Metallica S & M CD

/San Francisco Symphony.
Metallica: James Hetfield (vocals, guitar); Kirk Hammett (guitar); Jason Newsted (bass); Lars Ulrich (drums).
Additional personnel: Michael Kamen (conductor); The San Francisco Symphony.
Engineers: Bob Rock, Randy Staub, Stephen P. McLaughlin.
Recorded live at the Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley, California on April 21 and 22, 1999. Includes liner notes by Michael Kamen.
"The Call Of Ktulu" won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
After 1988's ...And Justice for All, Metallica pared down its progressive, heavy metal sound. During the '90s, the band's studio releases grew slicker and more produced, resulting in mostly radio-friendly, good ol' boy metal. By the end of the decade, Metallica was established as the pioneer of modern metal, but the band hadn't done anything innovative, arguably, in ten years. In April 1999, the group performed two concerts with the San Francisco Symphony, and the result was S&M, a two-disc collection of the concerts. Overall, the album successfully pairs violin strings with guitar strings, but it's no surprise that the best tracks here are the older songs; their multi-layered, compositional style works well with symphonic arrangements. "Master of Puppets," "Call of the Ktulu," "One," and "For Whom the Bell Tolls" sound richer and fuller with violin, trumpet, clarinet, harp, trombone, and flute accompaniments, but "Sad but True," "Devil's Dance," and especially "Of Wolf and Man" range from haphazard and melodramatic to uninspired. S&M definitely has its moments, and not just with the pre-Black Album material: "Fuel" surpasses the furious pumping energy of the studio version, "Hero of the Day" stays poignant throughout, and "Until It Sleeps" has a wonderfully sinister feel. James Hetfield maintains his madman persona from beginning to end, laughing maniacally and grunting and growling at all the right moments. Overall, the symphony adds a macabre, ghoulish atmosphere -- it all sounds like a Broadway freak show or a revved-up Danny Elfman nightmare. Which is exactly what a Metallica album should sound like, even if every song isn't the best (or most appropriate) in the band's catalog. ~ Gina Boldman
Metallica's double-disc DVD of S&M presents their surprisingly successful collaboration with the San Francisco Symphony in its two-and-a-half-hour entirety. The concert itself has its highs ("Master of Puppets," "Until It Sleeps," "The Call of Ktulu," and "One") and lows ("Sad but True," "Devil's Dance," and "Of Wolf and Man"), but the discs' multiple angles, making-of documentary, and interviews make S&M more than just a live album translated to video. Different edits of "No Leaf Clover" at the end of the set add another clever feature to this well-crafted, interactive collection, which may only appeal to hardcore fans but gives them plenty to appreciate. ~ Heather Phares
As the strains of Ennio Morricone's "The Ecstacy of Gold" filled the Berkeley Community Theater, metal heads and classical music enthusiasts were both in for a special evening--where many previous rock/classical collaborations had failed, Metallica and the San Francisco Symphony delivered the goods.
"The Call of Ktulu," a track that had never before been performed live, was fated for a debut such as this. The epic instrumental, given added depth by the charts of Michael Kamen (who succeeds in putting a new spin on the band's material as he did on Metallica's self-titled 1991 release), is nothing short of bombastic. The same applies to the speed-metal classic "Master of Puppets." "Hero of the Day" works very well, with its melodic tone enhanced by the symphony. Two new songs are debuted on S&M, "No Leaf Clover" and "Human," tracks that will make for an interesting comparison to their studio versions. The anti-war anthem "One" seems as if it had been made for the classical treatment it receives here. The balance among guitar, drums, strings, and brass makes foRolling Stone (1/20/00, pp.57-9) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...creates the most crowded, ceiling-rattling basement rec room in rock....[in its] sheer awesomeness...the performance succeeds....the monster numbers benefit from supersizing. The effect is...one of timelessness..."
Spin (2/00, pp.114-5) - 8 out of 10 - "...makes their tempo and texture dynamics...into a topic in and off of itself, a deep evocation of bad-voodoo creeping willies culminating in 'One' and 'Enter Sandman'....Freed from ritualized superhuman extremism, it builds a soundtrack to everyday life..."
Entertainment Weekly (12/3/99, p.102) - "...Buttressed by grim strings, creaky horns, and thundering timpani, staples...creep with fearful new dimension, like an old Posada print come to life..." - Rating: B
Q (2/00, p.86) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...another just about forgivable flirtation with [Spinal] Tap-esque lunacy....a fine hit-heavy live LP with bolted-on bombast fromthe S.F. Symphony....Michael Kamen's scores swoop and soar with impressive portent throughout..."
Q (Summer/01, p.127) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...A creditable experiment with the San Francisco Symphony..."
CMJ (12/20/99, p.24) - "...stunning....orchestral renditions of hits from the bands '90s output..."