When they stopped doing drugs and stopped hating each other their music started to suck.
No, they started to suck after Cliff Burton died. He was the mastermind behind the good lyrics and music that came with Master of Puppets and And Justice for All. He actually had formal training in classical music I think. Which would explain the wonderful works of the Master and Justice Albums. Real good stuff there. I like anything before the Black album personally. It's the only Metallica I still listen too.
The Black album was an "oh *expletive deleted*it" we need a real music producer now. Of course they chose someone who didn't know anything about Metallica and just wanted to drop them into the top 40 slots.
I've been to a show back in 94 (post Burton) and they still rocked the house real hard. Now when they come to town, I don't even bother. They have enough money and I'd rather support someone else. They were really about the only band in that genre of music that had ANY real talent. And when they lost Cliff Burton, they did not have any more writing or musical composing talent. I sure wish they'd find another guy like Cliff. It's a shame to listen the Kurt play the crap he does now when you've heard what he's capable of playing in their Burton era stuff.