Search - S&M (Smartpak) on DVD

Two songs make rock music ecstasy

revrev | Baltimore, MD United States | 03/13/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Orchestral accompaniment to rock, as the amazon review suggests, usually results in more misses than hits. One of my great disappointments was that the music of the Moody Blues, which you might think would be ideally suited for orchestral accompaniment, sounded only more maudlin with a 40-piece orchestra. Orchestral Yes didn't match expectations. The only examples I know of that really worked were Procol Harum Live with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and two albums by a somewhat obscure british prog rock group, Renaissance - Turn of the Cards, and Sheherazade.

So my expectations were low when I put on Metallica S&M, especially given that heavy metal seemed like it would be far less conducive to a good orchestral collaboration than the aforementioned prog rock bands. Surprise!!! It works. Certainly not on every song, but there are enough cuts that benefit from orchestral layering to reward repeat listening. Standouts include "No Clover Leaf," "One," and "Enter Sandman."

However, what really makes this compilation a truly unique find are just two songs: "Bleeding Me" and "Outlaw Torn." On these two gems, the power of rock and the artistry of the orchestra come together to create a musical ecstasy that is damn near orgasmic. You just want to put these songs on, turn up the volume, grab your favorite beer, and let the music wash over you through every pore of your body.

I bought this CD about 8 years ago and it has withstood the test of time. For me, this version of "Outlaw torn" is the most powerful 8 minutes of music ever recorded on this planet.
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