Download 2012: Metallica Review

By Simon Gallagher / June 18, 2012

rating:4.5

No matter how many times you might have seen them live, the opportunity to see Metallica live should never be passed up, so it is unsurprising that most of Download's 100,000 or so attendees ignored the offer to see Brit pop-rockers YouMeAtSix to watch Hetfield and Co celebrate the Black Album in style. The thrash metal icons' performance was a typically slick one, and it's not surprising considering how long the band have honed it. After decades of tours and a familiarity with the material that makes its performance almost second nature, their live show is now accomplished and infectious. But that familiarity in no way breeds contempt, as they swagger their way through a set-list that begins with some crowd-pleasing classics, including the always exceptional "For Whom The Bell Tolls", "Hit The Lights" and "Master of Puppets", and then in something of a departure from expectations, a live debut of "Hell and Back" from the Beyond Magnetic EP. The decision to include that song did come at something of a cost to the momentum, but the set quickly moves to focus on the main event: The Black Album, celebrated with a cut-scene video that is greeted by cheers from the swollen crowd. As usual, Metallica played through the album in reverse order, ending with a bang on "Sad But True" and "Enter Sandman", before the set closes with rabble-rousing versions of "Battery", "One" and "Seek and Destroy", against a backdrop of fireworks. They've grown into their live performance, maturing an already excellent skill-set into an effortlessly astounding live show that grips the crowd and barely loses potency even in the earlier, comparatively less-brilliant songs in the Black Album set. There aren't many, which makes the exercise in playing the whole album a welcome one - it's either that that particular album didn't deal in fillers, or that we are so over-familiar with the material that even the lowpoints are now engaging enough. It was an almost flawless show - aside from one over-extended bait and hook call-out sequence in which Hetfield decided to egg the crowd on with some cliched warcries ("call you feel me?" "Metallica!" "Donington!" "Family!"), which all got a little bit uncomfortable after ten minutes or so. But we can forgive the frontman for getting a little lost in the moment: when you have that many fans at the end of your fingertips, and so willing to respond, why not push it?! Setlist The Ecstasy of Gold Hit the Lights Master of Puppets The Four Horsemen For Whom the Bell Tolls Hell and Back The Black Album The Struggle Within My Friend of Misery The God That Failed Of Wolf and Man Nothing Else Matters Through the Never Don't Tread on Me Wherever I May Roam The Unforgiven Holier Than Thou Sad But True Enter Sandman Encore Battery One Seek & Destroy