S&M
Metallica
1999
Album Summary
S&M (an abbreviation of Symphony and Metallica) is a live album by American heavy metal band Metallica, with the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Michael Kamen. It was recorded on April 21 and 22, 1999, at The Berkeley Community Theatre. This is the final Metallica album to feature bassist Jason Newsted.
WikipediaScreams 1999 like the Godzilla soundtrack fucking Korn while taco bell dogs watches from the corner. Had to listen to seek & destroy to recover
Quite possibly the greatest live heavy metal album. Very well done all around: great symphony, great band, great crowd. Just a masterpiece of a live album.
Metallica by 1999 already had quite an extensive discography, and perhaps even experienced a bit of a revival in the mid-90s going into the 2000s. It would make sense to release a live album or some kind of compilation at this point. Having been a thrash metal mainstay in the 80s, they survived the emergence of grunge and alternative to remain part of the popular culture. Metallica very much continues the tradition of rock stars even at forty years in existence. That said, S&M is a different take on a live album, compilation or Greatest Hits offering. It is very rare that a band will rework previous releases in this manner that presumably sees the light of day. Joining forces with the SF Philharmonic and a renowned film score composer, Michael Kamen, we get what could possibly be one of the better live album recordings in history. Metallica is not toned down here as they might even sound heavier, the orchestra and their recording in a theater, adds a tonal clarity absent the lingering reverb/echo of a stadium recording. Crowd noise is minimal and plays as part of the show. Drums are full and can be felt in one's chest, electric guitars are discernible from the string accompaniments, winds providing a new background on each song's 'fullness'. In a way, this album makes Metallica sound heavier, or at the least more complete. Listening to "Wherever I May Roam" compared to this live version, while maintaining its soul, seems to have found a body to go with it. This is the general feeling of this album and its songs, and that makes for a great live recording. There is not really a criticism to be made here, Hetfield is Hetfield, his vocals as consistent as ever. Musically, one can hear the intention and professionalism and this is a good thing for something as lofty as this type of partnership achieves. It is difficult to give this album five stars because it is a live album, having taken some of the more recognizable songs and placing together on the same album. On the other hand, the live album is just so well done that it argues that it stands by itself even after having been propped up with help from established hits, accompanied by an orchestra/conductor of renown. In terms of originality, this album has no predecessor in terms of everything being recomposed for literally no reason other than they can, and they did. Understandably, the album might offend purists. There is a near religious adherence to metal being metal for metal's sake, and this crossover might feel like an unholy union of sorts. Thrash metal, especially one like Metallica, thrives on a certain aesthetic of graphic, that it is in its own way a form of beautiful expression. Coupling that darker imagery with the beauty of an orchestra is an oil and water mixture that should not work, and for the purist S&M could be downright offensive. However, that stark separation presented here in a wonderfully arranged unison is why this will get a disputed top rating.
Some incredible recontextualization of songs set to an orchestra, but it doesn't save how weak a lot of Load/Reload songs are. I almost rated it a 4 just on how good this version of Call of Ktulu is though.
Outstanding. I didn’t know this existed. Five star would have been achieved with only Ecstasy of Gold
I think this is probably one of my favorite live albums ever. Metallica is so orchestral, and the feel of this record was incredible.
Love it. Love Metallica, love the orchestral pieces. Overall just an amazing album, love when they mix and match different styles of music like this
I like Metallica. Not an uber fan by any stretch, but I like their stuff. This is great. And even better if you watch the live concert on Youtube.
Nearly perfect. It's not an album I listen to often, but it's always a treat when I do.
Absolutely legendary album. This is the album I give people when they say they "don't like metal". It's absolutely incredible no matter your musical tastes.
Not sure why this is on here but Ride the Lightning isn't. Not that symphonic music doesn't match with metal, on the contrary as I'm a huge Nighwish fan. That said, the mixing doesn't always mesh well, sometimes the symphony getting in Metallica's way or vice versa. Love the idea of this, but I can live without knowing this exists even as I'm a big Metallica fan.
It's just like a more expensive (and, to be fair, not quite as bad) version of doing an acoustic album. They can have two stars because many of the songs are good, but these are disappointing versions.
´ai de beaaux souvenirs avec cette album et je me suis prit a vraiment aimer ca. Comme si j’etais au show dan sle syteme de son. 5*
Tätä on kuunneltu ihan pirusti. Pari edeltävää levyä oli löysää menoa, mutta tässä saatiin jotain uutta kulmaa tekemiseen. Uudempi painos jäänyt puolestaan ihan muutamaan kuuntelukertaan, mutta tämän pariin palaa aina silloin tällöin. Jälleen puolikkaille olisi käyttöä, tällä kertaa pyöristyy ylöspäin.
Sinänsä hankala arvioitava. Biiseinä tuossa levyllä olisi useamman vitosen arvosta kappaleita, mutta oliko tämä sinfoniaorkesterin kanssa tehty live sitten parasta Metallicaa. Ei varmaankaan. Toisaalta ihokarvat nousi jo Ecstasy of Gold introssa ja siitä pian seurannut Master of Puppets keskeytti työnteon ja sai kääntämään volat kaakkoon. Eikä tuo jäänyt ainoaksi vastaavaksi biisiksi. Ehkä noiden reaktioiden on annettava 5.
Like a greatest hits collection from an all-time group, PLUS some songs are much better with orchestra. (Some aren’t helped at all, but that’s hardly a liability.) Ktulu, Fuel, Bleeding Me are FANTASTIC
I quickly gave up on talking about each song both because I enjoyed the album that much that I forgot and because I genuinely liked almost everything about each song. the orchestra instruments go great with the already existing instrumental of the songs elevating them and making them feel brand new. the violing, especially, sounded amazing. even though is don't particularly like to listen to live albums, this one is a definite exception.
Just when you think Metallica can’t get any better they go and pull something like this
No fue el primer disco con esta idea, pero sin duda es el mejor que ha salido hasta ahora (inclyendo la secuela que lanzaron en 2020) y todo es gracias a Maestro Michael Kamen at the helm, yeah! Para mí, este disco fue el que me pasó de ubicar un par de rolas de Metallica a ser el que me hizo fan y de ahí ponerme a escuchar toda su producción. Aunque el disco es largo (pasaditas las dos horas) casi no se siente gracias a una muy buena selección de temas y a los excelentes altibajos que tienen las canciones y sus arreglos. Además, me parece que la mezcla es impecable, porque no deja de ser un disco de metal, con guitarras machacantes y doble bombo, pero nunca le quita espacio a toda la orquesta: se pueden notar las secciones de vientos, de cuerdas, las arpas… vamos, hasta el triángulo se nota cuando es necesario. Y bueno, mi parte favorita son los arreglos de Kamen, porque, a diferencia de lo que se ha hecho en otros discos del estilo, que simplemente van "haciéndo colchón" con violines y trompetas a la banda, Kamen hizo un arreglo específico y a voces para cada rola, con melodías y detalles propios, hasta con contrapunto. Eso cambia todo.
Si Metallica era ya un consentido personal, este esfuerzo con la Sinfónica de San Francisco los puso en otro nivel. Los arreglos son excelentes, la selección de canciones es perfecta (aunque me faltara Fade to Black) y no tiene un solo minuto de desperdicio. Songs: No Leaf Clover, Of Wolf And Man, Bleeding Me, For Whom The Bell Tolls, Wherever I May Roam
Didn’t need to listen to this one to rate. I’ve heard it hundreds of times. Metallica is my favorite band. Songs added to playlist: No Leaf Clover, One
Um ao vivo incrível, com grandes clássicos da banda! Melhor música: Nothing else matters e One.
What a fucking masterpiece. It doesn't get more epic than this. I'm not a metal head but Metallica are gods. And you pair them with a fucking orchestra? My goodness. Special shoutout to No Leaf Clover which here is absolutely perfect.
Metallica ended up turning into pretty big douchebags, but this album was a real seminal moment for metal as a whole. 20+ years later, it still holds up as a great live album and a cool mashup of heavy metal with a symphony orchestra.
Really enjoyed the combo of Metallica and Symphony. And I am not a Metallica fan in general.
S&M by Metallica (1999) I have long loved a couple of tracks from this album, but today is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to listen to it from start to finish. Wow. I’m generally not a fan of live albums, but this cooperative venture between Metallica and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra conducted by Michael Kamen is a grand exception. The production is tremendous. The collaborative orchestral score is elaborate, commensurate, visionary, uninhibited, and enthusiastically disposed to transcend convention, far surpassing earlier attempts at this genre (such as the classic studio production Days of Future Passed by The Moody Blues and the London Festival Orchestra [1967]). Orchestrations were done by a team of twelve guys who really knew what they were doing. It would have been nice to be a fly on the wall during their brainstorming sessions. From the horror of “Enter Sandman” to the delicacy of key sections of “Hero of the Day”, the orchestrations are finely tuned to the tenor of the original compositions. This really is the true genius of the album (even if does lapse at times into orchestral tropes from late 60s soul music). The symphonic atmosphere is stellar. Kamen’s conducting and musical direction are superb, as he harnesses the power of SFSO in perfect sync with a metal band that clearly knows where it’s going. But Kamen doesn’t merely follow Metallica. At times, we almost hear a duel between orchestra and metal band, or even a Texas chili cook-off where it ends in a draw. Engineering on this album meets the monumental challenge of bringing it all together, live, with only few slips, as when Kirk Hammett’s lead guitar riffs sometimes get lost in the mix. The serious listener is forced to do some selective ‘mixing in the hearing’ to compensate, but it’s worth the effort. The opening track is a special treat, a symphonic rendition of Ennio Morricone’s Ecstasy of Gold (from the score for Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, starring Clint Eastwood [1966]). For fans of all four artists Metallica, Morricone, Leone, and Eastwood (like me), this unexpected treat has the power to produce multiple sobs. I’m glad I was alone. The second track “The Call of Ktulu” is a wild, nine-plus-minute spectacle fully exploiting the capabilities of metal and symphonic collaboration. If you were to listen to only one track from this album, “The Call of Ktulu” should be it. Do it loud. Prepare to be floored. The song “Master of Puppets” is one of the very few instances in live recorded music where the audience makes a solid musical contribution to the performance, joining in (unbidden) as a choral counterpoint in the style of Greek drama. This is only possible because lead vocalist James Hetfield has a natural range that is within reach of most male (and not a few female) voices. And they duly join in with brawny vigor. This effect continues on several other tracks, where the Metallica-loving crowd clearly knows what part they are to play. On “The Memory Remains”, however, the choral cult fails to keep tempo with their handclaps (as per usual with this phenomenon), so it’s spoiled somewhat, but only briefly. Now, while “Nothing Else Matters” is a great song, anthemic even, its treatment on this record is (very) mildly disappointing, not quite rising to the level of the original studio recording, due to James Hetfield’s excessive live vocal stylings, likely affected due to his many concert performances of the song, where he struggled to keep the mood fresh. And also perhaps because of the fact that the original studio recording already had superb orchestral backing, which SFSO here fails to improve upon, obscuring the dynamism of its predecessor. Listen to them back to back and judge for yourself whether I’ve missed something. The penultimate track “Enter Sandman” features the SFSO as an additional member of the band in its own right, giving a fifth dimension to the sound for those already familiar with the superlative studio rendition. And on the closing cut “Battery”, orchestra and band are pushed to the limits of synchronic complexity, pounding out this most challenging piece in the concert, and certainly not what one would expect from an encore. This track was the one that fully persuaded me to take the time and put together a playlist of all these songs, first with the original studio recording immediately followed by the live symphonic version. S&M is the kind of album that you could listen to many times over the span of many years and always hear something new. Don’t miss out on this one. 5/5
I love this album and love Metallica so it's an easy five - orchestral is fun, and this era of Metallica where they changed tuning to better fit James' voice makes things sound a lot better. I wonder if other Band & Orchestral pair ups would be a better fit for this list? But I ain't complaining. || Loved learning that this was originally an idea Cliff Burton had, RIP.
Excelente combinación de heavy-rock con orquesta sinfónica. Buena combinación. energía por todos lados y muy buena selección de temas
This was superb. I’ve seen the DVD and heard the album. What an amazing concept. Well executed and wonderful song selection.
What an ecstasy of gold this album is. How many other bands, especially rock or metal got with a philharmonic orchestras to belt out to CDs e worth of music? Not just that, but new songs specifically for this as well? There are so many gems here of songs made even better by the strings and other orchestral compositions. And that album cover is awesome.
An album I'm quite familiar with from my early teen years when I was obsessed with Metallica. Memories of this album are how I thought it was so cool to mix metal with a full symphony, and that No Leaf Clover was a great addition to the discography. Now, revisiting this album my initial thought is on the amount of ego that must go into deciding to do something like this. We're such a huge band and everyone loves us, so let's hire a whole orchestra and put on a show. It's a ballsy move, you better really be that good to back it up. The album opens with two instrumental tracks, so right away the orchestra gets to shine as they back up the band. Finally on track three we get Master of Puppets which is obviously one of their massive hits, and right away we get James letting the audience sing half the song. This is an experience and it makes you really appreciate how cool it would have been to be part of that audience. It's a long album, 20 tracks and lots of them are 8+ minutes, this is a recording of a live show so that makes sense, and effectively it plays like a Metallica Greatest Hits album that adds the orchestra to make it something new entirely. I don't know that many bands could have pulled off a move like this, but damn if Metallica didn't knock this out of the park. Now if only Cypress Hill would record an album with the London Symphony Orchestra, possibly while high...
I mean, who doesn’t love Metallica? The addition of the San Francisco Symphony adds a whole other dimension to each song. Every song becomes a mash-up of a Metallica classic and the grandiose atmosphere of a video game soundtrack. Absolutely incredible album!
Me gusta mucho Metallica. Este disco en directo no lo conocía y aunque no lo acabé de escuchar, metallica junto a una orquesta es insuperable.
Goodness me. How did I not know this exists? And there sure is a lot of it! Nice arrangements, they did not just phone it in as far as the orchestral parts. Good balance on the recording, with Hetfield or guitars or drums or strings or horns or even the audience featuring as appropriate. I found the call and response in Master of Puppets particularly satisfying. This album is a real gem. Thank you album generator.
It was a weird moment when I listened to this album. However the music was making things better. I liked the strings with the metal sound, it really was an addition
Veramente molto bello come è arrangiata la discografia dei Metallica con l'orchestra sinfonica. Però lo considero più un concerto che un album? Lo si può giudicare solo come album? Minchia però, la chiusura è meravigliosa.
Definitively Metallica is a band to be enjoyed in live sessions. However, this one is even more special due to the mix of metal and classical music! It's always a combination that I enjoy a lot, and I can't give them less than five stars.
Surprisingly sick. Didn’t like it at first but there’s actually a lot of energy. I think this is my favorite version of “fuel”
As much as I love Metallica (and this was one of my first Metallica albums I listened to from start to finish), S&M is just overloaded. A lot of the orchestra stuff does not fit, especially in the faster songs. Obviously, some of the ballads (Nothing Else Matters, One, ..) the orchestra is brilliant, but on a whole it's often more a distraction than an addition.
The first of this project that I own and already love. Not all of these songs work with the orchestra, but it is mostly successful. This album will always score highly with me merely for No Leaf Clover which is just majestic. Love it so much. Listening to this is making me nostalgically melancholy which is exactly what I need right now.
Metallica playing with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra really accentuated the theatricality of their songs. I don't think I'd listen to it every day, but it's a good intro to Metallica.
Regardless on you personal feelings about Metallica, this is a very good collaboration. Kamen shows great enthusiasm for metal and Metallica shows great respect for classical. There are a few duds from the Load/Reload era but the the highs from the 80s and early 90s are VERY high, and the original song No Leaf Clover is the best new song they would put out for a decade. Oh and the opening song The Ecstasy of Gold is perfection.
I saved the album to my library in Spotify because I want to listen again. Good musicianship and I love the hard rock with a symphonic backdrop
Metallica for a quiet-ish night. The whole orchestra thing gives the album a theatricality that's really appealing. I do expect however there's a regular Metallica album in the list; this is hardly their best one.
Aika tuhti pakettihan tämä on, tuttu levy jo aiemmin. Kyllähän tämä levy kannattaa kuunnella, kai tää oli tämän sinfoniaorkesteri+bändi -konseptin uranuurtaja. Heinolassakin oli muutamaa vuotta myöhemmin Apulannan ja Heinola sinfoniettan yhteiskeikka (ja myös T. Rautiainen + sinfonietta). S&M2 -levyllä on kyllä parempi sovitus No Leaf Cloverista, vaikka on se tämän alkuperäisen levynkin helmiäisiä.
Metallica. Live ei tuo mukanaan lisäarvoa, mutta sinfoniaorkesteri on ajoittain ihan mielenkiintoinen lisä. Pyöristän tän livesyistä neloseen, että jää vielä tilaa yläpäähän.
Great live album. Love this band, love James Hetfield, love the orchestra. Interesting listen, wish I’d have been there to see it.
A truly unique experience and an audacious effort. Metallica spent time rearranging their music to flow with a symphony and the result is a triumph of what two musical styles can be.
Да это же великий эксперимент, дамы и господа! А что бу-удет, если одна из тяжелейших в мейнстриме групп даст концерт на запись? А? А? А? А? Не, на само деле против концепции ничего не имею. Тут определённые вопросы к реализации. У дефолтной группы инструментов 4, у оркестра – десятки. Всяко заготовленных партий не хватит, для новых инструментов нужно добавлять новых. И вот к ним сильные вопросы. Они звучат порой так, как будто оркестру сказали: «Не, ну вы там по ходу подыграйте что-нибудь». И мало того, что это часто звучит неорганично, так к тому же эти инородные партии часто на передний план выводятся. И вот это уже немного в ступор вводит. При этом некоторым инструментам вроде бы удаётся интересно дополнить, вроде ксилофона в Master of Puppets (он там на пару секунд и сведён сомнительно). Подбор композиций тоже сомнительный. Of Wolf and Man в оригинальном то альбоме была проходным треком довольно, но создавала некоторое настроение из-за своей лаконичности и хорошего звука. Тут же это просто рассыпающееся претенциозное месиво. Помню, Ларс вроде по приколу назвал эту версию «Of Wolfgang And Man», возможно, ради этого и добавлялось. А если эксперимента ради – то, собсна, почему с первого альбома ничего не завезли? В The Thing That Should Not Be (к слову, трек – репетативное душилово) интересный переход в Fuel. У которого снова сведение ебанутое. На переднем плане в инструментале – разрозненные куски оркестровых партий, которые вроде как должны дополнять, а не акцент перетягивать. Или наоборот на оркестр нужно было бы вешать ключевые партии, пусть даже дублирующие. Как в последующей The Memory Remains, например. К слову, туда могли бы и вокалистку затащить какую-нибудь интересную. Вместо неё тихо-тихо пел зал с подыгрыванием оркестра. Вообще в рамках данного альбома часть партий (с ключевыми хуками порой) отводить залу считаю преступлением. No Leaf Clover звучит шедеврально, без пизды. Каждый раз вспоминаю, как первый раз её услышал, до сих пор порой мурашки завозят. Возможно, из-за того, что в неоркестровом исполнении её просто нет, а что первым услышал – то обычно и нравится больше. Но если анализировать, то с ней всё в порядке: все партии на своих местах, инструменты разнообразные и лишних при этом нет, Хэтфилд партии вокальные исполняет довольно чисто, ещё и эффект на припеве уместный вроде. А ещё по громкости всё выровнено грамотно. Это во многом характерно и для Human, только вот сама композиция слабее. При этом более поздние композиции, из Load/Reload звучат в совокупности с оркестром более гармонично. Возможно, потому что медленнее и спокойнее сами по себе, что располагает. А возможно потому, что более соответствовали настроению группы в те годы. С первыми альбомами некоторая рассинхронизация произошла, те альбомы писали уже совсем другие люди, поэтому и звучат ранние треки порой искусственно, вымучено, как каверы в качестве дани уважения. На самом деле рекомендовать альбом незнакомому с Metallica человеку я бы ни в коем случае не стал. Как минимум полностью, та же No Leaf Clover могла бы зацепить, в принципе. Помню, у отца Карлина в архиве музыки среди всех треков группы были лишь те самые No Leaf Clover и Human. Но, с учётом наличия студийных записей этот альбом как целое – лишь для фанатов. И всё же то, что порой альбом работает так, как задумывалось и то, что он содержит пару интересных оригинальных треков, не даёт мне поставить оценку ниже 4. 6 по 10-баллльной это вроде всё ещё 4, значит 6 из 10.
Metallica is a great band, and this is a fantastic album. I love hearing genres come together, and although blending rock and symphony is not at all new, this is a great example of how good it can sound.
The blend of metal and orchestral is pretty epic. I wonder how the classical musical community felt about this?
Great fun, but a bit long and samey for listening without access to a mosh pit... Also, not a real album.
Fakking vet. Goede opbouw. Jammer dat de nadruk in het orkest altijd ligt op strijkers en koper. Was hooked bij track 2.
Great stuff. Feel like being live made the recording a bit muddled. Will need to relisten.
Quite an ambitious record. Metal and classical music are similar in a lot of ways so there's no surprise this works so well.
Better than expected. I’m not the biggest fan of metal, but hearing it with the symphony brings out those classically influenced qualities
Actually pretty good. Live albums can be way more hit and miss but really liked this one. Never listened to metallica before but might give them more of a go.
por norma desgosto de álbuns ao vivo. A escolha das músicas pareceu me deixar um bocado a desejar. Algumas músicas ficaram melhores com a orquestra, como o Call of Ktulu que ficou com uma outra profundidade, por outro lado o one ficou pior entre outras. O No leaf clover foi uma boa adição. No geral para amantes de Metallica um excelente álbum, para o meu gosto é um 7. Nota: 7/10
Excellent context. Very long and I think an audio only experience let’s this down. I think I need to watch the live performance to get a full experience from this album.
An amazing, crushingly intense album. I can't quite give it 5 stars as in quite a few songs it doesn't work, with the orchestra not really adding anything, and sometimes detracting from the songs. But where it works it really works.
41. S&M - Metallica 21 tracks. This is absolutely mind-blowing. Metallica should only exist in this form. They have taken something that almost makes my eyes bleed and turned it into something that I want to listen to never mind about hear. Symphony meets metal. 4/5
You know what, my heart sank when it was Metallica but actually surprisingly quite enjoyed it. I think it was the orchestra that added to it, and imaging it live and all taking place must have been epic (even though I'm not a fan of the genre).
Ok, so I knew about this album because it's one of my brothers favorite albums. I like Metallica but I just never gave it a listen. It's not bad, it was enjoyable. I probably wouldn't ever listen to it again though.
A match made in heaven — or hell. Metallica's overblown songs meet Kamen's OTT orchestration. Ridiculous fun and hugely impressive technically and logistically, hits its grunty nadir with "For Whom the Bell Tolls."
Boy, I sure wouldn't open my album with Ennio Morricone. That's a tough act to follow... This version of Fuel(gimmefuegimmefahgimmedabajabaza) is great because it sounds like Jrpg battle music
Pretty good. I would like to watch a documentary on this from the perspective of people in the orchestra
Actually surprised how good this is- pretty sure this was recorded around the same time they made the Some Kind of Monster which is literally the cringiest shit I’ve ever seen. Metallica with a symphony. Pretty damn good.
I was a big Metallica fan back in the day, but I guess had started to drift away by the time this was released so hadn't heard it before. It's got a lot of the songs I loved, but the addition of orchestra definitely doesn't work on all of them, but when it does work, it's great! This is also not a five star vocal performance from Hetfield, is it? I see that in the year of our lord 2022 there can still be no discussion of Metallica without a bunch of absolute weeners protesting that they don't like Load/Reload. 😂 Seriously, just absolute pissbabies... Fave track - "No Leaf Clover" - hadn't heard that before, and it worked with the orchestra really well, what with being composed specifically for the event...
I love listening to music performed live. I hate listening to recordings of it. So it's going to take a lot for a live album to knock my socks off. Mixing rock and symphony has potential. The first song with both the orchestra and Metallica (the Call of Ktulu) was pretty f'n cool. Really well fused pops and rock. But after that, most songs felt like rock with a symphonic backdrop. Still cool but left me wanting more. A couple of exceptions were Hero of the Day (symphony was a great add during the slow buildup) and Devil's Dance (the string section was so prominent and awesome...should've done a violin solo). The symphony was kinda cool on One and Enter Sandman. All in all, pretty cool but missed an opportunity to be epic.
I'm not sure why this is the Metallica album we had to hear. The orchestra really adds a lot to the songs that I was lukewarm to. The songs I really like or love of Metallica's... eh. It didn't make me hate the arrangements, it just didn't add a new layer. For example, I'm going to say it: "The Call of Ktulu" is a boring song. So the orchestra really does add a lot to it. But most of those other 80s classics, not so much. And wow, two new songs! No Leaf Clover and um... that other one! Yeah! There are other orchestral albums I've heard that have done good jobs with rock artists. I guess because of it closing a huge chapter of the band, as Newsted's last album. Still, there is a lot to like, but not a lot to love.
Decided to watch the videos for this one. James sounds excellent, as does the rest of the band. The 'classical' approach isn't an extremely interesting take, but definitely worth checking out.
TLDL Too Long Didn’t Listen (to all of it) Struggling between a 3 and a 4. Rounding up for the classical angle. So sad for me…
I always misunderstood the 'S&M' title to indicate Symphony and Metallica, and I was close. Turns out the ‘S’ is simply a backwards treble clef which, when turned back around, resembles more of a ‘G,’ even resting on the G note above middle C on a piano. I’m guessing, though, that Metallica’s title had further ribald implications than a simple lesson in musical theory. You can take the Metal out of the boy, but not the boy out of the Metal. It’s a musical genre (mostly) of males (and mostly young, or certainly young of heart), by males, from males, to males… oh, and wolves, too… and outlaws, of course… and plenty of monsters. All very male images. And set to a very male sound, loud, fast and aggressive. Even the accompanying San Francisco Symphony are playing with heightened levels of testosterone. I wouldn’t have been surprised if the cellist smashed his instrument into the timpanis at the end of the performance. Then again, when’s the last time you attended a live concert of classical music and heard expletives shouted from the stage (what is Latin for ‘motherfucker,’ I wonder?) while the assembled crowd periodically engaged in raucous Metal chants of ‘Aye, aye, aye, aye…’ There is something quite different going on here than, for example, The Moody Blues’ 'Days of Future Passed,' where the London Festival Orchestra accompanies the band. 'S&M' is more of a competition, friendly, but physical. When this sparring is over, both conductor Michael Kamen and Metallica emerge victorious, wearing big grins. But I wouldn’t advise just anyone jumping into this ring. These are professionals, playing hard. You should probably just save your inner Metal for the Karaoke bar on Thursday night where no one will get hurt. There’s something here for all Metallica fans- pre and post Cliff. While I favor earlier Metallica- 'Ride the Lightening,' 'Master of Puppets,' '…And Justice for All,' I enjoyed the symphonic pairing of their later work on 'Metallica' and both 'Load' and 'Reload' more. These later songs tend to be more melodic, for one thing. The earlier ones, like ‘One’ and ‘Battery’ are almost too metal for much collaboration. The sheer force of ‘Battery’ would send the triangle flying from the delicate hands of the orchestral percussionist. Mostly, though, things worked out well. Metal is, after all, an extension of classical music. It’s a solid LP, majestic in sound and scope, and lots of fun. And hey, if your Grandad happens to be a classical music fan, sit him down with a tumbler of whiskey and a good cigar, and turn him on to some 'S&M.'
I am normally a real sucker for rock bands that team up with orchestras to perform their music. Was really hoping this one hit the mark, but for me it came up a bit short. Loved hearing so many of Metallica's hits, but the orchestra delivery seemed weak somehow. All of that sounds so negative; I really did enjoy it. Just was not the home run I was expecting. B-
An absolute beast of a live album. It's a really effective if unlikely marriage of sounds, and provides a new epic dimension to some already classic songs. It's just a shame that this came out in the middle of the otherwise least inspiring era of Metallica's career, as the tracklist isn't always too consistent. Cut maybe half an hour of the Load/Reload material and this couldn't be much better
Pozytywne zaskoczenie tego tygodnia, czyli Metallica o nowym obliczu, jak sam tytul i okladka wskazuja bardziej klasycznym, bo tytul S&M jest skrotem od Symphony and Metallica, ktory jest livowym albumem nagranym w Berkeley Community Theatre z roku 99, wiec przypada na czasy juz po reloadowe, wiec jeszcze nie zdziadzieli a potezna dyskorafia pozwala na tworzenie wystepow ponad dwoch godzinnych, jak w tym przypadku, ale co jest niezwykle w tym nagraniu, to fakt colaba z orkiestra San Francisco Symphony pod przewodnictwem Michaela Kamena, cale nagranie zostalo zapisane nie tylko w postaci tej plyty, ale rowniez na wideo, ktore mialo pozniej swoja kinowa premiere, bo co jak co ale o takich rzeczach nie czesto sie slyszy, najbardziej przychodzi mi na mysl skojarzenie z evangelionowym koncertem gdzie bylo rapowanie pod orkiestre symfoniczna, ale to nagranie ponad dwu godzinnego materialu to calkiem inny kaliber przedsiewziecia, wiekszosc plyty to klasyczne traki zespolu, dwa z nich to calkowicie instrumentalny opening, The Ecstasy of Gold z dobrego, zlego i brzydkiego i The Call of Ktulu z ride the lightning, a wsrod 21 utworow znalazlo sie miejsce na dwie orginalne kompozycje No Leaf Clover i – Human, ale sluchajac tego nagrania pierwszy raz czuje sie jakbym wczesniej nie slyszal zadnego z tych kawalkow, ten blend metalowego targania po gitarach z orkiestra ktora wspiera zespol tworzy cos nadajacego dodatkowy wymiar ich graniu, ktore przypomina teraz muzyke mocno soundtrackowa, ktora kojarzy mi sie z starymi hinskimi bajkami w stylu piesci gwiazd polnocy, czy old skulowych bijatyk, nie dziwie sie wiec, ze az tyle odniesien nie tylko muzycznych, ale i bardziej stylistyczno ester eggowych jest pochowanych w guilty gearze, jesli chodzi o Metallice, wiec tym razem odsluch epicko dlugi, bo granie rowniez prawdziwie epickie, ale calosc odsluchana w jednym posiedzeniu, czy moze raczej polezeniu, jedyne do czego mozna sie przyczepic to jakosc tego nagrania, bo pomimo tego, ze czuc widownie i energie jaka byla podczas koncertu, to scena wydaje sie mocno scisnieta, ale nie mam pojecia jak musialo wygladac nagrywanie tak poteznej orkiestry, ktora jest jedynie banda wspomagajaca gwiazd nagrania, dlatego wiec orkiestra zawsze jest slyszana zza sceny w pewnym oddaleniu, a na pierwszym tle gitary i wokal, tak czy inaczej doswiadczenie jedyne w swoim rodzaju i z pewnoscia najlepszy material jaki slyszalem od tego zespolu na liscie, na plejke raczej nic nie bede wrzucal, ale zastanawiam sie nad stworzeniem kolekcji livowych albumow na spotifaju, bo jednak troche sie ich zbiera, a nie dodajac trakow na zwykla plejke gdzies sie pewnie straca z biegiem czasu
For the most part this works really well. Metallica make pretty huge, OTT music as it is, so combining that with an orchestra for added action-film epic-ness just makes sense. There's a crucial third element too: the audience. The occasional crowd participation bits actually add to the cinematic scale but also help keep the 'live' feel of the album. The setlist is a good mix of classics, personal favourites (The Memory Remains & Ecstacy of Gold, oh yeaahhh) & new discoveries (No Leaf Clover). There are definitely some more forgettable tracks too, and some of the orchestral arrangements don't really add anything, but I enjoyed this more than the other live albums we've had so my score should probably reflect that.
I didn't know many of these songs that well but the orchestral arrangements are awesome. 2hrs+ was a bit hard to take but it stayed interesting.
Inspired! The driving metal sound, screaming guitars and those distinctive vocals backed by a symphony orchestra. A brand new dimension opens up with a whole orchestra backing your band. This is raw and rich.
The length is somewhat intimidating but it’s basically a Metallica greatest hits album with a symphony orchestra added to it so what more could you want. Even liked fuel a little more than the original
I really enjoyed this, even though it was a long album. Brought a new dimension to some of the songs.
I'm a big Metallica fan but was skeptical of a live album. The accompanying orchestra suits it surprisingly well
Interesting combination of live performance. Metallica often played over the orchestra, but kind of to be expected. Pretty good, but a bit long for me
I haven't rated all the metallica on this list that highly, and I mostly haven't been a fan of the live albums on this list either. However I did somehow end up enjoying this one a lot. They have a big catalogue of good songs, so they're able to put all the best ones into a live set without the weaker filler tracks. The live sound and orchestral backing also work for me, I prefer this sound to their studio recordings.
Robert n'en finit plus de semer notre chemin d'embûches, après les interminables albums de Prince et des Smashing Pumpkins, nous voici confrontés aux 2h13 de Metallica. A l'inverse des deux minables albums sus-cités, S&M fut plutot agréable, voir grandiose par moments. On en ressort tout de même hâletant, mais quoi de plus normal après une telle épreuve d'ultra endurance.
7/10. This was pretty enjoyable, and seeing as it was a live album I can forgive the length.
Dit is zo'n live-album die wat oneer doet aan het live-gegeven. Waarschijnlijk veel imposanter als je het echt zag. Maar op CD komt dit precies niet over. Dit haalt niet weg dat dit een supercombo is
Amaaai die zijn toch graaf hé. Heerlijke live plaat. Duurt wel lang natuurlijk dus vooral goed voor op de achtergrond
intro = goat Call of ktulu = perfect met symphony Machtig hoe je dit kunt combineren met elkaar. Voor mij was het net iets te lang voor een CD. ik zou dit perfect live kunnen uitzitten of met een DVD maar voor cd vind ik het wat te lang.
It's an incredible album. I'm not sure how much the SFSO adds to it, but the energy was off the charts and all the songs were great. I don't normally like live albums so this loses a star for that plus the fact that it's so long, but still a solid 4 stars.
All Metallica should be played this way! Starts out with Good, Bad & Ugly then shortly heads into Master of Puppets - feels like an anthem album for (some of) the times.
Like a drive on a nigth road. Sounds cool, you exited, but close the end you really feel the fatigue
A few things keep this from being way more awesome than it is: a) I feel like Metallica kept all of their songs as close to the same as possible, which just makes this Metallica with a symphony layered over it. b) Hetfield's voice is clearly doctored up a little. c) It's pretty chaotic at points, which works for some songs, but not so much for others. Either way, pretty awesome and must have been absolutely nuts live. Gives a new meaning to the "symphonic metal" genre. Favorite tracks: "One", "Devil's Dance"
Ups and downs. Master of Puppets - vocals were shit and the audience sang 50% of the lyrics. Some great parts with the orchestra, cool, but not a homerun.
I got turned off when I saw Metallica but then I noted the fine print....it's with an orchestra! That made it better for me. But still not my cup of tea.
sure. why not. was this groundbreaking in 1999? i'm not sure. the juxtaposition wasn't actually all that interesting, which is too bad, because this should have been a mind-blowing album.
Live album with an orchestra backing them up. They sound pretty good but some of the songs of the album (if not all) are from other albums so it's not a new song album. 6/10.
Not a huge Metallica fan but the orchestral addition really made this album fun and easy to listen to 3.5
mix tussen metal en klassieke muziek. Leuk geprobeerd maar het is niet zo leuk om te luisteren
Vaikea arvosteltava. Kappaleet toki niminä kovaa kamaa. Livelevyt ei oikein tahdo upota. Oishan tässä ollut potentiaalia kovaankin suoritukseen ja muutamasta onnistumisesta huolimatta. Jotenkin tuo sinfoniaorkesterin antamat mahdollisuudet jäi käyttämättä. Tulin siihen tulokseen, että melkein kaikki kappaleet olisin ennenmmin kuunnellut alkuperäisenä studioversiona.
Pitikö tän olla livelevy.... kait tää taustamusana menee muttei herätä suuria settejä; enpä tosin oo oikein koskaan metallicaa kuunnellut :/