Metallica: S&M
Live albums are all too often characterised by poor sound quality, unpolished performances and alternate versions of songs that fans already own on CD or tape. Fortunately S&M is an above-average example of its type in that it is more than merely Metallica performing live: it is Metallica performing live whilst backed by the full San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, which was conducted by the late and great Michael Kamen.
S&M is considerably more than Metallica in concert - in some ways it is as close to a ‘Best of…’ compilation as fans can obtain legally. At the same time, it is a spectacular performance of the pre-St Anger back catalogue, with some interesting additions. Kamen wrote the orchestral parts for the songs to ‘add colour’ and enhance them, and he succeeded admirably. The ’sweet and sour’ approach of adding strings, horns and woodwind to heavy metal songs is hardly new (Metallica themselves had already recorded Nothing Else Matters with Kamen and a strings section in its studio incarnation) but in a live situation the full power of the orchestra and how it sits alongside a live electric rock gig is a different matter entirely.
Ennio Morricone’s The Ecstasy of Gold is an unexpected way to open the concert but it somehow fits perfectly for what is to follow; the way in which The Call of the Ktulu, known to many as the end of Ride the lightning, forms the grand entrance to the band themselves is also as fitting as it is surprising. A blistering rendition of Master of Puppets follows with the orchestra not letting up for a second - the way in which many of the songs segue effortlessly into each other makes for a great sense of continuity and makes the performance as a whole feel more like a classical-style rendition rather than a succession of separate rock songs.
Numerous classics from Metallica’s back catalogue are included across the two discs, drawing from the early days of Ride the Lightning to their latest album at the time, Reload. Interestingly the earlier songs often work better with an orchestral accompaniment than the later ones; the likes of The Thing That Should Not Be and the superb For Whom the Bell Tolls are enhanced greatly by Kamen’s efforts and take on a grandiose, gothic menace that was not as apparent in the original recordings. The slower and more tender numbers such as Bleeding Me, Hero of the Day and of course Nothing Else Matters all sound stunning with the violins and horns but the power of Sad But True, Enter Sandman and Of Wolf and Man sound dulled and bogged-down by the orchestral side of things.
That said, it is amazing to hear the acoustic instruments keep abreast of the amplified ones, both in terms of pace and volume. Fuel and the closing track Battery test the endurance and skill of all of the musicians, and the unlikely combination of high-gain guitar and classical training works better than it ever should have done. We are even treated to two numbers written especially for the performance: Minus Human and the sublime No Leaf Clover that have still yet to make it onto a studio effort.
The band themselves put on an impressive performance, with James Hetfield’s vocals sounding as good as they’ve ever done, Lars Ulrich’s drumming never missing a beat and Kirk Hammett’s lead licks inertwining effortlessly with Kamen’s orchestral melodies - it’s also a timely reminder of how much Jason Newstead has been missed since. Overall the sound levels are pretty spot-on considering how they would have been set to cater for the acoustic instruments so the end product is of an impressively high quality.
In Summary
S&M is a worthy purchase for existing Metallica fans and newbies alike. On one hand it is a live rendition of their career’s highlights; on another it is an interesting and, for the most part, effective experiment in instrumentation. The higher quality of the older material’s performances also hammers home the fact that it is the best record they have done since their self-titled studio effort in 1991.
Tracklisting
Disc 1
- The Ecstasy of Gold
- The Call of the Ktulu
- Master of Puppets
- Of Wolf and Man
- The Thing That Should Not Be
- The Memory Remains
- No Leaf Clover
- Hero of the Day
- Devil’s Dance
- Bleeding Me
Disc 2
- Nothing Else Matters
- Until It Sleeps
- For Whom the Bell Tolls
- - Human
- Wherever I May Roam
- Outlaw Torn
- Sad But True
- One
- Enter Sandman
- Battery
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