Sonisphere 2014: 10 Really Obscure Metallica Songs You Need To Request

8. Nothing Else Matters (In Original C Tuning)

OK, it's a bit of a cop out, but that's why it's not featured so high on the list. You may or may not know that Metallica turned down their tuning upon completion of touring in 1994. They did this for practical, and medical, reasons considering that vocalist James Hetfield had spent the better part of five years touring the globe and his chords could literally only take so much. But since that time the band have recorded and published all their music in D tuning and have not reverted to the original settings, even for anniversary specials or special occasions. There are few tracks where this difference is as notable as 'Nothing Else Matters' - the song has been partially abridged to remove the slow start and the tuning is very noticeably changed. If you listen to 'Nothing Else Matters' on the Live, Binge and Purge box set and compare this with material recorded for Quebec Magnet - or even the Cunning Stunts DVD - you'll see a noticeable change in vocal performance. Don't get me wrong, I'm not being critical, but if Metallica give the option I'd love to hear this particular track in it's original tuning with a slowed down introduction and the proper time taken to let the harmony shift through the crowd before Lars Ulrich brings in his first drum beat. At this point in their career you might expect fans wanting metal bands to speed up, but if anything, this asks Metallica to slow down - let's here the "classic" version of the song.