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San Francisco Chronicle
30 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Metallica's return to the Bay Area reminds us the band is still the soundtrack to our apocalypse
Here we are in 2025, living like it's 1985 all over again as the decisions of an Iranian Ayatollah hang in the news, the threat of nuclear annihilation is a talking point of children too young to understand the weight of that worry and Metallica is playing thrash metal music in the Bay Area. History doesn't just repeat itself, it mocks our belief that change will come. And then it gives us a double dose of Metallica. The Bay Area legends that redefined rock 'n' roll played the second night of its Santa Clara stint on Sunday, June 22 — this time with openers Ice Nine Kills and Pantera, and a completely different setlist — filling Levi's Stadium with more devil horn hand gestures than the home of the 49ers has ever seen in a weekend. And just as they did on Friday, June 20, generations came together — grandparents with grandkids, mothers with sons, many wearing Metallica's sharp logo on shirts — to celebrate the graying foursome's return with its sprawling M72 tour, which has the band playing two shows each stop, with various pop-up events in between. Much has changed — both in the world and the band — since 1985, when Metallica had its coming-out moment by issuing a blistering, monumental set at the Day on the Green festival at Oakland Coliseum. Some of the songs from that August day in the East Bay, captured by MTV, made the decades' journey to Santa Clara — 'Ride the Lightning,' 'For Whom the Bell Tolls,' 'Whiplash' — serving as a fitting memorial to a period that's often lionized as the band's purest era, before it became the biggest rock act on the planet. But, here's the thing: Though so much of Sunday night felt like a flashback, the moments were never powered by nostalgia. Well, almost. It's notable because an evening with Journey or Foreigner or Guns N' Roses is going to feel like stepping into a time machine. We welcome the trip, a quick passage through memories conjured by music. The delightful delusions of a time that was never as real or fun as we recall. But these songs from Metallica's early catalog don't play like empty vessels. They're still alive. Still breathing in the cultural fabric of our lives. They haven't changed, but they carry new meaning, shaped by the learned experiences of the band — and our own. For instance, 'Ride the Lightning,' the third song of the two-hour set. It's such a powerful track, with a sawtooth verse riff that carves out space for a dramatic, almost cinematic bridge — one that feels like the blueprint for countless bands that followed. But the lament about a prisoner facing execution doesn't only exist in the moral landscape of the Reagan era. Today, it plays like the vocalized concerns of Gen Z's sudden nuclear paranoia — 'Flash before my eyes, now it's time to die.' Chilling. And wondrous at the same time. This is what timeless anthems do. They conform to the space and time in which we exist. Protean missives that carry lessons and wisdom of the past, along with perspectives that can be influenced or informed by the events of the day. 'Ride the Lightning' isn't 'Blowin' in the Wind,' but in purpose, it's a lot closer to Bob Dylan's masterwork than some music snobs might want to admit. Ditto for 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium).' This psych-ward melodrama, which longs for solitude in a state of constant surveillance, carries one of the band's greatest moments — the eruptive and emotive breakdown that plainly discusses the fear of continuing to be alive in a world without privacy. Sound familiar? Later in the set, which touched on songs from various eras of Metallica, vocalist James Hetfield didn't need to sing a word for even the band's youngest fans to know 'The Unforgiven' was on tap. Still built of lumberjack-like brawn, even if he's now cracking dad jokes, Hetfield let the picked acoustic notes announce the 'ballad.' They rang out tinny and too loud, but the crowd responded instantly. A fan who appeared to be around 10 years old said with excitement, 'Mom, it's 'Unforgiven.' You have to stand up for 'Unforgiven.'' She did, along with much of the 50,000 in attendance. It's strange when a lament about aging and perceived irrelevance becomes a song that is celebrated. But that's also what communion is built upon, the shared expression of grief and regret. And in this moment, the adults in the stadium breathed their own remorse and pains into the words that were born in the blood of existence, and remain as red and viscous as ever. Late in the set Metallica seemed to hide a slick and timely social commentary in a pair of tracks from the band's 1988 '... And Justice for All' album. It was difficult to hear 'Blackened,' a pummelling and precise song about environmental devastation and apparent nuclear winter, without considering the fresh weight of that threat given the United States' recent bombing of Iran. A couple songs later the sampled machine gun bursts and helicopter sounds that introduce 'One,' a Metallica starter drug song for so many, were heavier than they have been in quite some time. The sonic spectre of another potential war in a foreign land stripping the earth of more souls. Yet, for many singing along, the song didn't seem to feel as heavy as it should. There are lessons in it that we've forgotten. Or maybe never learned. Which made the coda of the band's grandest hit, 'Enter Sandman,' play like an awkward party bleeding into the pall of unsettling reflection. The stadium shook in recitations of the chorus — 'Exit light, enter night' — and all was well again. The only moment that felt polluted by the trickster essence of nostalgia. When the giant inflated black and yellow Metallica beach balls descended on the crowd as 'Sandman' played, the poignancy of 'One,' and the night, was over. There's a reason Dylan never had branded 'Masters of War' beach balls kicked into his crowds. Night 2 Setlist: 'Whiplash' 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' 'Ride the Lightning' 'The Memory Remains' 'Lux Æterna' 'Screaming Suicide' 'Kirk and Rob Doodle' ('Do You Know the Way to San Jose' and 'California Über Alles') 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)' 'Wherever I May Roam' 'The Call of Ktulu' 'The Unforgiven' 'Whiskey in the Jar' 'Blackened' 'Moth Into Flame' 'One' 'Enter Sandman'
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Review and Setlist: Metallica delivers heavy-hitting Tampa show
TAMPA – Enter Metallica. The reigning kings of thrash made their long-awaited return Friday, delivering a relentless sonic boom to a jam-packed Raymond James Stadium. The band, which had bypassed Tampa Bay during its last two Florida tours, treated about 70,000 acolytes to a blistering 2-hour and 5-minute, 16-song set. You could have birthed a child now old enough to drive between the time that the band had last appeared here — 5,725 days ago. (But who's counting?) The group is playing a two-show, 'no repeat weekend' with different sets and opening acts — unapologetically designed to lure hardcore followers to both nights. Friday's other performers were Limp Bizkit and Ice Nine Kills. Sunday's bill includes Pantera and Suicidal Tendencies. Metallica has achieved enormous worldwide success built on sturdy musicianship and multilayered songs that connect with fiercely loyal fans. Power rock, speed metal, thrash or heavy metal. Call it what you will. Metallica still rules the genre. The band's M72 world tour has been in full stride since the release of its 11th studio album '72 Seasons' two years ago — the latest in a line of intense, take-no-prisoners recordings, building on a mostly brilliant resume. The group formed when 17-year-old drummer Lars Ulrich placed an ad looking for like-minded musicians in the fall of 1981. James Hetfield, who had just turned 18, showed up. He would become the singer, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist. Angry and rebellious, those two Southern California teens likely would have scoffed at the idea that they'd be doing this into their sixties. But here they are. Lucky for us. The band Friday traversed 40 years of music with a mix of anthems and obscure tracks, starting with the volcanic 'Creeping Death' off their 1984 album 'Ride the Lightning.' There is a rocket-fueled, galloping rhythm to signature Metallica music, forged by Hetfield's down-picking style and lead guitarist Kirk Hammett's searing solos. Newer songs like the title track from the last record and 'If Darkness Had a Son,' played early, cut loose like rollicking runaway trains. The show featured some of Metallica's strongest work, including 'The Day That Never Comes' — a ballad that found Hetfield seated at the start, until the band charges like a hostile rhino. 'Love is a four-letter word,' Hetfield growls. It stood as one of many first-night highlights. As for deep cuts, you can't get much deeper than the mesmerizing and melodic instrumental 'Orion' written primarily by transformational bassist Cliff Burton months before he died in a 1986 tour bus crash. Metallica only resumed playing it with the gifted Robert Trujillo, his bass slung so low at times it nearly scrapes the stage. Hetfield seemed genuinely inspired by the size of the crowd, stopping at one point to say 'I can't believe how many people came here tonight to celebrate live music with your friends from Metallica.' Later he told those attending their first show that 'we've been waiting for you, and now you're here — members of the Metallica family of Tampa Bay.' Family is forever, he would note. And that family lost its collective minds when Hammett launched into the gorgeous opening bars of 'Nothing Else Matters' from their top selling 1991 album 'Metallica.' It's as close to a real love song as anything in the hall of fame group's vast catalog, though it pulsed with energy. Fans filled a 'snake pit' inside a massive circular stage. The configuration had pros and cons. It made for a more intimate experience for those who could afford to be in the thick of it. During most of the show, however, it felt as if the quartet stood in four different zip codes. Only seldomly, like during 'Orion,' would they all congregate near each other for the duration of a song. The band closed with seething versions of 'Seek and Destroy' and 'Masters of Puppets' — essential playlist tracks for every Army tank operator who ever powered up an M1 Abrams. There would be no encore, unless you count Sunday's full show as such. Earlier in the evening, the pride of Jacksonville, Limp Bizkit, brought its own brand of fury during a high-energy — and fun — nine-song set led by frontman Fred Durst and masked guitarist Wes Borland. Durst, wearing a Japan national team Shohei Ohtani jersey, shouted out Clearwater resident Tom Cruise — a big-time Metallica fan who was apparently hanging out earlier backstage. Limp Bizkit followed every serial killer's favorite band, Ice Nine Kills. The five-member Boston-based outfit (not counting the zombies and damsels in distress that wandered or danced across the stage) buzzed through House of Horrors performance art choreographed to its music, complete with splattered blood, severed heads, hatchets and other killing tools. By mid set, I wondered when they were going to melt down last Halloween's leftover candy corn and shoot it into our veins. Here are the main downsides of the no repeat weekend: Floor tickets for a single show sold for up to $424 through Ticketmaster. A spot in the snake pit commanded $3,700 on the secondary market. Seats in Ray Jay's hinterlands, where sound quality can be a dice roll, approached $100. Even being bigger bodied came with financial consequences. Fans buying 2XL, 3XL or 4XL T-shirts had to fork over a $5 'upcharge' at the bustling merch stands. If you managed to score decent seats to both concerts, great. (Tom Cruise could afford it!) But what if you couldn't? Pick the Friday show and you ran the risk of never hearing the end of it from buddies who will see Metallica play 'Enter Sandman' 'One,' 'For Whom the Bell Tolls,' 'The Unforgiven,' and 'The Call of Ktulu' — all standard second-night offerings. It's the better setlist. Go Sunday only, and there's no 'Orion.' I did a quick informal survey of fans milling around the concourse, and roughly 70% of the folks I talked to bought tickets for both nights. 'Smart marketing on their part,' one told me. In between the no repeat concerts along this tour, Metallica is fitting in one-off shows in places like Syracuse, New York, and Blacksburg, Virginia. Those concertgoers reveled in a fully-loaded final six-song feast of 'Nothing Else Matters,' 'Sad but True,' 'One,' 'Seek & Destroy,' 'Masters of Puppets' and 'Enter Sandman.' It's hard to complain when a band ends a muscular show with the potency and conviction of its riveting chosen songs. The band looked and sounded great. And it truly was a fantastic performance. But it's easy to yearn for more Metallica, especially on behalf of those Friday-only fans who've been sleeping with one eye open and gripping their pillows tight — waiting all these years for the Sandman's return. FRIDAY SETLIST 'Creeping Death' 'Harvester of Sorrow' 'Leper Messiah' 'King Nothing' '72 Seasons' 'If Darkness Had a Son' Kirk and Rob doodle ('Jalepeno Jam') 'The Day That Never Comes' 'Cyanide' 'Orion' 'Nothing Else Matters' 'Sad But True' 'Blackened' 'Fuel' 'Seek & Destroy' 'Master of Puppets' ANTICIPATED SUNDAY SETLIST These are the percentage chances that the following songs will be played based on an analysis of a full year's worth of M72 'no repeat' performances. 'Whiplash' (100%) 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' (100%) 'Ride the Lightning' (93%) 'Until It Sleeps' (53%) 'Lux Ӕterna' (93%) 'Screaming Suicide' (60%) Kirk and Rob doodle (100%) 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)' (47%) 'Wherever I May Roam' (80%) 'The Call of Ktulu' (100%) 'The Unforgiven' (100%) 'Inamorata' (73%) 'Fight Fire With Fire' (40%) 'Moth into Flame' (100%) 'One' (100%) 'Enter Sandman' (100%)
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iconic Metal Guitarist, 62, Makes Bold Statement About His Career
Iconic Metal Guitarist, 62, Makes Bold Statement About His Career originally appeared on Parade. For over forty years, Kirk Hammett has delivered one scorching solo after another as the lead guitarist for Metallica. Hammet joined the band in 1983, replacing original lead guitarist Dave Mustaine. Along with guitarist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, and then-bassist Cliff Burton, Hammet ushered in a new wave of heavy metal and helped make Metallica one of the biggest bands in the world. The band's first four albums are considered thrash metal classics. Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets and …And Justice For All helped Metallica cultivate a loyal following of headbangers. They would achieve massive mainstream success with their fifth album, the self-titled LP commonly known as The Black Album. And Hammett thinks The Black Album is his finest moment. "It's weird, because my opinion of that changes all the time," he told Metal Hammerin a new interview. "I don't sit around listening to Metallica…I don't look in the rear-view mirror too often. The whole band is like that – we just move on." "But I will say, there was a period where I thought my playing was [explicative] spot on, and that was The Black Album. Those solos wrote themselves! Almost all of them worked out instantly," he added. "There were only a few things I wasn't prepared for, and that was 'The Unforgiven' solo, which is pretty well documented," he says, referring to his well-documented clashes with producer Bob Rock. "And the solo for 'My Friend Of Misery.' But because the solo of 'The Unforgiven' ended up being so spontaneous, that made me want to do them all like that from that point on." Metallica will perform at Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne's final show on July 5. The lineup includes bands such as Mastodon and Gojira, as well as additional performances by legends like KK Downing of Judas Priest, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, and Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins. Recently, Metallica vocalist James Hetfield closed out a packed show with a passionate message that touched the hearts of Metal Guitarist, 62, Makes Bold Statement About His Career first appeared on Parade on Jun 2, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dave Mustaine: Metallica Stole 'Enter Sandman' Riff from Another Band
The post Dave Mustaine: Metallica Stole 'Enter Sandman' Riff from Another Band appeared first on Consequence. Dave Mustaine has once again asserted that Metallica stole their most famous riff from a song by another band. In a new interview on 'The Shawn Ryan Show,' Mustaine accused his former band of lifting the 'Enter Sandman' riff from crossover thrash band Excel and their 1989 song 'Tapping Into the Emotional Void.' Get Metallica Tickets Here Comparisons between the songs have been made over the years — even by Mustaine himself some 20 years ago — and members of Excel once considered taking legal action against Metallica, per a report in 2003. The riffs do bare similarities, as does the tom-drum buildup in both songs, and Mustaine felt the need to remind people when he began discussing Metallica in the interview. 'I made sure not to ever say that I quit, because I wanted people to know that I was unfairly dismissed and that I didn't give a shit,' the Megadeth mastermind said of his tenure with Metallica. 'Because we may not be as big as they are. Hell, their biggest song, 'Enter Sandman' — go look up the band Excel right now. Look up their song, I think it's something 'Into the Unknown.' Pretty similar,' referring to 'Tapping Into the Emotional Void.' Mustaine ended up discussing Metallica at length during the three-plus-hour conversation with Shawn Ryan, and elsewhere, took digs at the band and his replacement Kirk Hammett for using material he'd written. 'At the time, I was really mad and I didn't wanna forgive them for what they did,' Mustaine said of his ousting from Metallica. 'And I told them when I left, 'Do not use my music. And of course they used it. 'Ride the Lightning,' I wrote. 'The Call of Ktulu' I wrote. Let's see, what else? There's 'Phantom Lord,' 'Metal Militia,' 'Jump in the Fire', 'The Four Horsemen.' And I wrote a bunch of 'Leper Messiah,' too. They didn't give me credit on that. You listen to the riffs, you know they're my riffs. He continued, 'It's, like, you think I'm gonna all of a sudden hear my riff and say, 'That's not me.' So, yeah, I wrote a lot of their music that made them, and all the solos on that first record were mine — the best Kirk could try and copy them.' For what it's worth, Mustaine, Hammett, and James Hetfield all made Consequence's list of the 100 Best Guitarists of All Time. Fans can catch Metallica performing 'Enter Sandman' and other classics on the current North American leg of their 'M72 World Tour' (pick up tickets here). You can listen to the full interview below, as well as the Excel song 'Tapping Into the Emotional Void,' along with Metallica's 'Enter Sandman.' Popular Posts Billy Joel Diagnosed with Brain Disorder, Cancels All Upcoming Tour Dates Man Wearing Nazi T-Shirt Gets a Beatdown from Fans at Punk Rock Bowling Fest Freddie Mercury's Alleged Child Revealed in New Biography David Lynch's Personal Archive Going Up for Auction The 30 Best Action Movie Stars of All Time, Ranked Is The Who's Farewell Tour in Turmoil? Subscribe to Consequence's email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.
Daily Tribune
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Tribune
Metallica Live in Bahrain!
Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre, Bahrain's most exciting entertainment destination, announced hosting one of its most anticipated events of the year: Metallica on December 3, 2025. This highly anticipated event promises an unforgettable experience that fans won't want to miss. Formed in 1981 by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich and including guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo, Metallica has become one of the most influential and successful rock bands in history. It has sold nearly 125 million albums worldwide and generated more than 17 billion streams while playing to millions of fans on all seven continents — more than 1.3 million of whom belong to the band's fiercely loyal and consistently growing Fifth Member fan club. Metallica's catalog of multi-platinum studio albums includes Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, …And Justice for All, Metallica (commonly referred to as The Black Album), Load, Reload, St. Anger, Death Magnetic, Hardwired…to Self-Destruct, and more.
