I will never forget those early years, just before the hairspray, spandex, wankeroo and stupidity, when bands like Metallica, Maiden and Anthrax were just playing the shit out of their instruments in street clothes. I find nothing over the top in those early albums because the shred was well written and mostly embedded in the rhythm playing.
That's the kind of stuff I'd like to see make a comeback.. Shred in just the right places with a singer that neither sings too high nor too vomitrocious. And it wouldn't hurt if they could give me back my Headbanger's Ball.
But alas, trends don't usually go my way.. or if they do, I can only enjoy it for a few months until everyone thinks it's cool and then things get too excessive.. leaving nothing but industry sound-alikes of the most limp-wristed lameness..