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In the most recent edition of U.K.’s Metal Hammer, METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett was asked to identify the album from his career where he feels he excelled the most in terms of playing. He replied: “It’s strange because my perspective on that shifts regularly. I don’t often listen to METALLICA, so sometimes a track plays, and I think, ‘I haven’t heard this in ages. I forgot that sound.’ I don’t dwell on the past much. The whole band is like this — we just focus on what’s next. What can we innovate? That’s just our nature. However, I will say there was a time when I felt my playing was absolutely spot on, and that was during The Black Album [METALLICA‘s 1991 self-titled work]. Those solos came together effortlessly. Almost all of them fell into place immediately.
“There were just a few moments I wasn’t ready for, like the solo in ‘The Unforgiven’, which is well documented,” he added. “And the solo for ‘My Friend Of Misery’. But the fact that the solo for ‘The Unforgiven’ turned out to be so spontaneous led me to want to keep that approach going forward.”
In 2021, Hammett shared with U.K.’s Total Guitar magazine that the guitar solo for “The Unforgiven” changed how he approached his lead guitar work. He recounted the song’s recording sessions: “It wasn’t coming together, and then [producer] Bob Rock suggested I hadn’t done my homework. I was confused because I showed up with all these ideas, but they just didn’t fit. I had to discard them. I felt completely lost. Bob offered to tweak the sound for me, and that really helped. They said, ‘Just play,’ and I was like, ‘Arrrgh!’ I had maybe a minute to get into the right frame of mind. I needed to block everything out and dive deep emotionally. When we started recording, I had no clue what to play, but something had to emerge… It always does.”
Hammett continued: “That solo was pure emotion. I had no plan; everything just flowed as I played — true improvisation. I felt so exhilarated afterward, really inspired and energized.”
As a result of his experience with “The Unforgiven”, Hammett adopted a more spontaneous method for his solos, moving away from pre-composed parts before recording sessions.
“I realized I needed to pursue this more, and since that moment, I’ve focused on improving my improvisational skills and creating solos that feel complete,” Hammett elaborated. “Forming cohesive solos organically, you know what I mean?
“For ‘The Black Album’, I came in having worked through 80 percent of the material, and 20 percent was improvised, including the solo in ‘The Unforgiven’. Nowadays, I prefer the opposite — 20 percent prepared and 80 percent spontaneous. It’s more thrilling, more genuine and authentic.
“I can’t predict what will make it onto the album as much as anyone else. It simply feels correct to approach it this way, it feels better — rather than forcing something to fit when it doesn’t quite feel right. True improvisation is more real and human.”
A little over two years ago, Hammett dismissed criticisms that his solo in the METALLICA song “Lux Æterna”, from the “72 Seasons” album, was inadequate simply because it wasn’t technically challenging. “Sure, my friends down the street could probably nail a better solo than ‘Lux Æterna’ — but what’s the point?” he told U.K.’s Total Guitar at that time. “For me, what matters is playing for the song and being present in the moment.”
Kirk‘s “Lux Æterna” solo faced criticism from some, with a few YouTubers even offering their own “improved” renditions. Hammett acknowledged that he was aware of some of the online backlash, saying: “I just found it amusing. I could practice six or seven three-octave arpeggios in 16th notes, and every day I could showcase that and say, ‘Look what I can do!’ but where would that fit? It wouldn’t work in any METALLICA song. Arpeggios? Really! In a guitar solo, conventionally mapped out like many do — four or five chords with differing arpeggios for each? That just sounds like a practice exercise. I don’t want to hear exercises and warm-ups every time I listen to a song.”
Hammett remarked: “The only players I think who convincingly employ arpeggios expressively are Joe Satriani, Yngwie [Malmsteen] and Paul Gilbert.
Kirk continued, mentioning that his style of soloing has evolved alongside METALLICA‘s music.
“I understand my modes, Hungarian scales, symmetrical scales, all that theory. Was it suitable? Perhaps in our earlier days, but not now,” he stated. “What feels more suitable is crafting melodies that resemble vocal lines. And guess what? The best scale for mimicking vocal melodies is the pentatonic.”
Hammett also refuted the notion that he doesn’t value technical skill, asserting: “I appreciate heartfelt playing, and I’ve encountered truly technical performances that are heartfelt. Allan Holdsworth, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Yngwie — they all play with emotion, but for many, it’s like a sport or the Olympics. Music should reflect beauty, creativity, emotion, and life. There is a space and audience for all that, but sometimes, I believe audiences tire of it.
“Today, people are exploring some fascinating things with technique,” Hammett concluded. “Technique is pushing new limits, and I admire that, but I must emphasize the importance of playing for the song. When you do that, your music gains even greater integrity and longevity.”
Back in 2010, WINGER/WHITESNAKE guitarist Reb Beach commented on Hammett‘s guitar work during the “Decades Of Distortion” radio show: “I don’t know the guy [Kirk], but I think he’s one of the least talented guitar players I’ve ever encountered. I’ve never heard a solo from him that was any good… This guy is out of tune, and his vibrato… what is it? It sounds like a novice.”
He continued, “Back in the ’80s, he was frequently hailed as the best guitarist, and I would think, ‘What?! That guy is terrible.’ I hate to admit that because I might cross paths with him someday.”
“What’s he part of? MEGADETH? METALLICA? Is he in METALLICA?” Reb speculated. “Oh, then I have no issues saying that because in their major video, ‘Nothing Else Matters’, they showed clips of throwing darts at a poster of Kip Winger, and then showcased it live — 20,000 people laughing at WINGER every night — I don’t hesitate to say Kirk Hammett is lacking.”
Hammett unveiled his debut solo EP, “Portals”, in April 2022 through Blackened Recordings.
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