Metallica's Reviews

S & M

(Average Rating: 8.46 out of 10)

Excellent

(Rated this album with 10 out of 10)
Reviewed by Joe from Shanklin,Isle of Wight,England

'S&M' is the best Metallica album of the ninties.It combines (mostly) the best of their extensive back catalogue,(although missing off 'The Unforgiven' was a horrific mistake)with Michael Kamen's San Francisco symphony beauty and power.Kamen had previously arranged the orchestration on 'The Unforgiven' from 1991's 'Metallica'.The only major Metallica album not represented here is 'Kill'em All', their 1983 debut,which seems a shame ,but if you listen to it you'll see it's way too frantic.

The best songs here are not necessarily the best Metallica songs.Indeed, 'Nothing Else Matters',usually a torrid ballad, positively sparkles when backed by the orchestra.Also 'The Call of the Ktulu','One','The Outlaw Torn','Bleeding Me','For Whom the Bell Tolls','Of Wolf and Man' and the ever brilliant 'Battery',in which the spainish guitars in the inro are swapped for the orchestra's string section,which adds a whole new depth once the main riff comes in.Also of note is the intro cover of 'The Ecstasy of Gold' from the 'Good, The Bad, and The Ugly' soundtrack,where the orchestra is used to full classical potential,and so are the 2 new tracks,'Minus Human' and 'No Leaf Clover'.The former is a slow chugging power song, but the latter's twinkly guitars and distorted verse paving way for an acoustic chorus is rather superb.

Everything has it's downside though,and on 'S&M' it's a couple of songs that are completely ruined by the orchestra.'Sad But True drags even more than it's Black Album counterpart,'Fuel' sounds as average and uninspired as ever,if not more so,and the biggest crime is the brutal mutilation of the once-brilliant'Master of Puppets',the only track which is rendered completley unlistenable.Hetfield's singing is all over the place,Newstead can never make the bass rumble as much as Cliff Burton did,and the orchestra slops all over it.

That said,that is about all that is bad about 'S&M'.It's a qurky, but very listenable album with,although too much off 'Load' and ReLoad' for a greatest hits album for my liking,it srtill has tons too offer the listener.

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