S&M Symphony

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Lore & Background

The concept traces back to James Hetfield recalling that the idea to blend heavy metal with an epic classical approach was Cliff Burton's. Burton's admiration for Johann Sebastian Bach is evident in various instrumental parts and melodic characteristics throughout Metallica's discography, including tracks from Ride the Lightning (1984) and Master of Puppets (1986). Michael Kamen, who had previously arranged the orchestral background for "Nothing Else Matters," first met the band at the 1991 Grammy Awards. After hearing an "Elevator version" of that song, he suggested a full orchestra performance, but the band did not act on the offer until seven years later. While Deep Purple is often cited by Lars Ulrich as kicking off this approach in 1969 with Concerto for Group and Orchestra, the source notes it had actually been done multiple times before, most notably with the Moody Blues' Days of Future Passed in 1967. German power metal band Rage also collaborated with an orchestra on Lingua Mortis in 1996.

In Their Own Story

On April 21 and 22, 1999, The Berkeley Community Theatre hosted a unique collision of genres. The performance featured the San Francisco Symphony alongside Metallica, conducted by Michael Kamen, who also composed the symphonic accompaniment. During the setlist, Ennio Morricone's "The Ecstasy of Gold," traditionally used as the band's entrance music, was played live by the orchestra. Significant changes were made to lyrics on certain tracks; most notably, the second verse and chorus of "The Thing That Should Not Be" were removed, with the third verse played in its place. The album cover art reflects this fusion: the stylized "S" is a backwards treble clef, while the "M" is taken directly from Metallica's logo.

Reader's Guide

Critics offered varied perspectives upon release. Rolling Stone awarded it 3 stars out of 5 in January 2000, noting that while the performance created a crowded atmosphere, the monster numbers benefited from supersizing and achieved a sense of timelessness. Spin gave an 8 out of 10 rating in February 2000, praising how the album turned tempo and texture dynamics into a topic itself, building a soundtrack to everyday life freed from extremism. Entertainment Weekly rated it a B, describing staples as creeping with fearful new dimensions like an old Posada print come to life, buttressed by grim strings and thundering timpani. Q magazine called it a fine hit-heavy live LP in February 2000, though they noted the "bolted-on bombast" and compared the concept to Spinal Tap-esque lunacy. CMJ described the orchestral renditions of hits from the band's '90s output as stunning. The album was later included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, ranked 48th on NME's list of 50 Greatest Live Albums, and named one of the 20 best metal albums of 1999 by Metal Hammer.

Did You Know?

• This is the final Metallica album to feature bassist Jason Newsted.
• The idea to combine heavy metal with a classical approach was originally Cliff Burton's, inspired by his love of Johann Sebastian Bach.
• Michael Kamen suggested the full orchestra performance after hearing an "Elevator version" of "Nothing Else Matters" at the 1991 Grammy Awards.
• For the song "The Thing That Should Not Be," the second verse and chorus were removed, and the third verse was played instead.
• In August 2020, a film of the 2019 sequel concerts grossed over $5.5 million in its limited worldwide theatrical release.