Metallica's Reviews

S & M

(Average Rating: 8.46 out of 10)

Not bad, but not great either

(Rated this album with 6 out of 10)
Reviewed by Der Kommissar from america

In 1999, Metallica decided to release an official live album. They had not done so yet in their career, even though it spanned over a decade and a half (unless you count their Live S*it - Binge And Purge box set.) However, the band didn't want to make a typical live album - they wanted to do something different. They got together with Michael Kamen and his orchestra, and recorded something unlike anything in their career. Read on for my review of Symphony And Metallica - better known simply as S and M.

PROS:
-Metallica wanted to do something unique, and to put it simply, they did just that. Even if the band isn't what it used to be, there is no denying that this is a unique recording.
-The band plays many of its classics, as well as newer-era stuff, too.
-There are two previously unreleased tracks, as well as a take on the classic tune Ecstacy Of Gold. These new tracks employ the orchestra well.
-The orchestral take on a few of these songs is EXCELLENT. I'm not a big fan of anything Metallica did in the nineties and beyond, but I can honestly say this is THE BEST VERSION of The Call Of Ktulu ever recorded!
-This album is readily available in most major stores.

CONS:
-NOT EVERY ONE OF THESE SONGS NEEDED AN ORCHESTRAL TOUCH. This really hurts songs like the already mediocre Fuel, which obviously weren't written with such a concept in mind.
-James' voice change for the nineties makes some of the older songs sound downright terrible (which is the exact same reason I hate the Live S*it box set.) The band should've stuck to its newer material.
-VERY FEW of these songs are outstanding. Most are downright weak compared to their classic studio counterparts.
-Two discs means a higher price.
-This album ultimately doesn't succeed.

OVERALL:
As good an idea as this album was, it just isn't pulled off very well. To put it simply, if you're one of the people who only likes the band's eighties stuff (and that's MOST Metallica fans), you're not gonna like this. ONLY BUY THIS IF YOU LIKE THE BAND'S NINETIES MATERIAL!

Buy this album on Amazon at $22.99