Like an aging heavyweight returning to the ring after months of rigorous training, Metallica appear chiseled and focused for Death Magnetic. It was paramount that Metallica prove to its fans that they still pack the ferocity and muscle of Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets and prove it they do: Death Magnetic is an awe-inspiring display of power. The hands-off production strategy of Rick Rubin gives the listener the impression that we are hearing Metallica naked — playing together in a room, without overdubs or extraneous effects, and with only their skills as musicians to protect them. The album abandons concept for pure technique, and Death Magnetic is a master class in dynamics, tempo changes, and rhythmic interplay. After being relegated a subordinate role on previous albums, Kirk Hammett finally emerges as this album’s MVP. His solos on “That Was Just Your Life”, “Cyanide”, and “All Nightmare Long” are passages of pure electrocution. After several years of fracture and frustration that threatened the existence of Metallica, perhaps the best news Death Magnetic delivers is that this metal institution once again sounds like an all-for-one band.