Metallica Release New Single “If Darkness Had A Son”
By Justice Petersen
“So paint your eyes as black as sorrow Hide yourself behind tomorrow”
On March 1, Metallica released a new single titled “If Darkness Had A Son”. This is the third single to be released ahead of their upcoming studio album “72 Seasons”.
Unlike the band’s previous singles, “Lux Æterna” and “Screaming Suicide”, the band posted a teaser announcing the release on Tik Tok the day before, where they played part of the song’s intro. The first two singles for “72 Seasons”, as well as their announcement of a new album and a massive world tour, were complete surprises with no hints or teasers beforehand. Prior to their huge bombshell announcement, Metallica fans have been desperately waiting in anticipation for any slight movement from the band.
“If Darkness Had A Son” was released with another music video directed by Tim Saccenti, who also directed the music videos for “Lux Æterna” and “Screaming Suicide”. Similar to the two previous music videos, the video for “If Darkness Had A Son” includes artistic choices of color, flashing lights, and introspective shots of each member of the band. Some shots of the video feature images of bright infra-red liquid that appears to look like lava, imagery that’s very reminiscent of Metallica’s “Load” (1996) / ”Reload” (1997) era, and visuals.
Playing with lights and shadows, smoke, and the use of contrasting shades of blue, orange, and red, it is amazing how Saccenti can create a video that can cause just as much impact and increase your heart rate just as much as Metallica’s live show cinematography. Just like a Metallica concert, viewers don’t know where to look but they are hooked for every second.
The song begins with an energetic buildup, beginning with Lars Ulrich’s punching and stomping snares that are soon joined by James Hetfield’s iconic Gibson Explorer. As soon as every instrument joins in, Hetfield attacks with poetic and devastating lyrics.
Hetfield sings with his signature silky grit, delivering unrelenting verses about “temptation”, “darkness”, and “desire burning”.
He sings, “The never-ending quenchless craving / The unforgiven misbehaving”. The song ties into the album’s overall theme of youth, and how an individual may forever be affected, or tormented, by what happens during those formative years.
In an interview with Alt 101.5, Hetfield talked more about the album’s theme, and why the first 18 years of one’s life were so important for him and the band to focus on.
“Some things are more difficult than others – you know, some things you can’t unsee and they’re with you for the rest of your life, and other things you’re able to rewind the tape and make a new tape in your life,” said Hetfield. “So that’s the real interesting part for me; how you’re able to address those situations as an adult.”
This single is everything we want from Metallica and more. Kirk Hammett’s guitar intro at the beginning of the song is sharp and unpredictable. His solo is played with his signature wah effects to perfection. Hetfield sings the later choruses with his melting vocals, like honey over sandpaper, before he screams, “If darkness had a son, here I am”. Rob Trujillo’s bass is punchy and groovy. For fans to one day hear this live will be an inimitable experience.
The song sounds a lot like something from “Reload” (1997), with its seemingly tuned down guitars and a barely-there whisper of some blues influences. With its modern thrash sound and subject matter, it seems like a long-lost sister of “Halo On Fire” from their 2016 studio album “Hardwired…to Self-Destruct”.
“If Darkness Had A Son” is another beautiful and thrashing single from Metallica. Just like their two previous singles, it gives a great taste of what is ultimately to be seen with “72 Seasons”.
While “Lux Æterna” recalls memories of early 1980s Metallica (think “Hit the Lights” meets “Escape”), and “Screaming Suicide” delivers some thrash groove (think Trujillo’s bass on “Cyanide” and “Spit Out the Bone”), “If Darkness Had A Son” keeps what was featured on “Hardwired…to Self-Destruct” but is haunted by the ghosts of “Reload” (1997).
“72 Seasons”, Metallica’s eleventh full-length studio album will be released on April 14, 2023.
The band has announced that a worldwide listening party will take place in select movie theaters across the globe on April 13, the day before the album’s release. Tickets can be purchased here.
Tickets for Metallica’s “72 Seasons” World Tour are already on sale; they’re coming to Chicago’s Soldier Field on August 9 and August 11, 2024.
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