Once the most respected metal band on the planet, Metallica now faces what is possibly the hardest challenge of their career- Gaining their old fans back by combining the fast, aggressive thrash metal style they once dominated in the 80s with the average arena-rock anthems they spewed out in the 90s.

Many fans remember Metallica for the intensity they brought with songs from the 80s such as “One,” “Master of Puppets” and “Creeping Death” among others. The songs that made them the kings of the Bay Area thrash metal movement. The songs that earned them the title as one of the Big Four of the thrash metal genre, along with Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth, the latter features former Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine.

As the 80s faded away, so did the aggressive, rage-fueled songs that played major a part in the creation of the thrash metal genre. With their self-titled release, known to many as the Black Album, the band cut their hair, got rid of instrumental tracks and started playing ballads like “Nothing Else Matters.” Considered to many as a sell-out move, the result is the biggest metal album of all time, selling 22 million copies worldwide. The album also featured their biggest hit with “Enter Sandman” and other gems such as “Sad But True” and “Wherever I May Roam.”

Although the self-titled album was a great departure from the perceived Metallica sound, it was not until they released St. Anger in 2003 that they truly distanced themselves from what they once were by taking on a different approach by trying to sound raw like a garage band. James Hetfield went to rehab, Lars Ulrich traded in his drums for garbage cans and Kirk Hammett decided his guitar solos didn’t fit in well with the songs.

With the release of their ninth studio album Death Magnetic just around the corner, in the metal community, nothing else matters.

This album will mark the first of many things for Metallica, starting with their new label Warner Bros. Legendary producer Rick Rubin worked with the band for the first time, making this the first album since …And Justice For All that was not produced by Bob Rock, who helped shape the sound of the latter, more hard rock-based Metallica. Fans can expect guitar solos which were completely omitted from their last album. This will also mark the album debut of current bassist Rob Trujillo, who according to Hetfield, has already written more on this album than previous bassist Jason Newstead has during his 15 years with the band. An instrumental track titled “Suicide & Redemption” will be the first since …And Justice For All.

Early this summer, fans got a small preview on this year’s Ozzfest in Dallas when the band premiered “Cyanide” live. And only a couple of weeks ago, the epic 8-minute first single “The Day That Never Comes” was released. Although in no way shape or form does it come close to any song off their first four albums or even the singles off Load and ReLoad for that matter, it is definitely heaps better than every song off St. Anger, which doesn’t say much, but for Metallica, that’s a start in getting back on track to what they once were- the most dominant heavy metal band in the world.