METALLICA & The San Francisco Symphony: S&M 2 (2020)

METALLICA’s second go-round with the San Francisco Symphony will feature on an upcoming live album and concert film documenting the band’s S&M 2 shows. Recorded September 6th and 8th, 2019 at San Francisco’s Chase Center, the gigs found Metallica collaborating with the symphony for the first time since 1999.
The concert boasted symphonic versions of Metallica hits, including at least one track from each of the band’s 10 studio albums. Due out August 28th and available to pre-order now, S&M 2 will be released in a variety of formats.

To say that Metallica have polarized the opinions of many a butt-hurt metalhead is an understatement. First, they “sold out” when they included a “ballad” on their sophomore album Ride The Lightning.
Then they “sold out” when they released the Black album full of metal radio hits. Then they “sold out” when they cut their hair and churned out two Load albums full of what can only be described by haters as “metal-country”.
Then they “sold out” when they had a psychologist come in and coach them as well as make a documentary about their “feelings” – oh, shudder they’re actual human beings, my bad!

But, the biggest “sell out” of all must be when they did an entire show with a symphony orchestra. Mother of God, that’s not what metal bands do!?

Well, besides all their “selling out” they’re still “selling out” giant stadiums all over the world (at least until last March) and are one of the top earning groups of all time.
And now they’re back with their second foray into the orchestral world with the simply titled live concert and documentary ”S&M 2” being released on August 28.

Suffice it to say that if you’re not a Metallica fan I’m not sure why you’re still reading this but in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t really matter.
This is a reality we are living in and I urge you to give it a chance because it’s all kinds of awesome. Hetfield’s voice is as gnarly as it was in the 90s, Lars is being kept in time by the orchestra, Kirk is tapping his imaginary wah-wah, and Trujillo blast with his grooving bass, and what we hear on this double disc is a band having the time of their lives even after a gruelling 40 year career.

Of course, with Covid ruling our lives and international shipping being what it is, we might not get to experience that giddy feeling of owning a hard-copy for a while, but it will be available digitally as well.
Highly Recommended

CD 1:
01 – The Ecstasy Of Gold [Live]
02 – The Call Of Ktulu [Live]
03 – For Whom The Bell Tolls [Live]
04 – The Day That Never Comes [Live]
05 – The Memory Remains [Live]
06 – Confusion [Live]
07 – Moth Into Flame [Live]
08 – The Outlaw Torn [Live]
09 – No Leaf Clover [Live]
10 – Halo On Fire [Live]

CD 2:
01 – Intro To Scythian Suite [Live]
02 – Prokofiev: Scythian Suite, Op. 20 II:
– The Enemy God And The Dance Of The Dark Spirits [Live]
03 – Intro To The Iron Foundry [Live]
04 – Mosolov: The Iron Foundry, Op. 19 [Live]
05 – The Unforgiven III [Live]
06 – All Within My Hands [Live]
07 – (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth [Live]
08 – Wherever I May Roam [Live]
09 – One [Live]
10 – Master Of Puppets [Live]
11 – Nothing Else Matters [Live]
12 – Enter Sandman [Live]

PRE ORDER:
www.amazon.co.uk/M2-Metallica-San-Francisco-Symphony/dp/B089J4CFXN