Released on November 24, 1998, Garage Inc. has always lived in a strange, wonderful corner of Metallica’s discography — not quite a proper studio album, not exactly a compilation, but something that manages to feel more alive than either. For some fans, it was a welcome reminder that beneath the evolving sound of the mid-to-late ’90s still lived the scrappy garage band from the Bay Area. For others, especially those confused by the stylistic shifts of Load and Reload, this was Metallica proving they hadn’t forgotten how to be loud, loose, and gloriously unrefined.
But with more than two decades of hindsight, Garage Inc. feels less like a breather between studio albums and more like a roadmap of Metallica’s musical DNA — a sprawling tribute to the bands, scenes, and misfit subcultures that shaped them. What could have been a simple covers collection instead became a double-disc crash course through punk, metal, blues, classic rock, and all the gritty, under-the-floorboards corners of music that inspired them long before fame ever entered the picture. And honestly? It might be one of the most surprisingly heartfelt projects the band ever put out.
Where Load and Reload leaned into polish and groove, Garage Inc. turns that confidence toward celebration. It’s loud, messy, funny, reverent, irreverent, chaotic, heartfelt — often in the same five minutes. There’s a looseness here, a sense of relief even, like Metallica shrugged off their megastar status and spent a few weeks remembering why they picked up their instruments in the first place.
Opening the Beer-Stained Gates
“Free Speech for the Dumb” opens with grinding, punk-soaked brutality. Metallica doesn’t try to out-Discharge Discharge — they hit the song with weight, clarity, and a modern punch, but never polish away its grime. It’s a raw, confrontational opener that sets the tone: these covers are reinterpretations, not replicas.
“It’s Electric” follows with a blast of pure joy. Metallica’s relationship with Diamond Head is well-known, but here it feels like a reunion between old friends. The band treats the track with almost boyish enthusiasm, bolting on thicker guitars but keeping the bright, upbeat spirit intact. It’s one of those moments where you can practically hear the smiles in the recording.
Then comes “Sabbra Cadabra,” which Metallica turns into a jammy, riff-heavy celebration of Sabbath’s groove-oriented side. They stretch out parts, add their own swagger, and treat the song less like a cover and more like a playground. The transitions are loose, the energy is high, and it works because they clearly adore the material.
Walking Between Two Worlds
The middle stretch of Disc One is where Garage Inc. reveals its emotional range. Metallica didn’t just pick songs that sounded like them — they chose songs that meant something to them, even if those songs came from far outside their usual territory.
“Turn the Page” was the most surprising choice at the time, but hearing it now makes perfect sense. Bob Seger’s lonely-road ballad becomes darker, heavier, more atmospheric in Metallica’s hands. The band pulls the song into a space of smoky melancholy, driven by Hetfield’s weary, lived-in vocal delivery. It’s emotionally raw without being dramatic — one of those rare covers where the reinterpretation feels entirely natural.
Then there’s “Die, Die My Darling,” which is pure kinetic punk energy. Metallica doesn’t overthink it. They aim, fire, and deliver a snarling, sneering burst of adrenaline. It’s sharp, nasty, and exactly the kind of thing you’d expect from a band raised on Misfits records.
But “Loverman” might be the biggest curveball. Covering Nick Cave could have gone wrong in a hundred ways, but Metallica embrace the song’s dark sensuality with surprising restraint. Hetfield leans into the storytelling, almost whispering in places, while the band slowly coils and uncoils the tension. It’s moody, sinister, and hypnotic — one of the album’s deep-cut gems.
The Molten Middle: Grit, Passion, and History
Disc Two is where the album’s heart beats the loudest. These older covers, originally released as B-sides and one-offs, capture the ferocious hunger of a younger Metallica — a band still proving themselves, still learning who they were, still playing with fire rather than managing it.
“Helpless” is among the most electrifying of the older tracks. The youthful intensity is unmistakable: fast, eager, and bristling with that early-Metallica drive to outplay everything in sight. It’s a snapshot of a band climbing toward something huge.
“The Small Hours” remains one of the most atmospheric pieces from their early cover catalog. Its slow build, ominous mood, and doomy riffs feel almost prophetic in hindsight — a precursor to the darker textures Metallica would eventually embrace on Load, Reload, and even St. Anger.
“So What?” is still as chaotic and borderline unhinged as it was the day they recorded it. It’s juvenile, offensive, and intentionally ridiculous — Metallica at their most gleefully reckless. It’s impossible to take seriously, and that’s the point.
And “Am I Evil?” — the cover so iconic many casual listeners don’t even know it is a cover — arrives like a victory lap. Hearing it reinstated in this collection is like closing a loop in Metallica’s history. This song helped define them. Putting it here feels like a salute to the music that carried them through their earliest battles.
A Band Unafraid to Pay Tribute
What makes Garage Inc. worth revisiting isn’t just the diversity of the material — it’s the sincerity behind it. Metallica approached this project as genuine fans. There’s no condescension, no irony, no attempts to outshine the originals. Instead, there’s an earnest sense of gratitude woven through the entire record.
In an era when the band was under intense scrutiny, both musically and culturally, Garage Inc. is refreshingly unpretentious. It’s Metallica rediscovering joy. Rediscovering energy. Rediscovering the kid-like thrill of learning a song you love and playing it too loud.
Legacy of a Rollicking, Reverent Flame
Garage Inc. stands today as one of Metallica’s most human projects — a sprawling tribute to the sounds that shaped them. It’s a gateway album for younger fans, a nostalgia trip for older ones, and a rare moment where the band let themselves simply have fun without worrying about legacy or backlash.
It’s not cohesive, but it’s not supposed to be. It’s a mixtape made with passion and volume. And that’s exactly why it has aged so well.
Final Verdict: 8.5 / 10
Garage Inc. isn’t Metallica reinventing themselves — it’s Metallica remembering who they are. Loud, grateful, energetic, emotional, and unafraid to get messy. Imperfect? Definitely. But full of life, heart, and history.
All these years later, the fire still crackles — a little rough, a little wild, and unmistakably Metallica.
