Screaming Suicide

"Screaming Suicide"
Single by Metallica
from the album 72 Seasons
Released	January 19, 2023
Genre	Heavy metal [1] thrash metal [2] groove metal [3]
Length	5:30
Label	Blackened
Songwriter(s)	James Hetfield Lars Ulrich Robert Trujillo
Producer(s)	Greg Fidelman James Hetfield Lars Ulrich
Metallica singles chronology
"Lux Æterna" (2022) "Screaming Suicide" (2023) "If Darkness Had a Son" (2023)

"Screaming Suicide" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica, released as the second single in promotion of their eleventh studio album 72 Seasons . ^[4] It was released on January 19, 2023, along with a music video directed by Tim Saccenti. ^[5]

Background

According to Hetfield, the song is about the "taboo word of suicide" and to communicate the "darkness we feel inside of us", ^[5] further adding how people cannot deny that they have had dark thoughts at one point in their lives. ^{[6] [7]} In the same statement he continues:

"To face it is to speak the unspoken. If it's a human experience, we should be able to talk about it. You are not alone." ^{[8] [9]}

The track's lyrics have also been interpreted as telling the story of a person who is born craving dopamine, only to be lured by their darkest fears and insecurities thinking themself as "living a mistake". ^[8]

Reception

Drew Review's overall enjoyed the song, noting how it is less fast-paced than "Lux Æterna" and that it felt more like a modern rock song than what you would typically expect from the band. ^[10] Writing for Metal Planet Music, Paddy Gallagher also liked the track, noting how it sounds like the refreshed 2020s version of Kill 'Em All . They also believed that it felt like the band was moving towards a less complex, more basic sound. ^[11]

Personnel

Metallica

• James Hetfield – vocals, rhythm guitar, production
• Lars Ulrich – drums, production
• Kirk Hammett – lead guitar
• Robert Trujillo – bass

Production

• Greg Fidelman – production, mixing, recording
• Sara Lyn Killion – engineering
• Jim Monti – engineering
• Jason Gossman – additional engineering, digital editing
• Kent Matcke – assistant engineering
• Dan Monti – digital editing
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• David Turner – cover art
• Lee Jeffries – band portrait photography

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Screaming Suicide" Chart (2023–24) Peak position Australia Digital Tracks (ARIA) [12] 25 Canada Digital Songs ( Billboard ) [13] 33 Canada Rock ( Billboard ) [14] 30 Czech Republic Rock (IFPI) [15] 12 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [16] 59 Germany Airplay (TopHit) [17] 37 Germany Rock Airplay (GfK) [18] 25 New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [19] 20 UK Singles Downloads (OCC) [20] 32 UK Singles Sales (OCC) [21] 32 UK Rock & Metal (OCC) [22] 19 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [23] 32 US Rock Airplay ( Billboard ) [24] 15

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Screaming Suicide" Chart (2024) Position US Rock Airplay (Billboard) [25] 49

References

1. "Metallica Shares a Behind-The-Scenes Video for "Screaming Suicide"". Ghost Cult Mag. February 21, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
2. Knifeson, Alex (January 19, 2023). "Yeah, This New Metallica Song "Screaming Suicide" Rules". MetalSucks . Retrieved April 14, 2023.
3. Erickson, Anne (April 11, 2023). "Metallica, "72 Seasons" - Track-by-Track Review". Audio Ink Radio. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
4. Gallagher, Alex (January 20, 2023). "Metallica confront taboos on new single 'Screaming Suicide': "It's a human experience, we should be able to talk about it"". NME . Retrieved April 14, 2023.
5. Kreps, Daniel (January 20, 2023). "Metallica Unleash 'Taboo'-Shattering New Song 'Screaming Suicide'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved April 14, 2023.
6. Peters, Mitchell (January 21, 2023). "Metallica Explains Meaning Behind New Song 'Screaming Suicide': 'We Should Be Able to Talk About It'". Billboard . Retrieved April 14, 2023.
7. "Read lyrics to METALLICA's powerful new song "Screaming Suicide"". Revolver . January 19, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
8. Travis, Emlyn (January 20, 2023). "Metallica explain new song 'Screaming Suicide': 'I believe most people have thought about it'". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved January 14, 2023.
9. Hussey, Allison (January 19, 2023). "Metallica Share Video for New Song "Screaming Suicide"". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 14, 2023.
10. Drew (January 20, 2023). "Single Review: Metallica – Screaming Suicide". Drew's Reviews. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
11. Gallagher, Paddy (January 20, 2023). "Single Review : Metallica: Screaming Suicide". Metal Planet Music. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
12. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 30 January 2023". The ARIA Report. No. 1717. Australian Recording Industry Association. January 30, 2023. p. 9.
13. "Metallica Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs Sales)". Billboard . Retrieved April 13, 2023.
14. "Metallica Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard . Retrieved May 8, 2024.
15. "CZ - Radio - Top 20 Modern Rock" (select "Top 20 Modern Rock" into the search box, then select "202320"). hitparada.ifpicr.cz. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
16. "Metallica: Screaming Suicide" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
17. "Screaming Suicide – Metallica - TopHit - Highway To Airplay". TopHit. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
18. "Radio No9 Charts [Week 05/2023]". Radio-No9. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
19. "Hot 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. January 30, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
20. "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. January 27, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
21. "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. January 27, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
22. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. January 27, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
23. "Metallica Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
24. "Metallica Chart History (Rock & Alternative Airplay)". Billboard . Retrieved June 14, 2023.
25. "Year-End Charts: Rock & Alternative Airplay Songs (2024)". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 14, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2025.