“Sometimes, I take it off after the first 10 seconds, and other times, I listen to it to the end”: Metallica’s classic producer reveals up-and-down relationship with St Anger

Metallica in 2003 — (Image credit: Mick Hutson/Redferns)

Metallica’s ’80s producer has revealed his complicated relationship with the metal juggernauts’ St Anger album.

Fleming Rasmussen – who worked with the band on Ride The Lightning (1984), Master Of Puppets (1986) and …And Justice For All (1988) – has said that he goes back-and-forth on the controversial 2003 record.

St Anger has long been divisive due to the rawness of its recording, the sound of Lars Ulrich’s snare drum and the absence of thrash metal guitar solos.

“Every second time I hear it, I go, ‘Fuck, that’s so great,’” Rasmussen tells Daniel Sarkissian (via Ultimate Guitar).

“They dare to do something new, not just doing what they’ve always done.

“And then, the times in between, I go, ‘It sounds like the worst demo I’ve ever heard.’ So it’s, it’s kind of like that.”

Rasmussen continues: “Sometimes, I take it off after the first 10 seconds, and other times, I listen to it to the end. Because it’s pretty demanding listening to.

“That snare sound is fucking annoying as hell, right?”

The producer goes on to defend Ulrich as a drummer. The Danish-born Metallica co-founder’s chops behind the kit have long been a talking point among fans.

“People can hate as much as they like. It’s become like a national sport for some.

“Yeah, he was not the world’s best drummer, but for Metallica, he is. And he evolved.

“He’s gotten better and better, shit happened. From here to here, there was a huge development.

“Musically and technically, he’s really, really good.”

St Anger, produced by longtime Metallica collaborator Bob Rock, was released to mixed reviews and fan backlash, but topped the album charts in the United States.

Reflecting on the album in 2022, Metallica singer/guitarist James Hetfield told The New Yorker: “Eh, it’s honest.

“You might not identify with it, or you don’t like the sound. But that’s where we were, and that’s what we put out. It’ll have its time, maybe. Maybe not!”

Metallica are currently touring Europe and will play in North and Central America later this year. See the full list of their announced live dates below.

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Metallica 2024 tour dates:

Jul 12: Madrid Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, Spain
Jul 14: Madrid Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, Spain

Aug 02: Foxborough Gillette Stadium, MA, USA
Aug 04: Foxborough Gillette Stadium, MA, USA
Aug 09: Chicago Soldier Field, IL, USA
Aug 11: Chicago Soldier Field, IL, USA
Aug 16: Minneapolis US Bank Stadium, MN, USA
Aug 18: Minneapolis US Bank Stadium, MN, USA
Aug 23: Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium, Canada
Aug 25: Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium, Canada
Aug 30: Seattle Lumen Field, WA, USA
Sep 01: Seattle Lumen Field, WA, USA
Sep 20: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 22: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 27: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 29: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Metal Hammer and Prog, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, NME and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.