St. Anger

Metallica's eighth studio album released June 5, 2003, featuring raw production, no guitar solos, and Bob Rock on bass.

St. Anger stands as the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on June 5, 2003. It marked the final collaboration with longtime producer Bob Rock and the last release through Elektra Records. It is the group's only album without an official bassist; Jason Newsted departed before recording began, forcing Rock to fill in on bass. Robert Trujillo joined before the album was completed but did not play on it; the bass was entirely performed by Bob Rock. Recording started in April 2001 but stalled when James Hetfield entered rehabilitation for alcoholism and other addictions, resuming in December 2001 with limited hours before moving to full-time work in May 2002. The record diverged from Metallica's signature style with an alternative metal approach, raw production, a distinct metallic snare sound, and a complete absence of guitar solos.

Quick Facts

Artist: Metallica
Released: 5 June 2003
Recorded: April 23 – July 2001; May 2002 – April 8, 2003
Studio: Presidio (San Francisco); Metallica's HQ (San Rafael)
Genre: Alternative metal; nu metal
Label: Elektra; Vertigo
Producer: Bob Rock; Metallica

Lore & Background

The creation of St. Anger was defined by intense personal struggles and a deliberate departure from polished perfection. Recording began in April 2001 at a converted US Army barracks on the Presidio of San Francisco but halted in July when James Hetfield entered rehab. He returned in December 2001, resuming work only from noon to 4:00 PM until the band transitioned to full-time recording in May 2002. To manage internal turmoil, the band hired personal enhancement coach Phil Towle, a process documented by filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky in the 2004 film Metallica: Some Kind of Monster. The group moved to their existing headquarters, dubbed "HQ," in San Rafael, California, from May 2002 to April 2003, leaving a number of unused tracks from the Presidio sessions behind (the exact count is not documented in canonical sources). The sound was intentionally kept raw; Bob Rock noted they avoided tuning vocals or adding overdubs to preserve integrity, stating, "We just did it, boom, and that was it." Guitarist Kirk Hammett explained that solos were cut because they felt like an afterthought, preferring the sound of four members jamming in a room. Drummer Lars Ulrich recorded his snare with wires turned off to achieve a unique ringing tone, a sound Rock claimed took only "15 minutes" to perfect.

Reader's Guide

For listeners exploring St. Anger, understanding its unique sonic landscape is crucial. The album utilizes Drop C tuning for most tracks, with exceptions like "Dirty Window" (Drop C#), "Invisible Kid" (G#), and "The Unnamed Feeling" (A#). The production, Metallica's first all-digital project, was designed to sound like "four guys in a garage," retaining the direct, unsoftened tone of Kirk Hammett's amplifiers. The artwork, created by Brian Schroeder (known for liner art on ...And Justice for All), features four limited color variations that were ultimately scrapped before release. A special edition included a bonus DVD with in-studio rehearsals of every track. While the album initially faced criticism for its lack of solos and raw snare sound, it achieved double platinum certification by the RIAA and has sold nearly six million copies worldwide. The absence of an official bassist on the record remains a unique historical footnote, as Trujillo is listed in the liner notes despite not playing on the album.

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1	Frantic	5:50
2	St. Anger	7:21
3	Some Kind of Monster	8:25
4	Dirty Window	5:24
5	Invisible Kid	8:30
6	My World	5:45
7	Shoot Me Again	7:10
8	Sweet Amber	5:27
9	The Unnamed Feeling	7:08
10	Purify	5:13
11	All Within My Hands	8:48
Total length		75:01