Death Magnetic

Death Magnetic was the ninth studio album released by Metallica, in 2008. It was the first album since …And Justice For All not produced by Bob Rock. Musically, the album featured more complex song structure than St. Anger, including guitar solos and a return to the thrash metal stylings of their first 4 albums. Instead of Bob Rock, Rick Rubin was employed as producer. The album was named best album of 2008 by both Kerrang! and Metal Hammer magazines.

Metallica is like the phoenix rising from the ashes. We set everything on fire, and this is what has risen from it: St. Anger being the fire and Death Magnetic being the [rising] phoenix.

—Kirk Hammett