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Rating: 
Summary: CD better than the DVD, but both great
Review: First off, this is amazing music. I didn't give the DVD 5 out of 5 because I think the CD was mixed better (I don't think the orchestra comes through as well on the DVD). I even think the mixing is different between the 2 discs. I'm not a big Metallica fan, but I do like there music, and I am ADDICTED to this album. I hope this isn't too blasphemous, but I think they should posthumously make Michael Kamen a member of Metallica. His additions to some of Metallica's songs take them to a whole different level. I'd have to disagree with Der Kommissar about which fans of Metallica would like this album. While the originals of some of the songs from the 80's are a bit more stark than the versions in this album, they are no less powerful. As he points out, Call of Ktulu gets a royal kick in the a** here and is thus one of the best songs on the disk. IMHO, the BEST song on the disk is a toss up between For Whom the Bell Tolls (although I find it interesting that the only place where the symphony DOESN"T use bells is this song. The intro is still cool though.) and The Thing That Should Not Be, both songs from the 80's. If anything the weaker songs are the one's from the 90's. Enter Sandman completely loses it's momentum in this performance, and the orchestra doesn't quite fit with Sad But True. Despite that, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this DVD to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: CD better than the DVD, but both great
Review: First off, this is amazing music. I didn't give the DVD 5 out of 5 because I think the CD was mixed better (I don't think the orchestra comes through as well on the DVD). I even think the mixing is different between the 2 discs. I'm not a big Metallica fan, but I do like there music, and I am ADDICTED to this album. I hope this isn't too blasphemous, but I think they should posthumously make Michael Kamen a member of Metallica. His additions to some of Metallica's songs take them to a whole different level. I'd have to disagree with Der Kommissar about which fans of Metallica would like this album. While the originals of some of the songs from the 80's are a bit more stark than the versions in this album, they are no less powerful. As he points out, Call of Ktulu gets a royal kick in the a** here and is thus one of the best songs on the disk. IMHO, the BEST song on the disk is a toss up between For Whom the Bell Tolls (although I find it interesting that the only place where the symphony DOESN"T use bells is this song. The intro is still cool though.) and The Thing That Should Not Be, both songs from the 80's. If anything the weaker songs are the one's from the 90's. Enter Sandman completely loses it's momentum in this performance, and the orchestra doesn't quite fit with Sad But True. Despite that, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this DVD to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: A good but not great concert
Review: In 1999, Metallica finally decided to release an official live album. They had not done so yet in their career, even though it spanned over a decade and a half (unless you count their Live S*it - Binge And Purge box set.) However, the band didn't want to make a typical live album - they wanted to do something different. They got together with Michael Kamen and his orchestra, and recorded something unlike anything in their career. And now the album has arrived on DVD! Read on for my review of Symphony And Metallica - better known simply as S and M.PROS:
-Metallica wanted to do something unique, and to put it simply, they did just that. Even if the band isn't what it used to be, there is no denying that this is a unique recording.
-The band plays many of its classics, as well as newer-era stuff, too.
-There are two previously unreleased tracks, as well as a take on the classic tune Ecstacy Of Gold. These new tracks employ the orchestra well.
-The orchestral take on a few of these songs is EXCELLENT. I'm not a big fan of anything Metallica did in the nineties and beyond, but I can honestly say this is THE BEST VERSION of The Call Of Ktulu ever recorded!
-This DVD is readily available in most major stores. CONS:
-NOT EVERY ONE OF THESE SONGS NEEDED AN ORCHESTRAL TOUCH. This really hurts songs like the already mediocre Fuel, which obviously weren't written with such a concept in mind.
-James' voice change for the nineties makes some of the older songs sound downright terrible (which is the exact same reason I hate the Live S*it box set.) The band should've stuck to its newer material.
-VERY FEW of these songs are outstanding. Most are downright weak compared to their classic studio counterparts.
-Two discs means a higher price.
-This concert ultimately doesn't succeed. OVERALL:
As good an idea as this concert was, it just isn't pulled off very well. To put it simply, if you're one of the people who only likes the band's eighties stuff (and that's MOST Metallica fans), you're not gonna like this. ONLY BUY THIS IF YOU LIKE THE BAND'S NINETIES MATERIAL!
Rating: 
Summary: Best Concert....EVER
Review: this is the most amazing and comprehensive dvd and concert that i have ever seen. the harmony between the symphony and metalica is perfectly balanced and only enhances the great legendary sound that is metallica. i have listened to the cd countless times, and viewed the dvd in parts so many times i think the dvd might melt. for anyone that has heard this music or is a fervent metallica fan who has not seen this dvd for some reason, i give my highest regard to this masterpiece andi strongly encourage the purchase and viewing of this masterfully orchestrated performance.
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