S&M2

It was only a month or so ago that I discovered Metallica and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra's S&M [I suppose we now should call it S&M1] and not to put too fine a point on it I loved it, and now they're back together again with a second helping of symphony and metal; but is this just more of the same?The lazy answer is of course yes it is. S&M and S&M2 are pretty similar, they are both live albums with the same players and they include a couple of handfuls of the same tracks with of course "Master of Puppets" and "Enter Sandman" [but they would wouldn't they] and an update of "No Leaf Clover" a song that that debuted on S&M. However the intent this time was to showcase music written in the twenty years since the original collaboration and is represented by six tracks drawn from across "Hardwired... to Self-Destruct", "Death Magnetic" and "St. Anger".But that's where the lazy answer ends. Because, unlike many other rock and orchestral collaborations, S&M2 like its predecessor isn't the sound of an orchestra that's just playing along with a rock band; these are gladiatorial contests and whereas last time the rockers and classicists fought a closely balanced fight this time the massed ranks of the classical titans have an upper hand adding a strong gothic edge to the core rock sound, albeit at times making the sound in my headphones cluttered. And, as though to underline their ascendance, this time around in addition to the Metallica catalogue there are a couple of classical tracks, "Scythian Suite" by Prokofiev and "The Iron Foundry" by Mosolov [early twentieth century Russian composers are always a safe bet with rockers], and a four and a half minute electric upright bass solo from the SFO bassist Scott Pingel, a tribute to Cliff Burton, that opens "(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth", yes the balance has tilted towards the classicists, perhaps too far.So did I, if not the world, need a second helping of S&M? The honest answer is probably not [just hope the Memsahib doesn't read this]. I'm not a thrash-metal-head by any measure, just a regular rocker and in all honesty this is close enough to the original that I don't really appreciate the differences although I think the selection on the first album and its overall rockier sound edges the second. However, and disappointingly, where the original was recorded in front of a small audience with almost no engagement from the band, this time with a much larger audience and far more engagement and encouragement from the stage their noise is both louder and more invasive [this is why I don't generally buy live albums and I'll be skipping the two "Intro ..." tracks]. Consequently and principally for that reason, but also for the song selection I prefer the original S&M making this is a four star album for me. But if you like live albums [I just wish it had been recorded in a studio] there's little to choose between them for the casual listener, and just as S&M made a good entre to Metallica for rock fans twenty years ago, this too is an album for rockers seeking something a little different and not one that's just for Metallica fans.PS The packaging is superb, full marks to David Turner and Alex Tenta.

I loved the film & couldn't wait for these CD's to be available. CD 1 is so good I have listened to it obsessively since I bought it upon release. CD 2 isn't as good on CD compared with on film but CD 1 is worth very penny. The combination of guitars, drums & the orchestra is just phenomenal & Tracks 7-10 are particularly epic but they are all so good - love love love it!!

it's MetallicaIt's with an OrchestraAlthough the early part of the second half is a little self indulgent it's still Metallica and it's still the nuts & James sounds better than he ever has.Worth it just for "Outlaw torn"But if your a REAL 'Tallica fan you'd know that already right? No? Then off to the easy listening section you go..hi ho

Masters of puppetry are in great shape. You could say the intro classic instrumentals is bit too long. But who cares for what has to come... This will stand the test of time. Going to be a classic album. Buy it !

It's S&M 1 with up to date variations and some god-awful self indulgent bits in the middle.Yeah, it means I have a full album collection. That's about it. Such a shame TBH.Would have been nice to have some new/extra stuff on there that was worthy of note.

Liked the new stuff set with the orchestra. Obviously some overlap as they are some anthems they have to play, but even the previous ones like Outlaw Torn were reworked.

Watched the show and had to get the CD, fab collaboration with Metallica and SFSO.

We bought this and it is such a brilliant CD we have ordered one for a present for a relative.