want, and flame me all you want for liking the albums.  I guess it just goes to show how much appreciation someone can have for a band wanting to write music for themselves instead of the fans once in a while.
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MegaDaffy

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Edited By MegaDaffy

My Metallica knowledge starts with "Black Album", jumps to "ReLoad" and stops with "St.Anger" with spots of "Kill 'em all", "One" and what I've read about "Death Magnetic" in between.

I'm hoping that GH:Metallica, actually has good Metallica songs in it, unlike GH: Aerosmith which had 3 Aerosmith songs I've never heard and other non-Aerosmith songs that I've also never heard of either.

Oh and I thought "St.Anger" was an excellent album too. 

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Magic_B

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Edited By Magic_B

Heh, I had the same reaction when I saw "Unforgiven III." It was a good song but come on. Write a different riff.

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jeff

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Edited By jeff

Metallica fans are funny.

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Jerome85

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Edited By Jerome85

wow

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kraznor

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Edited By kraznor

I have no Metallica knowledge at all, so I don't care about any of this. Felt the need to share that with everyone. Now if someone had exclusive "Rush" rights or something, then I'd have an opinion.

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kidman

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Edited By kidman

I actually really like St Anger (no ballads, no solos, drums are loud - awesome!), but then again i'm not a huge fan of Metallica.

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elektrixx

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Edited By elektrixx

The stuff BEFORE The Black Album was the good stuff.

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TheVilrak

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Edited By TheVilrak

Metallica fanboys LOL 

Imagine for a second a world where everyone liked the same music... fucking boring isnt it?
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WilliamRLBaker

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Edited By WilliamRLBaker

People sure dont like metallica i guess im just one of those metallica faithful that has found value in all their albums and ryan atleast do a lil research man.

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Verge

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Edited By Verge

People, including Ryan, can like any Metallica album(s) they want. People have different tastes. I find certain Metallica fans to be incredibly intolerant of other people’s tastes while they like to proclaim how they are “true” fans who ONLY listen to [insert album name here]. I’ve been to two Metallica concerts and seen people kicking the crap out of others who liked an album they didn’t. All that over personal opinion.

Rant over. On to this news story; I’d be much happier if I was provided with a code to download an MP3 version of the album if I purchased it for Guitar Hero, I feel that way with DLC for Rock Band too. I bought the song so why can’t I listen to it elsewhere. Or allow me to be able to pay a small additional fee to get the music as an MP3. Still, providing full albums as DLC especially so close to release is an interesting move and all a step in the right direction.

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JimiB

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Edited By JimiB

I'd KILL for this to be on Rock Band... please ask me to kill for it!

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SusurrusKarma

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Edited By SusurrusKarma

You see, Ryan, this is why you should stick to reviewing games. Why would you go and say stuff like that? It's like Metallica coming on and reviewing Super Mario Galaxy.

"Another sequel? C'mon, it's been what, 15 years? Gee Wizz. Move on. When it comes to Mario, it stops and ends at Super Mario World, call me ignorant, but that's my misinformed opinion!"

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TheFrostedGamer

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Edited By TheFrostedGamer

Zzzzzzz  I can't see a point to even writing this article other than riling up Metallifans. Why is it necessary to write an article about Metallica specifically and not any other band found in these guitar games? Metallica hasn't been relevant since 1991. We know. But the peeps out there can like whatever they want. Give us some news about Dead Space or something.

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deactivated-5d61ff6f14b61

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I got an early preview copy of "Death Magnetic" last week (I was assigned the review of said album for the local rag I write for), and I have to say I enjoyed it. It isn't 100% old-school Metallica like some are claiming, but it is much better than the last few Metallica albums. Bottom line: good, but not great. I'm not going to pick it up for GH III, but I probably will pick up a few individual songs for GH: WT whenever the hell it hits.

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coopopolopolis

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Edited By coopopolopolis

I hope that in the future we have more to look forward to in the gaming world than the next musical game add-on.  Thank God Gears 2 comes out this year.  I can buy it instead of Guitar Hero: Rock The Millenium Edition part 18 of 1000.

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Blitzer

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Edited By Blitzer

Ryan not a fan of Metallica? That's fucking surprising since it seems that's where he gets his style from.
Well maybe Motorhead as well.

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novabouncer

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Edited By novabouncer

i have the copy for death magnetic and is of the hook it feels great to have the old school metallica unforgiven III by far is my faborit song of the album and i cant wait to plait and the day that never comes, cyanide, all night long, judasd kiss, my apocalypse

and metallica day on there wepside there will be 2 difren vertions of one song some buddy know somthing abud that>?

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AttackedCamo

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Edited By AttackedCamo

Is there a Metallica forum that we can shove all these fanboys into? I mean MY GOD!

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Shortyz

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Edited By Shortyz

Whatever Ryan the album is awesome!!!!

God ryan pisses me off

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whyzenheimer

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Edited By whyzenheimer

Seriously Ryan, I love you like a brotha from a notha motha, but if you only like the Black album, then you don't really like Metallica.  You like over-produced studio Metallica, and while I can enjoy that these days, that is not even near the best of their music.  But maybe Metallica just isn't your taste?  I'd rather you said you didn't like them than say the start of their decline was their best music.

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DarthStone

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Edited By DarthStone

Obviously it all depends on personal taste, but I can tell you, as a 25 year metallica fan, that the band was in turmoil for the last 10 years, trying to be "new & different" in the then-recent metal scene (Korn, Linkin, System of a Down, Disturbed, etc)... The fact is that metallica was trying to emulate younger bands that were, in fact, trying to continue the work the original metallica did in the 80's... Fortunately all that shit is over, Bob Rock is nowhere to be seen (Thank GOD), and now they have their BEST ALBUM in over 15 years... As it has been stated in early reviews, this is the missing link between "And Justice For All..." and the "black" album... If you know metallica just from their "mainstream" phase (As Ryan apparently does) you will probably not like it, but if you've been a real metallica fan, disappointed by their last decade,  you NEED to hear this record. 

With all the air drumming and air guitar these songs demand, it's almost like playing Guitar Hero without a console! LOL...

I cannot wait 'till this comes out for GH3... It will be a LOUD weekend with friends and beer, I can tell you that!...

Oh, and by the way, the third installment of UNFORGIVEN is their best version of that song... It KICKS ASS!!!!
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Splitterguy

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Edited By Splitterguy

Whatever.  I think album downloads were a bad idea in the first place...I crave variety.

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Terrell

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Edited By Terrell

What's a Metallica?

lol

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Lingxor

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Edited By Lingxor

The Black Album is overrated. There. I said it.

1. And Justice For All
2. Master of Puppets
3. Ride The Lightning

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VegaDemonLord

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Edited By VegaDemonLord

Unforgiven II was pretty much greatness.

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peter_j

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Edited By peter_j

I actually liked The Unforgiven II and Death Magnetic is a great album in my opinion.