10 Albums Turning 20 In 2019
7. Metallica - S&M
In 1999, it wasn't the best time to be a Metallica fan. While the band released the Black Album in 1991 to almost universal acclaim, the band's sound drifted with albums like Load and Reload, which left most die-hard fans a bit cold. Instead of returning to a formula they knew would work, Metallica took a huge chance with a live album featuring a full symphony orchestra.
In lesser hands, this idea could have backfired spectacularly. But Metallica hands are not lesser. The classical direction from composer Michael Kamen helps elevate the newer songs while breathing new life into the band's older material. The band even released two new singles for the record ("No Leaf Clover" and "-Human") that are some of the best of their '90s work.
Now it was the best of both worlds. The metal fans could certainly appreciate the heaviness of the guitar riffs while classical fans could appreciate the complex song structures behind Metallica's compositions.
It is a testament to the talent of the band that if you take away all of the distortion and screaming, the songs still hold up as stunning pieces of art.