In some contributions to The Metallica Blacklist, a compilation of covers from Metallica’s The Black Album to celebrate its 30^th anniversary, artists have reworked tracks to their own style and genre, leaving some almost unrecognisable. On their version of ‘Sad But True’ however, Royal Blood have stayed close to Metallica’s formula while adding a few signature touches to great success.

This seems to be a wise choice, as the track’s heaving and driving melodies and thunderous drumming make it similar to the band’s own style, especially on their first two albums. Mike Kerr’s pedal augmented bass guitar renders the already low-pitched riffs more intimidating and voluminous, which in conjunction with Ben Thatcher’s ferocious percussion creates an immensely powerful sound that rivals that of the original. This feat appears more impressive when it is considered that the Brighton outfit only has two members compared to Metallica’s four.

Thatcher’s high-powered drumming fronted by his fierce snare drum hits is the main contributor to the huge rock sound of the track and combines with the bass to give it its pulsing feel. The song’s signature element, sudden stoppages followed by explosive snare rolls to bring it back in, creates a great variation in dynamics which makes the track feel increasingly powerful when the onslaught resumes. This feature is accented by the muted strums on the lowest string of the bass in time with the snare drum which the duo have placed higher in the mix than Metallica did, advancing the overall heavy and hostile sound.

The main change Royal Blood have made to ‘Sad But True’ is reworking solos. After deciding that Kirk Hammett’s on the original were ‘truly untouchable,’ Kerr ‘reimagined’ them in his own style which creates some great variation and modernity. The tone of the bass seems more open and higher-pitched in these sections, sounding very aggressive and almost mechanical, especially over the lower rumble of the background riff.

Their cover also differs from the original in its vocal style. Kerr’s approach seems more melodic than James Hetfield’s unapologetic growl, adding to the sonic contrast in the song further as the vocals flow between the bass and the drums rather than competing with them. The chorus features vocal harmonies that take the place of Hammett’s guitar, displaying the haunting quality of the higher octaves of Kerr’s voice that are made use of on the band’s own songs including ‘You Can Be So Cruel’ and ‘Hole in Your Heart’.

The release of the track comes at a perfect time for the band, as it demonstrates that they can still produce soaring rock songs not long after the release of their third album Typhoons, which departs from their earlier sound down more of a dance route. Doing justice to Metallica in terms of energy and quality – especially when only being made up of the rhythm section of a traditional group – shows that Royal Blood still have more than enough heavy rock left in the tank. They capture the raw power and force of ‘Sad But True,’ whilst also modernising it, utilising a different tone and imaginative solos amongst some more nuanced changes. Overall, this cover does all that could be asked of it: recreating a Metallica staple and retaining its key foundations, whilst also remaining interesting and harnessing the potential of the musical advancements made since The Black Album’s release in 1991. This truly exhibits the musical skill and aptitude possessed by Royal Blood just as well as one of their own songs could.

Rating: 9/10

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