Metallica and Symphony: An Unlikely Pairing (25 Year Anniversary)

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Metallica is one of the most notorious names in metal. As a result, the band has continued to gain new fans and secure headline festival spots in recent years. On 23rd November 1999, they released a live album that combined the sound expected of them with San Francisco’s Symphony to create ‘S&M‘ (Symphony and Metallica).

Creating the Record

The end of the nineties was a decisive time for Metallica. After ‘Metallica‘ (affectionately known by fans as the black album) there was a decline in sales and popularity. Moreover, the band was increasingly experimenting and trying to stay relevant in a world that had become used to thrash metal and what it had to offer. The year prior the band had released ‘Garage Inc.’, an album that featured solely covers. The majority of this record wasn’t well received by fans. Although, Thin Lizzy‘s ‘Whiskey In The Jar‘ has become a staple for Metallica live shows. Thrash metal had seemingly reached its peak years prior.

Cliff Burton, the Metallica bassist from the first 3 albums, suggested a combination of heavy metal and a classical orchestra. Whilst the bassist had passed years prior to the release of this live album, frontman James Hetfield has commented on Burton’s passion for classical music. Their earlier records, such as ‘Ride The Lightning‘ in 1984, show influences of this through large-scale production. ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls‘ also comes to mind.

The Berkeley Community Theatre hosted the live performance, which took place on the 21st and 22nd of April 1999. Composer Michael Kamen came together with the band to create the sound in addition to the roughly 80-piece orchestra. The band would enlist the help of filmmakers to create a TV special of the live performance, along with an accompanying documentary.

Greatest Hits

The performance spans across two discs and 21 songs from a selection of the band’s repertoire. ‘No Leaf Clover‘ and ‘– Human‘ debut in this recording. Neither are particularly outstanding to me as well as not being highly regarded in their collection of work. ‘S&M‘ also features a selection of renditions of the band’s biggest hits. I particularly enjoyed ‘Nothing Else Matters‘ which I think lends itself very well to a live orchestra. It takes its time to build up and is at a pace where all the instruments can be appreciated. Unfortunately, I don’t think they all worked so well. ‘Master Of Puppets‘ feels quite forced to me, especially in the chorus. This performance as a whole is also not my favourite for Hetfield‘s vocals. Personally, he isn’t one of the standout metal voices on his best day so I didn’t care for him in this live show.

I think the tracks that work the best alongside an orchestra are their older releases. ‘One‘ is a personal favourite of mine from the band and this song has the narrative and the scope to create a powerful sound. The variation in songs they chose is a notable part of this live performance. From ballads to classic thrash metal sounds, the group demonstrates the scope they have. Whilst I appreciate the concept of showcasing everything they’re capable of, I do think it wasn’t necessarily effective. Specifically, the attempt at merging the two sounds often feels cluttered and forced.

Lasting Legacy

‘S&M‘ has faced a varied reception amongst both fans and critics. The reviews at the time wavered amongst most music publications which is something that the group undoubtedly struggled to pull themselves out of throughout this decade. Some of the band’s back catalogue has stood the test of time, with many of their records being hailed as some of the best metal of all time. The fanbase is still passionate and very much alive as they continue to sell out arenas across the world. Yet this record seems to go under the radar and be dismissed.

The 20th anniversary of the live recording saw a follow-up, ‘S&M2‘ recorded at Chase Center in 2019. The concert also used the San Francisco Symphony as well as the same film director, Wayne Isham. It’s clear that the experience is enjoyable for the band and I do respect that they continue to make the music they want to rather than continue to churn out what originally got Metallica to become a household name.

I don’t think this album necessarily suits a typical Metallica fan. It takes the songs in a very different direction and provides an atmosphere that is almost the opposite of their original counterparts. However, I think it is slated too heavily. There’s nothing wrong with bands trying something new, especially something this unexpected which pushes musical boundaries. After all, they have varied their sound throughout a long career. Some projects have proved successful and some have slipped under the radar. But at least they’ve tried different sounds and not stuck to the same stale vision as some long-standing bands do.

Metallica is on Instagram, BlueSky, X, and TikTok. Stream ‘S&M‘ below and read more anniversary pieces here.

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