Artist: Metallica
Label: Elektra
Release Date: 11/23/99
Average Rating: 1.69
Go to Judgment Committee Reviews of this Album
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Title: S&M Artist: Metallica Label: Elektra Release Date: 11/23/99 |
There are currently 13 Reader Reviews of this album.
Average Rating: 1.69 Go to Judgment Committee Reviews of this Album |
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Submitted by metalinmyveins (9/6/02):
Personally I am a big fan of old Metallica. No Metallica album after Justice can give anything original to the metal world nor satisfy their old fans. Unfortunately, this album doesn't change the fact that Metallica won't come up with another metal classic. However, there are still some good moments in this album, like "Call of The Kthulu," which fits with the orchestra best, "For Whom Bells Toll," "The Outlaw Torn," "The Thing That Should Not Be" and "Nothing Else Matters." On the other hand, there are also songs like "Fuel" and "Battery" which do not go well with the orchestra. As for the new songs, they seem to be written for this album, and sound alright. If you like Metallica, and wonder how they sound with an orchestra, give S&M a try, you might find yourself liking it.
Submitted by Thazova (5/3/02):
Another shit! Don't ever look at this CD, it really doesn't have anything to do here in this progressive world! I'm sorry! Let them have 1 skull!!!!
Submitted by Viki (2/26/02):
What can I say about the continuing money-mining from these losers? Well I was a longtime fan to say - I wasn't positive about the Black album, but after trying to like ShitLoad for a week I sold everything concerning 'lica though I observed their further steps to countryhomo bar where they belong. This, their latest piece of nothingness, only proves how this demented four piece destroyed everything they stood for in the eighties. No way Newsted is no better than the rest of businessmen, cause if he was he would have quit a long time ago.They ruined completely all their pearls from the golden age mainly because of Hetfield's "vocals" which are getting more and more horrible. He deserves a bullet for his "babies" and "yeahs" - any fucking capitalist can buy himself an orchestra - no doubt.
The bottom line is they were rich at the time of Justice - and became greedy. Anyone dedicated to music tries to expand himself in whatever direction. But these pitifull creatures rather suck the cash out. If they played trip hop nowadays and composed good tunes I would embrace the change. But they are just bunch of puppets staging in their unlife and so are their fans.
Submitted by L.S. BHAN (9/2/01):
What an interesting release this is. Their old, classic songs from Puppets, Lightning, etc. suck in comparison to the studio versions IMO, while their newest songs from Load and Reload sound better than their studio counterparts. Not only this, but the unreleased tracks "-Human" and "No Leaf Clover" sound sort of like a mix of Metallica (Black Album) and Load-era material.What does all this mean? Damned if I know. But it certainly makes me considerably undecided on what the final score should be for S&M. This being the case, I guess the only thing to do is to give a rating halfway between godly and shitty. Three skulls.
Submitted by jp (3/29/01):
What an absolute joke!!!!! Metallica prove here that they take themselves far too seriously. Come on! Metallica is not a group of artists, it's a rock group that used to play truly great metal. This is a feeble attempt at art and a pathetic attempt to make themselves look like artists. Ughhh... Do yourself a favor: Don't buy this album.
Submitted by gerald (9/26/00):
Metallica won't get another fucking penny from me. When I first bought this album, I would've told you something totally different from what I'm about to say. I can't belive I actually bought the fucking thing. I'll tell you what screwed up the entire Metallica equation, Bob Rock. This is the same asshole that did those fucking Motley Crue albums. Why would they even consider working with him. And what the hell is up with James's voice? I'm listening to this guy, and I'm like, who the hell is that singing? And um, nobody came up with the idea except for Lars. We all know it had to go through him. Well, Mr. Ulrich, I just happened to hear you say that you do it to piss people off. Well guess what, you've succeeded. Just when I thought that you couldn't stoop to an even lower level, you pull this stunt. I don't mean to dog the shit out of this album, but what else is there to do? The only song that compliments the orchestra and band alike is the "Call of Ktulu." How they did it in '84 without an orchestra is a mystery to me. They utterly destroyed "Master Of Puppets." As a matter of fact, they destroyed all of the classics that are on the album. Which brings me to the one song that I have grown to spite for quite some time, "ONE." The symphony just drowns the song completely. And all in all, I wish they never wrote that song. That song was their ultimate demise. I don't know what Kirk's problem is. And Jason is the only one that stays true to the metal. I wonder if he was tuning out that damn symphony? I listen to the old Metallica albums and I just want to kick myself in the ass for buying the thing. I was thinking about buying the DVD, so I could actually separate the band from the symphony, but what good would it really do? They had the gall to put fucking "Slice and Dice" on the DVD version, thanks a lot Lars. If they weren't done after the Load albums, they're done now. The album was once again saved from the lowest rating of all. I give it two skulls (and I'm really being nice) because "Call of Ktulu" really saves this otherwise bullshit cd.
Submitted by Eliseo JEDIONDO (9/26/00):
What would you expect of a band that makes an album just to piss off people??? There's nothing more absurd than that. There are no answers and there are not going to be. The shit Metallica has done has no fucking explanation. I think the bastards have a hell of psychological problem.Just watch Jason. He is nobody!!! God!!!! They treated him like shit and the poor bastard didn't even say a word about it. I pity the poor fucker. This album is just another stupid idea (I'm not saying it's a bad idea) of Pussytallica to earn more dollars. Well, it is not that stupid. Fuck! It's a professional orchestra, what would you expect??? But... Metallica sucks. I agree with the guy below that wrote about James' vocals; he wants to be a fucking R&B singer!!!!!
It's not worth buying, by any reason. The same tunes, the same crap. Who likes Master of Puppets??? Everybody, right?? But as a fan, with what initiative would I want to listen to the record knowing what Metallica have become?? It is frustrating. Some call LOAD and RELOAD a normal evolution of an artist... but why does evolution have to be crap, shit, make up, tattoes, piercings and fag kisses???
note: Please Jason, you're a fucking dickhead. You play like shit and your name is like in just 2 fucking songs!!!!! Loser!!!!!!!!!
Long live MEGADETH!!!!!
Dave, why do you keep memories of Metallica and you??? You must thank the lord for what they did to you, otherwise you'd be a fag too!! :-)
Submitted by Metal Mike (8/21/00):
This is a sad time for Metallica. The band whose name was once mentioned along side names such as Slayer, Mercyful Fate, and Testament. Metallica could do no wrong in the mid 1980's. Now because of thier pop appeal they get lumped in with Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit, Korn, and countless other three cord imposter metal bands. The sad thing about Metallica is that they are a very talented band. I have defended Metallica for a long time. Around the time of Mater of Puppets I heard Lars doing an interview in which he said "we only do this to piss people off." When Load came out I thought Metallica was doing just that, pissing people off. Only the metal heads were the ones being pissed off. A lofty concept for a band to want to anger thier fan base. With the release of this album I can say that Metallica is losing the support of a longtime fan and defender. I thought that mixing classic Metallica songs with classical music was a good idea. The classical music isn't the problem, it's Metallica. They play horribly. The epic nature of the songs are completely ruined by James's new country twang. His vocals have lost all urgency and power in an attempt to sound more appeasing to the masses who don't like the harder vocals. Kirk Hammet has also played a lot better in the past. Frustrating......
Submitted by Paulj (4/23/00):
I am sure everybody saw the documentury on MTV about Metallica. Kirk Hammett said that James Hetfield is not the type of guy that likes to let people down. The talent is undoubtedly still there, but in my opinion we have just been let down. Obviously the people on that tour were not let down at the time but they have been now, and so have the rest of us. :(
Submitted by Anonymous (1/14/00):
Although I hate concert albums, this album isn't as bad as people have described it to me. But the band and the symphony do not get along in the mix and some riffs are lost, which is not good at all. I'd agree that the new songs sound good with the symphony, if you like the new songs. I do. But on some songs, like, er uh, "Master of Puppets" the riff is lost with all the violins.This one is for fans only, but for fans I'd give it a 3.5 (I'm going to give it only a 3 because everyone else would give it no more than a 2)
Submitted by Death Tocker (12/30/99):
What else can I say. The band lost it after the And Justice For All album. This is pure crap. What the hell were they thinking? I guess the money. After putting out 3 shitty CD's and a double CD of stuff that was already released years ago they try and try again with no respect from the metal crowd that once loved them and now say fuck you to those washed up assholes that still call themselves THE KINGS OF THRASH that they once were. DON'T BUY THIS, DON'T EVEN STEAL THIS! It's not worth getting caught!
Submitted by Garth (12/5/99):
You know an album is great when you can't wait to listen to it. When you feel that sense of excitement just looking at the flat plastic disc. When you can simply sit down for 45 minutes or an hour and really listen to the music flow over you. With Metallica's S&M I get the distinct feeling that I simply don't give a shit.The concept of the metal band playing with a symphony is, no doubt, highly intriguing. Especially when the metal band has the esteemed history of Metallica's classic arrangements, many of which practically cry out for orchestral arrangements. And this fact started to give me hope for Metallica; maybe they were moving back to the more complex classical tunes, away from the newer, hard rock stuff that's meant only for three-chord guitar, bass and drums. Sadly, it was not meant to be.
I went out and bought this 2 CD set hoping to find some magic in it that would excite me. What I found instead is James Hetfield's lame-ass lounge singer impression (seriously, he reminds me of the guy singing "Staying Alive" in the Dresden Room scene of 'Swingers') over uninspired playing by Kirk Hammet and the rest of the band as they try to out-blast a 100-person orchestra.
Now, admittedly, the most intriguing part of this experiment for me was the addition of the orchestra. I was hoping for some great arrangements from Michael Kamen that really accentuate the positive aspects of the Metallica tunes. Unfortunately, the arrangements semm to have been done independently of Metallica. The strings don't wind around Kirk's guitar parts, the band doesn't die down for a killer horn or woodwind part, it's all just there. And that's the worst part of the album, and the best way I can describe it. It's just there. There are, naturally, a couple inspired moments, but not enough to make the album anything more than background music. It's not horrible sounding, but you'd think a 100-person orchestra and a group of guys who were once the most powerful band on the planet could produce an album that has more impact than muzak.
Thank God for Tower's return policy.
Submitted by Michel Renaud (12/3/99):
Note: This was originally posted on my metal site at http://www.metalcrypt.comMetallica is back again with a 2-CD live album recorded at the two shows performed with the San Francisco Symphonic Orchestra earlier this year. Fans have been waiting for the album for a few months... was it worth the wait?
Well, before I start with the actual review, a little background. I bought my first Metallica album in 1987 (Master Of Puppets) and it didn't take long before I bought the others. Up to and including "The black album," they were by far my favorite band... then came the Load albums. What a pile of crap. To think that the guys who brought us Kill 'em All, Ride The Lightning, Master Of Puppets, And Justice For All..., and, to a lesser extent, "the Black Album" would actually dare release such things as the Load albums was unbelievable... until I came back from work one day and saw one of my roomates, with a very sad expression (was it sadness or anger?) listening to the newly-released Load.
That day in 1996 remains in my memory as a very dark day. Later, hearing Lars Ulrich say he would play any crap that will sell albums, I knew we'd never see the real Metallica again. At least I still have the old logo and the old albums to hang to, and try to forget Kirk Hammett's makeup and James Hetfield going girlie while singing new and old songs (argh!!!!) Garage, Inc. wasn't too bad (the 2nd CD was particularly good), but face it, they were mostly covers.
As a fan, I consider they have completely let me down. I'm not a sheep that follows a band blindly enough that, were the band to release a blank CD, would call it the best album ever. No. I want quality, and the last time I saw it was in 1988 with And Justice For All. "The Black Album" was still pretty good, I still enjoy listening to it, but it was the beginning of Metallica's thirst for commercial success, sacrificing their integrity. If you do not agree, well, e-mail me and prove that I'm wrong (do not try the "evolution" thing with me - evolution is not about producing crap.) Fortunately there are now even better - although not as renowned - bands that I can turn to.
Despite all this, before listening to S&M, I told myself that maybe some of this stuff would sound good. And yes, there are quite a few excellent tracks in there, and some of the Load material actually sounds much better with the orchestra. I still don't like it, but at least it's good enough that I can listen to it without wanting to scrap my CD player. Some of the old stuff also sounds pretty good, but they've also screwed up some of their best songs. Unacceptable. Now let's get to the details.
The album gets an excellent start with the first two tracks: "The Ecstasy of Gold" (hmmm.... did Lars pick the title?) [ed note: Actually, I believe the song is originally from the Sergio Leone spaghetti-westerns] and "The Call of Ktulu." This one sounds excellent with the orchestra, very impressive. Then comes the inevitable screw up, "Master Of Puppets." Not only do the band and the orchestra sound totally out of sync for the most part of the song, but Hetfield manages to alter some of the vocals so they're more "Load-like." What a massacre. While there were some parts of the song that actually sounded pretty good, the ensemble sucks.
The next two tracks, "Of Wolf And Man" and "The Thing That Should Not Be" sound pretty good, probably the best two on the first CD along with the first two tracks. Hetfield plays a bit too much with the vocals on "The Thing....," but it's not too bad. Let's skip a couple of tracks and talk about the first of two new songs, "No Leaf Clover." Boring. "Minus Human," the other new song located on the second CD is much better, it's actually very good. I'll never like the last three tracks of the first CD so let's skip those, shall we?
The second CD starts off with "Nothing Else Matters" which also fits well with the orchestra. "Until it Sleeps" is so slow that it definitely fits in. "For Whom The Bell Tolls" is also well done and quite enjoyable. I sometimes found myself listening to it over and over. "Minus Human" sounds very good, but I think it wouldn't be that good without the orchestra. "Outlaw Torn" still bores me to death (for 9m58s), but the orchestra has a very good effect on it. The rest of the CD sounds good, however in "One," at some critical points in the song, the guitars and drums are almost inaudible (the orchestra is at full blast), and this removes some of the feeling of the original song. The last track "Battery," is like "Master Of Puppets:" a complete screw up. Oh yeah, too many "ouh's and yeah's" from James on most of the last songs, destroying some great stuff.
If you're a Metallica fan, you'll surely find something you like in this album. If you've never listened to Metallica (!!!), start with the first albums, you'll understand my point of view.
Now if they could get rid of Bob Rock, have Kirk get rid of his makeup (what kind of stupid idea is that anyway?) and James stop yelling "ooouuuh's and yeaaaaaah's" everywhere in the songs, and go back to writing what they're really good at, well, ah, why waste my time. Ain't gonna happen. The band rushed those symphonic concerts and did them with minimal preparation (repetitions with the orchestra, arrangements, etc...), so this sounds more like a publicity stunt than if they had actually used their talent to make this a great album.
I stand by my rating, which is more generous than I would have given it after the first 2-3 times I listened to it. Final words: Some excellent stuff, but not enough for my taste, there's too much material in there that just doesn't sound right. And this is bad coming from a band with so much talent.
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