S&M

Continuing on with Live album that were sort of a bands swan song, we pick up with Metallica's '99 release with the San Francisco Symphony 'S&M'. I say this could be looked at as a swan song only because it was the last album til 03's 'St. Anger' and it was the beginning of what may have been the end for the band.

Recorded at The Berkeley Community Theater in Berkeley California on April 21 & 22 1999, Metallica did what very few bands had tried before, playing with a full symphony. In the years since it seems to have become a rather common thing. But in '99 a handful of other bands did it with limited success. Back by Michael Kamen and the San Francisco Symphony, the band too a handful of songs they thought would work well with a backing symphony. In addition the band premiered two new tracks that had been leftovers from the 'Load/ReLoad' sessions. "No Leaf Clover" and "- Human" were added into the setlist. The former occasionally is still played live, while the latter has yet to be ever performed again. The album opens with the classic "Ecstasy Of Gold" and then kicks into the wonderfully done "The Call Of Ktulu". From there the next two hours are filled with hits and misses. The accompanying DVD does however work better with some visually stunning additions as the band plays. However this double Live album could've worked better as a single album. Not to say I don't enjoy it, cause I do, there's just some tracks that don't fit well.

Metallica has been ahead of the curve for sometime. The first of the Big 4 to really sell millions and turn people onto Metal. The symphony thing was a bit of a gamble however. The band had previously worked with the late Michael Kamen on an "Elevator" version of "Nothing Else Matters", it seemed like it would pay off. And in a way it did. In fact the band went onto to play with the Berlin and New York symphonies for one off shows. By the end of '99 Metallica was on tour through Europe on "The Garage Remains The Same Tour" and by the end of the year played a handful of shows with Ted Nugent, Sevendust and Kid Rock. By the time the new decade had started the back went back out on an ill fated Summer tour which proved to be the last tour for a while. By the end of '00 Jason Newstead had played his last show with the band and the band went into a spiral as well documented in the movie 'Some Kind Of Monster'. The band of course has since rebounded and continue to make music and tour. It's funny to look back though and wonder what if the bands final album was 'S&M'. It's seems like it was a fitting end to that era of Metallica.

By the way I failed to mention this is a rip of the 3 LP issue of the album. This is the original issue of the record, not the 6 LP one that came out recently. First time I believe it's been played in full.

Preview

Download

Rude Awakening

Today's post you can kind of place under the farewell Live Album category. Initially upon its release, it was the bands final release. I speak of course of Megadeth. The band founded out of the ashes of Dave Mustaine's bitter dismissal from Metallica in the early 80's, is among the Big 4 of Thrash Metal. Never one to shy away from inner struggles and band changes, Megadeth had been on a downward slide since the '97 release of 'Cryptic Writings' and the even more Pop Rock friendly 'Risk'. By the turn of the century most people could see the writing on the wall and had written off the band by the time the '01 release of 'The World Needs A Hero'.

The new century brought about another lineup change for the band. Brought into the band were Guitarist Al Pitrelli (Savatage/TSO/Michael Bolton/BoC) and Drummer Jimmy DeGrasso (MD 45/Alice Cooper/Y&T). The band attempted to go back to their Thrash roots with a new album, but sadly it came across more like a Modern Rock Radio attempt. Trying to capitalize on the Megadeth name, the band released a delayed Live album in 'Rude Awakening', a two disc album that was originally supposed to be recorded in Argentina, but was delayed due to the 9/11 attacks. Instead the band chose their current hometown of Phoenix Arizona to record the album. Recorded over two nights in November of 2001, one night at the Rialto Theater in Tucson Arizona and the next at the Web Theater in Phoenix Arizona. The album was filmed for a DVD and released to go along with the album. Oddly enough the Web Theater is no more and is now being used by the University of Arizona for their College Of Medicine. The album pretty much plays out as a farewell show. 2 discs full of new material as well as the classics. An overall solid performance as the band would fall apart just a few months later.

I got to see Megadeth on this tour, just a few weeks after 9/11 happened out here at a little venue called Pop's. The place was packed, I mean wall to wall, I barely could move. They had one opener in a Nu-Metal band called Endo, then it was two plus hours of Megadeth. This was prime Megadeth too. Dave was pissed off and played like it the entire night. By years end the band would be done due to Junior leaving and Dave's shoulder injury. Of course the band reformed a few years later and continues to put out material, although having half the band leave yet again does put some pressure on em. I got to see Megadeth again a few years back when I was in Arizona, again with a different lineup. Dave at that point was the only original member. The band seemed to have lost it's edge, kinda leaning back onto to their Modern Rock Radio sound. Sadly this is one of the few bands I just wanna see the hits played and none of the new material.

Preview

Download

Deadly Lullabyes Live

New year so lets pick up after a long overdue absence with some good ol' fashioned Theatrical Metal. I speak of course of the legendary King Diamond. Perhaps best known for bringing Black Metal into play in the early 80's with Mercyful Fate and then later continuing on with his solo band. King has always brought the macabre and wonderful storytelling into his bands. His solo work of course consists solo of concept albums. In that sense Live records can be a bit difficult, but King has managed to put two out during his long career.

2004 marked the release of the double Live record 'Deadly Lullabies Live'. A disc record collection that showcases King's solo work from 'Fatal Portrait' up to 'The Puppet Master'.  This release is a far cry from the previous Live effort in 1990's 'In Concert 1987: Abigail' which pulled heavily from the masterpiece 'Abigail'. Here we see material from albums, 'The Eye' and 'Abigail II: The Revenge' being played for the first time. The songs are pulled from the '03 Puppet Master Tour, King's first US tour since the '00 House Of God trek.  This is what a Live record should be. Full of hits, great sound, and not a whole lot of wasted space with stage banter.

I was lucky enough to catch the opening night of this tour in Los Angeles. It was my first time catching King live and I was lucky enough to talk with the band before the show and King was even nice enough to sign my 'Fatal Portrait' CD. There's one thing that King doesn't do for Live shows and that's phone it in. Even in a small club you get the full theatrical experience. Always worth the cash to see a King show.

Preview

Download