While it seems we may never get a definitive answer on the matter, Rolling Stone have published this feature in which they attempt to get the bottom of why Jason Newsted‘s bass was buried in the mix of Metallica‘s 8x multi-platinum selling 1988 album “…And Justice For All“.
Though primarily comprised of archival quotes, the feature does offer numerous viewpoints from the involved parties in one convenient location. However, it would seem that not everybody can agree on one single reason as to why Newsted‘s parts were kept so low in the mix. Some have blamed the band’s drummer Lars Ulrich for the mix, though Ulrich himself has apparently disputed that.
The band’s frontman/guitarist James Hetfield himself previously stated of the matter:
“First, Jason tended to double my rhythm guitar parts, so it was hard to tell where my guitar started and his bass left off. Also, my tone on Justice was very scooped – all lows and highs, with very little midrange. My guitar sound ate up all the lower frequencies. Jason and I were always battling for the same space in the mix.”
With “…And Justice For All” being the next album in line for the band’s extensive deluxe edition reissue series, some fans have hoped for an official alternate mix, but according to most reports, it doesn’t look like that will ever materialize.
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