S&M

Seven years ago I wrote the review of the audio-only version of S&M, and a couple of weeks ago I wanted to watch the DVD and had a good time. And while re-reading my review, I realized most of my thoughts has not changed which is why I will practically copy those old words and put them in this DVD review. ---

Metallica with orchestra, not a bad combination at all! This is a very popular band that came to my ears since i was a little kid, because it is my uncle's favourite band so i used to go out with him a lot and of course most of the time we listened to Metallica, they have never been one of my favourite bands, not at all, but someday they made great music and some of their songs will be held in my mind forever. Well so i remember vividly i was very keen with their newest album which happened to be a live album, but not just that, but a live album with a symphonic orchestra, so i was curious to know what was it about and bought the album in the week it was released here in Mexico.

And i was happy with it, nowadays i can say i enjoy listening to this album, though i dont really do it that frequently, but i believe the inclusion of the orchestra was a great and correct decision, something kind of new to the old thrash metal band, a soft and classical sound included in their fast and aggressive music, was a nice combination, in my humble point of view, and you know, i am not the best metal follower around here, so that may be a reason why i liked the album, due to the symphonic orchestra sound.

So besides the previously said, what you will find in this double CD live album released in 1999 is a performance of most of the better known Metallica songs played of course by them, as they use to do it, accompannied with an orchestra led by Michael Kamen and offering more than 2 hours of their music.

The first album CD is opened with a intro of a song from The Good, The bad and The Ugly performed by the orchestra, and leading to the beginning of Metallica's music with of my favourite songs, The Call of Ktulu which is instrumental, and then to the surprise of the people they follow with Master of Puppets one of the best songs they have created, so the concert's beginning is actually a bomb, excellent, after those songs you can foresee a great concert.

Well some other great moments or favourite songs from that first cd are The Thing that SHould not Be, Memory Remains or the last one Bleeding Me, they also included two unreleased tracks, the first one in this CD, No Leaf Clover.

And the second CD, opens with Nothing Else Matters, you know, a catchy song and my favourite moments are For Whom the Bell Tolls, One and Battery, honestly i prefer much more the first CD, here there are moments where i get bored, but after all it is a nice second cd.

So it's a very good live album, for Metallica fans, a must having, for beginners, also a nice recommendation, and for prog fans, it may be nice to have one more album in your collection, prog moments here are minimum.

My rating would be 4 stars, but in this site, i think 3 are good enough.

Enjoy it!!