Talk:Load (album)

GA review

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

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This review is transcluded from Talk:Load (album)/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.

Nominator: Zmbro (talk · contribs) 00:05, 25 May 2025 (UTC)

Reviewer: SignedInteger (talk · contribs) 13:51, 8 January 2026 (UTC)

Hello! I'll be starting this to clear the basics (5, 6, copyvio, citation bot, etc), but the proper review will begin on Friday. I'll set up the two tables real quick. Also, when this is done, I will also be reviewing your GAN of Reload as it is the direct follow-up to Load (unless I'm misremembering my Metallica lore). I should note that if I need your help with any book quotations, I'll let you know when I get to spot checking, but again, that will be on Friday. _{S.G. (They/Them) (Talk) (Edits)} 13:51, 8 January 2026 (UTC)

Copyvio bot: 59.0%; however, most of the similarities appear to be innocuous. I'd assume so since the last time I got a high rate from the bot, it turned out to be a false positive. _{S.G. (They/Them) (Talk) (Edits)} 13:54, 8 January 2026 (UTC)

Alright, it might not be Friday where I live (or where you live), but it is technically Friday on Wikipedia (UTC and all that...). I'll be starting the proper review now, it shouldn't take too long though. _{S.G. (They/Them) (Talk) (Edits)} 01:36, 9 January 2026 (UTC)

@Zmbro: Congratulations! I'm pretty much done here, but I will be starting the review for Reload right after this, but just like here I'll be starting that one off by clearing the basics and then get to the other parts of the review later. Again, congratulations! _{S.G. (They/Them) (Talk) (Edits)} 02:10, 9 January 2026 (UTC)

Source spot-check review table

This table checks 51 passages from throughout the article (25.0% of 204 total passages). These passages contain 59 inline citations (21.0% of 281 in the article). Generated with the Veracity user script. _{S.G. (They/Them) (Talk) (Edits)} 13:51, 8 January 2026 (UTC)

Reference #	Letter	Source	Archive	Status	Notes
Metallica released their fifth studio album Metallica in August 1991.
1		Clerc 2023, p. 170.			Fortunately for the nominator, I have an absurd amount of books related to music, which includes Metallica-related books.
Beginning in May 1994,
10	a	Brannigan & Winwood 2014, p. 64.
At this point, the band members' influences ranged outside of heavy metal: Hetfield immersed himself in songwriters such as Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, and Nick Cave, and American folk and country music; Hammett grew interest in David Bowie's works with Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew, and the blues music of Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and Howlin' Wolf; Newsted grew fond of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Faith No More, particularly the bass playing of the former's Flea; and Ulrich was enjoying Britpop groups such as Oasis.
11	c	Clerc 2023, p. 216.
13		Wall 2012, pp. 364–365.
The sessions reunited Metallica with producer Bob Rock and engineer Randy Staub from Metallica.
17	a	Clerc 2023, p. 218.
and the band's songwriting process became looser and more relaxed compared to previous albums. Hetfield attributed this to the break the band members took from each other that allowed each member to "grow up on our own and come back with a little more respect for each other".
15	b	McIver 2004, p. 238.
Encouraged by Ulrich,
16	b	loudersound.com	web.archive.org
Newsted nevertheless did not want bad blood between them, acknowledging Metallica as Hetfield and Ulrich's band and a carefree attitude towards songwriting credits, because "I still put my signature on it".
8	c	rollingstone.com	web.archive.org
A short tour commenced in August, during which the band debuted two new songs, "2 X 4" and "Devil's Dance".
25	a	McIver 2004, p. 227.
26		Brannigan & Winwood 2014, p. 67.
The following month, Metallica made an appearance at Whisky a Go Go honoring the 50th birthday of Motörhead singer Lemmy, performing several Motörhead covers.
25	b	McIver 2004, p. 227.
the band was in New York City recording overdubs and commencing mixing at Right Track Studios, with further mixing being done at nearby Quad Recording Studios.
12	c	Wall 2012, p. 366.
Load is Metallica's longest studio album at 78 minutes and 59 seconds in length,
30	a	Wall 2012, p. 367.
Load represented a stylistic departure for Metallica
33	a	loudwire.com	web.archive.org
At the time of the album's release, thrash metal had been on a decline
37		McIver 2004, pp. 249–250.
alternative rock,
42	b	ew.com	web.archive.org
44	a	McIver 2004, p. 253.
Metallica had listed several artists and bands they were inspired by while writing Load and Reload that took them away from their thrash roots, including Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Primus, Pantera, Ted Nugent, Oasis, and Alanis Morissette, among others;
21	c	guitarworld.com	web.archive.org
33	b	loudwire.com	web.archive.org
16	g	loudersound.com	web.archive.org
According to McIver, allowing Hammett to play rhythm guitar led to a looser, less "metal" and more "rock" sound, a result of Hetfield's growing maturity and the band's "desire to move forward".
51		McIver 2004, p. 248.
and Newsted played a fretless bass on "Until It Sleeps" and used different amplifier effects to achieve his bass sound on "Thorn Within".
53		Clerc 2023, pp. 222, 226, 228–229, 232, 246.
He explained that "I was going through therapy at the time and I was so unwilling... it was like the therapist had put leeches on me just to get it all out. There was a lot of secret pain, so that song came from me experiencing therapy for the first time."
58	b	Stenning 2010, p. 176.
such as on "Thorn Within".
61		Clerc 2023, p. 246.
the image depicts an amoeba-like blend of strawberry-red and creamy white tones swirling against a mottled black background.
8	h	rollingstone.com	web.archive.org
He appreciated the collaboration and believed it would help expand his audience.
8	i	rollingstone.com	web.archive.org
Newsted hated it and refused to discuss it in interviews. Hammett believed Newsted "cared too much about what the fans think", although he did not want fan reactions to "dictate or censor" what he did.
8	l	rollingstone.com	web.archive.org
In a 2018 interview, Ulrich maintained his appreciation for the Load and Reload covers, calling them his favorite Metallica album covers.
66		revolvermag.com	web.archive.org
With Load, the band adopted a new image that strayed away from their metal roots. They wore short hair, tailored shirts, leather jackets, and make-up.
16	h	loudersound.com	web.archive.org
17	d	Clerc 2023, p. 218.
Load was released on June 4, 1996,
71	a	metallica.com	web.archive.org
in CD, cassette, and double LP formats.
18	d	worldradiohistory.com
Load also attained number one positions in the UK,
76	a	officialcharts.com
Belgium Flanders,
79	a	ultratop.be
Germany,
85	a	offiziellecharts.de
Norway,
88	a	norwegiancharts.com
Sweden,
91	a	swedishcharts.com
Nevertheless, according to Wall, overall sales were less than half of Metallica.
98		Wall 2012, p. 371.
It was directed by Samuel Bayer and filmed in May 1996 in Los Angeles, California.
101	a	Anon. (2006). The Videos 1989–2004 (DVD booklet). Metallica. US: Warner Bros. Records. 38696-2.
Its music video, directed by Anton Corbijn and filmed in August 1996 in Los Angeles,
101	b	Anon. (2006). The Videos 1989–2004 (DVD booklet). Metallica. US: Warner Bros. Records. 38696-2.
but was the band's second number-one single on the Mainstream Rock chart after "Until It Sleeps".
106	a	billboard.com	web.archive.org
The fourth and final single, "King Nothing", was released in the US and Canada only
108		Hadland 1998, p. 143.
Metallica performed various fanclub-only shows in June, after which they performed at the 1996 Lollapalooza festival.
110	a	McIver 2004, p. 236.
Metallica's appearance at the festival was controversial; longtime fans of the band accused them of selling out, while regular festival attendees believed their appearance was hijacking the music and culture the festival had been originally designed to reject.
111		Wall 2012, p. 373.
According to Newsted, "We wanted to take the music to a new generation of Metallica fans."
110	c	McIver 2004, p. 236.
At the end of the tour, Metallica announced Load's follow-up album, Reload, to be released in November.
115		McIver 2004, p. 242.
Rolling Stone's David Fricke believed that longtime fans should get over the change in image and appreciate the band's growth with "easily the heaviest record of the year".
123	b	rollingstone.com	web.archive.org
Q enthused, "These boys set up their tents in the darkest place of all, in the naked horror of their own heads... Metallica are still awesome... What is new is streamlined attack, the focus and, yes, the tunes."
122	c	cduniverse.com	web.archive.org
Jon Pareles of The New York Times remarked that "for the first time, Metallica sounds as if it's looking over its shoulder, wondering where it fits in the era of grunge".
45	f	nytimes.com	web.archive.org
AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine considered Load repetitive, uninteresting and poorly executed.
43	f	allmusic.com	web.archive.org
The author Paul Stenning wrote that several songs sound like extended jams rather than having coherent structures.
36	d	Stenning 2010, p. 175.
Some have argued Load and Reload could have been one "pretty good" album but the band was "too loose" regarding editing.
135		McIver 2004, pp. 250–251.
133	b	ultimateclassicrock.com	web.archive.org
The following year, Loudwire's Jon Wiederhorn argued that the songs on Load are "solid and well-composed" and the album rewards repeated listens.
33	c	loudwire.com	web.archive.org
Hetfield also believed that former bassist Cliff Burton, if still alive, would likely have disapproved of the direction the band took for the two albums.
137	b	loudwire.com	web.archive.org
Reflecting on Load, Hammett said that pushing boundaries and surprising fans is part of Metallica's creative identity. He acknowledged that taking risks can either be rewarding or damaging, but ultimately, the band stayed true to themselves by experimenting and letting the music guide them.
33	d	loudwire.com	web.archive.org
Rolling Stone's Joe Gross also praised the live material in the box set, including the band's 1996 Lollapalooza gig. He summarized that Load "remains a reminder of a very specific musical moment, when the various competing versions of rock remained a subject of vigorous debate: Metallica threw on some makeup and stoked the flames."
60	c	rollingstone.com	web.archive.org
Reportedly released a day earlier in the UK on June 3.
16	k	loudersound.com	web.archive.org
70		Dome 2010, p. 96.

GA Criteria Table

Rate	Attribute	Review Comment
1. Well-written:
	1a. the prose is clear, concise, and understandable to an appropriately broad audience; spelling and grammar are correct.	The nominator already did a lot of CE for this, but I still did some CE where it was needed to help.
	1b. it complies with the Manual of Style guidelines for lead sections, layout, words to watch, fiction, and list incorporation.	I compared this article to ...And Justice for All's article, as it is an FA about a Metallica album. They are both of similar length and have the same number of sections.
2. Verifiable with no original research, as shown by a source spot-check:
	2a. it contains a list of all references (sources of information), presented in accordance with the layout style guideline.	Aside from the references section, there is a "Sources" subsection which serves as a bibliography.
	2b. reliable sources are cited inline. All content that could reasonably be challenged, except for plot summaries and that which summarizes cited content elsewhere in the article, must be cited no later than the end of the paragraph (or line if the content is not in prose).	See source spot check table above for more information
	2c. it contains no original research.	See source spot check table above for more information
	2d. it contains no copyright violations or plagiarism.	Copyvio bot gave a 59% chance of a copyvio, but the similarities are innocuous.
3. Broad in its coverage:
	3a. it addresses the main aspects of the topic.	Nothing that I, or anyone else for that matter, could think of, is missing here.
	3b. it stays focused on the topic without going into unnecessary detail (see summary style).	As I said in 1b, this is of a similar length to ...And Justice for All, which is an FA. As such, it goes into good detail but not to the point that it becomes exhausting.
	4. Neutral: it represents viewpoints fairly and without editorial bias, giving due weight to each.	Nothing more for me to add here.
	5. Stable: it does not change significantly from day to day because of an ongoing edit war or content dispute.	This was edited today, but only once, and the only time it got edited more than once in a day was by the nominator doing some CE for the article. (Much appreciated, I'll still do CE if it is needed, however)
6. Illustrated, if possible, by media such as images, video, or audio:
	6a. media are tagged with their copyright statuses, and valid non-free use rationales are provided for non-free content.	Cover art has a rationale; the other three images are free and are on Wikimedia Commons with proper CC licences. The sound sample has the big notice of "To the uploader! Do this and that!", but it does have a proper rationale, and is also short enough to fit as a free sample.
	6b. media are relevant to the topic, and have suitable captions.	No reason to explain why a cover art is relevant to an album article. The other three images are either a photo of Kirk Hammett (relevant, caption is about how this was the first time he had recorded rhythm guitar parts on a Metallica album), a photo of Andres Serrano (relevant, he designed the cover art and that's what the caption is talking about) or a photo from the tour Metallica went on to promote the album (No need to explain why it is relevant here, the tour does not have its own article so...) Oh, I forgot to mention the sound sample of "Mama Said", it is also relevant here, and I honestly really like sound samples on music articles, this is the one place where the reader should be able to hear what the things the articles describe are like.
	7. Overall assessment.	Congratulations!

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Did you know nomination

The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. You can locate your hook here. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by TechnoSquirrel69 (talk) 02:17, 28 January 2026 (UTC)

(

• Comment or view
• Article history

)

• ... that the cover artwork for Metallica's album Load is a painting by Andres Serrano, created by mixing blood and semen? Source:
  • Reviewed: Template:Did you know nominations/Liu Shasha

Improved to Good Article status by Zmbro (talk). Number of QPQs required: 1. Nominator has 15 past nominations.

– zmbro _{(talk) (cont)} 17:11, 11 January 2026 (UTC).

• Will review at Reload (Metallica album).--Launchballer 17:28, 11 January 2026 (UTC)

I approved a double hook, see the above nomination for details.--Launchballer 01:08, 14 January 2026 (UTC)