S & M

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
As if to accentuate their fundamental hugeness, Metallica (arguably the most consistently innovative metal band of the 80s and 90s) stretched yet further into the arena of the titanic with this immense cohesion of the orchestral and the truly seismic. Recorded live at California's Berkeley Community Theatre with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra under the direction of composer and arranger Michael Kamen, S & M showcases over two hours of the band's best known material including the muscular thrash of "Master Of Puppets" and the devastating power of "Enter Sandman". Also featuring a pair of brand new compositions--the pounding menace of "Human" and chest-beating nihilism of "No Leaf Clover"--S & M steers clear of pompous self-indulgence in favour of sheer blistering intensity. Kamen's orchestral arrangements perfectly complement the underlying subtlety of Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett and Newsted's singularly bombastic muse and the end result is nothing short of awesome. --Ian Fortnam

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Customer reviews

review by: Rish date: 2008-09-18 rating:
Metallica and, what? An Orchestra?!
It's one of those things that, when you first think about it, it really doesn't and shouldn't work.
Ever.

But after coming across this album's version of "Nothing Else Matters" on Kerrang! TV, I was shocked and also intrigued by what else the album may have in store.
Now, most people know Metallica as one of the most influencial and outstanding metal bands of all-time, so when fans heard that they would be combining themselves with the San Francisco Symphony, as you can imagine, assumptions were made before they music was even heard.
This is one of the most beautifully constructed albums that I have ever heard, and the fact that it is a live recording just adds to the charm of it all. It holds all the amazing work and most popular songs of the band, but with the added bonus of sounds that you have never heard from this genre of music before.
As I said, it sould never work, but to be honest, it really does, and is truely a fantastic and astounding album.

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review by: The Brilliant Dog date: 2008-06-11 rating:
Should have been the best ever CD but doesn't work
Like S.Hammond in an earlier review I too am a huge Metallica fan and consider myself very open minded musically, and I too have tried again and again to get out of this CD what it should be - but it just isn't. Every now and then a bit works really well, but the vast majority does not - it just sounds like two completely different pieces of music are playing at the same time. The orchestra should add weight and emotion to the songs we know and love (check out Dream Theater's 'Score' DVD for an example of how it should be done) but it just makes them sound messy. Very disappointed.

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review by: Symphonic Metal Fan date: 2008-02-24 rating:
Masterpiece of Symphonic Metal...CHANGED MY MUSICAL LIFE!!
This 1999 release changed my musical tastes and pointed me in a whole new genre of music - without this cd I may not have discovered the like of Therion, Nightwish, Emperor, Dimmu Borgir and all the many symphonic metal artists out there!!
Much has been said about this album but Metallica should be applauded for having the courage to step out of their comfort zone and play LIVE with a full piece Orchestra (something that the likes of the above bands have yet to do)
Metallica are on the top of their game here and Michael Kamen composed many excellent passages for the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra to accompany them, adding light and shade to a plethora of established classics. Hardly surprising for a composer who scored the Die Hard trilogy and knew a thing about adding cinematic effect when needed!! Sadly, Michael passed away in 2003 but this is a fine body of work for any classical/film score fan to crossover into the world of Metal and vice versa.
Particular credit should be given to Lars Ulrich - we all know he is not the worlds finest drummer but he more than delivers here and forms a formidable rhythm partnership with Jason Newsted who as ever handles the bass guitar with all the authority needed. James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett trade guitar riffs, licks & solos with energy and aggression and personally I think Hetfield is a better singer Live than in the studio as is the case here.
Bob Rock (often equally lauded and vilified) provides a sterling production to hold it all together and 'The cast of thousands' from the Orchestra really flex their muscles here; Strings, Brass, Percussion, Woodwind all take it to the limit. Think of Gladiator, The Two Towers,Conan The Barbarian, Excalibur. If you like any of those scores and like Metallica you will love this!!
Highlights:
The Call Of Ktulu (my personal favourite in this version and a Grammy winner to boot), Master Of Puppets, No Leaf Clover, Human, The Thing That Should Not Be, The Memory Remains (Great interaction with the crowd at the climax).
If there is any criticism , it is that certain Metallica songs that were just made for this have been omitted from the setlist - Orion, Fade To Black, Sanitarium and To Live Is To Die all raise your hands. Maybe Metallica will attempt this again with another composer (perhaps Howard Shore?) and interpret all these accordingly.
One things for sure, Cliff Burton, Metallica's original bass guitarist and classical fan, so tragically killed in 1986, would have been enraptured by this release.

I must also recommend a very similiar release - The Scorched Earth Orchestra Plays Master Of Puppets that you will find on Amazon. This is basically a small orchestra from Los Angeles doing their take on Metallica's magnum opus - and it rivals S&M for orchestral arrangement and surpasses Apocalyptica's worthy efforts. There are no electric guitars/bass or vocals, just strings,woodwind etc but if you enjoy Metallica and say the likes of Holst's The Planets then this is for you. Again the music reminds of an epic like Lord Of The Rings.

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review by: firewireguy date: 2007-07-23 rating:
Pure bliss
This is a fantastic album with a perfect mix of orchestral power and speed mixed with grunging distorted guitars and haunting singing. It just works and it does it brilliantly. It is a real treat for the ears. The sound recording is top notch and not compressed to oblivion as so many CD's are these days. The reviewer below that said they couldn't hear it because there was too much going on- listen to it on a decent hi-fi it will blow your socks off. It gives your speakers a work out that's for sure due to the large dynamic range between the orchestra, the guitars, drums and the vocals. I've come to think it's a sin to try play this in the car or on small headphones because it just doesn't do it justice.

Just buy it, you will not regret it!


review by: Steve date: 2007-07-21 rating:
Metal starting to rust?
I have been a fan of Metallica for years, I listen to all kinds of music, so am not closed-minded with regard to the orchestra being on this cd. My main gripe about this c.d. is that there is FAR too much going on...there's FAR too much noise. O.K. I am not a conductor or musical arranger, but this sounds like it really is all over the place, with the orchestra sounding for the most part like it's playing just ANYTHING!!! On occasions turning the whole thing into a cacophany of din.

I have tried listening to this on and off since it came out, desperately trying to like it...I really really can't!

I think this was a BAD BAD idea!!

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Accessories

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