This record has so much good material that it's a shame the production is so shoddy. Songwise, this is probably Metallica's most sophisticated album, exploring the theme of justice and perversions thereof with a vengeance. "One" is one of their best songs ever, building from a slow, edgy beginning into effortless overdrive. The title track is excellent and never boring, despite clocking in at more than nine minutes. It's the epic of the album, but all of the songs are long, displaying impressive chops and songwriting. Metallica took a commercial turn after ...And Justice for All, and it's interesting to speculate on what would have happened to their music had they continued in the direction suggested by this album. --Genevieve Williams

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