Great CD, stands the test of time
I wouldn't really rate this as a "true" live album as the symphony concept was a rare event, and not something that truly portrays the songs as you would here them if Metallica was touring today.

S&M came out when i was in high school. Being a band dork, this was a great fusion of something I was fairly familiar with (classical ensembles) and Metallica, something I was just starting to get a taste for (its hard to dive right in when they were coming off of crapfests like Load and Re-load!) For all their missteps in the studio, they still had a great live act and a real wealth of great material. This turned me on to metal in all its forms and potential.
The first three tracks, this start's out with Morricone's "Ecstasy of gold", were a real challenge for me. Cthulu is a very long instrumental, and I feel like the orchestra helps to keep this song from getting monotonous(as sometimes Metallica tends to repeat the same riff to death). Then you come to Master of Puppets, now this is where everything comes together, as James finally starts singing. You started on with just the orchestra, then you add the band, and finally the vocals. Now that all three are playing along (with a little help from the crowd acting as a massive choir) you really start to have fun with it.

Others have commented about all the songs, but I just wanted to finally mention the real peak of the album for me is "Hero of the Day". For all I care this is the definitive version. The orchestra almost changes the meaning of the song, that's how integral they are to this arrangement. It turns it from what I feel is basically a bitter/beaten veteran's song into a song about loss and redemption, the orchestra acting as some sort voice on high. I get chills when i hear this version. love it!!

This was a great disc to buy back when it came out, and I would still recommend it to Metallica fans today.

Why???
Metallica continues thier downward spiral with...A SYMPHONY???
Nothing like putting all your recent failures to the score of an orchestra.
I'm besides myself even trying to review this tragedy.
The new songs sound even worse. And classic Metallica is made a mockery of.
And if you didn't think it could get worse.
Metallica decided to inflict St. Anger upon the world.
This album is completly irrevelant.
Avoid like the plague.

MUCH BETTER THAN YOU EXPECT....

When this album first came out, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. I wasn't entirely into the new directions the band had already followed, and I thought that this would be a new step down for the band.
However, this is one of the better Metallica projects of the later years. It's not insane metal like any of the bands classic eighties outings, but it takes the goods and does a little something different with them. The SanFran Orchestra does a fine job arranging some classic Metallica tunes, and rather than just present the project as symphonic Metallica, they include the actual band as well, so you get some guitars in the mix. Other songs work better than others, but a good symphonic CALL OF KTULU shant be overlooked, nor should the track that was recorded originally for the album titled NO LEAF CLOVER. I was totally amazed at how much that song rocked when I first heard it. Easily one of the most inspired Metallica tunes of that decade.
Anyway, I see a lot of people bashing this one, and I can't agree. There are symphonic rock projects that really hit the fan (Kiss Alive IV for instance) but this one turned out to be pretty good, and a highlight in the catalougue of post hey-day Metallica albums.

awesome cd one of the better live albums I've heard
Live albums usually aren't my thing, however I must disagree because I love every live Rush album and the Rage Against the Machine Live At the grand Olympic Auditorium, but now moving on to this cd it rocks. The orchestra gives these songs new life and it sounds great. I saw Metallica quite awhile ago and they were terrible so I always use to avoid this cd but a couple weeks ago I decide to give it another chance since this is there only live album and I don't see any sign of a greatest hits cd coming along any time soon so this as close as your gonna get to a greatest hits album. IF your a die hard fan of Metallica and don't care that they're sell outs and there still a great band pick this one up. My favorites are Battery, MOP, Nothing Else Matters and Enter Sandman(Enter Sandman is my least favorite tallica song). If you have the disc give it another listen because you might be surprised of how good an album it really is.

THIS ALBUM SUCKSICA!!
I thought "LOAD" & "RELOAD" was as far as they would sink...Nope!!
This one takes the cake, maybe they'll do a duet with the Dixie Chicks,
Or maybe do a rap with M&M where does it stop?
I rate this CD a 2 from 1to10!!