Metallica's 'St. Anger' album remains one of the most debated upon releases in metal history. The record's raw nature and production aspects have been subject to much criticism, but would 'St. Anger' have been widely acclaimed if approached in a different way? Three fans of Metallica set out to answer that question, re-recording the album in full and releasing it via YouTube.

Metallica's 'St. Anger' album was the result of an incredibly turbulent period in the band's history. Showcased in the 'Some Kind of Monster' documentary, tensions came to a head after bassist Jason Newsted left the group. Frontman James Hetfield would soon enter rehab amid heated confrontation between himself and drummer Lars Ulrich, especially.

Those dynamics can make for a phenomenal album, but in the minds of many, 'St. Anger' just didn't cut it. However, fans Daryl Gardner (guitar / bass / drums), Dave Cox (vocals) and Chris Dando (production / backing vocals) of the #StAnger2015 project aim to highlight the album's strengths. "#STANGER2015 is for the listeners who weren't so fond on the record back when it was released in 2003," writes Gardner. "Recorded from the ground up, the album has been shortened by 16 minutes, yet every riff and lyric is intact, resulting in a more concise and focused record."

He continues, "The production is also more conventional, and we hope that Metallica fans appreciate this new version of an album that is always looked at as an anomaly in the incredible career of the world's biggest metal band, Metallica."

There are currently no plans to physically release the 'St. Anger' 2015 dub, but you can still check it out in the YouTube video above.

Did these three guys hit a home run with the panned Metallica album? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!

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