Live Review
Metallica – Manchester Evening News Arena
With half of the battle already won with Death Magnetic, Metallica look to complete the process by solidifying their reputation in the live arena, but tonight The sword and Machine head have two very different battles.
Sound checking in front of an already half filled arena could normally rattle some bands. Being seen with the house lights up and tuning their sound The sword seem completely composed though, almost ready to start right there and then; and subsequently when they go off and the house lights come down to their return no quarter is given.
Its metal aged a 1000 years, heavy prehistoric sized power every so often speeding up to all out thrash and initially the crowd are somewhat surprised but with Trivett’s just booming drumming the music just rolls and rolls, you either get on board or crushed under the weight of a sound like Thin lizzy and Sabbath fighting with Ozzy giving the commentary.
The tight, focused and all too short set is a shot in the arm to most fans, with the older heads nodding in approval and the younger fans wondering if The sword are on Guitar hero.
The last time Machine head played here they co headlined with Trivium and the result at times was exceptional but it wasn’t without problems as some moments fell flat and had to be chalked up as experience.
Some bands just work better with smaller boundaries be it money, or in tonight’s case time. The head have a desirable metal back catalogue one complete with their amazing debut through to the acclaimed ‘The blackening’ so it was always going to be difficult to please everyone.
It’s ‘Imperium’ that quite rightly wakes the crowd up into two distinct pits, naturally one right in front of Rob Flynn, but one also to the left of the stage which seems to erupt right out of the first riff. ‘Halo’ starts getting the security worried and Machine head prove they do have that essential quality in a large arena-to play a massive sound and reduce it to a single note.
It’s the transition from the high to the low that hinders tonight’s set with the slower material placed midway through and it’s possibly a mistake as they somewhat derail the work the previous energy and vitality have accomplished; coming back in before the end with ‘Davidian’ is really what the crowd are here to witness and tonight it proves to be a sonic and visual highlight with what lighting engineers call military lights accentuating a crowd and mayhem beneath a rapidly moving set of spotlights-despite being a little off the mark it’s played with such fervour that it ties the loose end up nicely.
There have been many battles this evening and for the last assault we see the generals take the field.
Commercial and critically accepted as a success ‘Death magnetic’ has completed the first half of the journey; but Metallica are and always have been a live band, one thriving on the excitement and connection they have with their fans. Let’s not forget here that they are one of the only bands, not just in metal, that actually make money from touring-one that also records every live excursion such is its importance.
The opening strains of ‘The ecstasy of gold’ plays and there is a palpable buzz that moves through the crowd, mainly because tonight is not the usual ‘Front of house’ set up i.e. one where the stage is one end of the arena no, like the ‘Load’ tour and its gigantic, sprawling set the stage takes up the centre of the venue allowing the crowd to completely surround the band and also witness them running to the stage.
There’s trepidation as this is an old school beginning, the intro tape being a staple for many years-but then the heart beat intro of ‘Death’ enters in and the first chords of ‘That was just your life’ sound out and lasers pick out lines across the crowd in what feels altogether new and different.
As the band rush the stage and carve out the main riff Lars’ drumming is so intense that your organs move a foot out of your body and shake-violently. The first men of metal are back and this is the opening salvo.
Straight into ‘End of the line’ shows that they have no fear of how the new material will be excepted and its completely founded as the fans, half dumb struck by how close you can get to the band and surprised at how heavy they actually sound duly go apeshit.
Jaymz settles into his casual and engaging crowd interaction and at the same time sums up the concert, maybe even the new album in one sentence-“You know what goes with the new shit really well-the old shit” it’s a simple statement from a now pre-rehab Hetfield that is honest and true as ‘For whom the bell tolls’ pushes the final few fans teetering on the edge to be kicked off.
Eyes are fixed on Rob, with every question being answered just as quickly as he occupies every inch if the stage playing like he was trying out for the band all over again and playing finger style-Cliff Burton style-bass without missing a beat, sometimes becoming the beat. He’s accepted unequivocally and more importantly adds to the mets sound.
There’s a sincerity to the performance, when you’ve played as many dates as Metallica have the dialogue can become predetermined and lack any honesty, but it’s that truth and spontaneity that’s what’s always worked for them.
Every time Jaymz speaks it’s with an almost surprised outlook, surprised that people still love the band and in awe of their appreciation. He talks of welcoming the people for whom tonight’s gig is their first, but also has the ability to ask if this is the tenth time, before welcoming them into ‘the family’. There’s also fan connections made within songs with Hetfiled and Trujillo taken aback when ever they approach the crowd or ask for response.
Smaller moments also underline the reason Metallica have been so successful-Hammett high fiving crowd members mid song when he could have just easily kept playing and no-one would have though any different.
In a set with no songs from several albums ‘Load’ & ‘Reload’ and even newer material from ‘St anger’ the ‘Black album’ gets aired in the form of ‘Wherever I may roam’ the now standard ‘Nothing else matters’ and the obvious but still played like it was written yesterday ‘Enter sandman’ Metallica can’t miss-but tonight isn’t about just performing it’s about catharsis, expectance and rejuvenation and when it hits it really creates memorable moments.
‘Blackened’ gets a massive response with the breakdown riff decimating the crowd and ‘Sad but true’ killing any nonbelievers and naysayers that may have been in attendance.
There are the curve balls to, Seger’s ‘Turn the page’ surprises the uninitiated, a cover from a covers album might seem a mistake until you listen to the lyrics and realize it’s practically autobiographical of Metallica’s life.
With a confidence in the new material that’s show in the amount of songs in tonight’s set we get ‘The Judas kiss’ and two of the highlights ‘The day that never comes’ and ‘Cyanide’ all sitting comfortably with ‘Master of puppets’ and previous material. It blends into an articulate, focused performance with ‘One’ being a moment of both visual command-the flame heat can be felt all the way to the seating area-and sheer power that seems almost timeless, in ten years time this will still be the yardstick by which heavy music will be judged.
With the encores in place, a moment when they loosen up and have even more fun, and jam out classics like ‘Blitzkrieg’ the night is given an all encompassing familiarity and brings the whole evening full circle whilst at the same time maintaining that indomitable connection that has always existed between them and their audience.
It’s a moment during ‘Sandman’ however that aptly shows Metallica’s journey, going down on one knee an almost collapsing Jaymz holds a note way longer and far into feedback beaten and spent, before slowly rising to his feet and launching into the now historic riff.
Metallica are still on that journey, still travelling both metaphorically and physically, and the reason they consistently survive and come back, ever committed, battle scarred and resolute is they truly believe their own attitude: “What don’t kill ya make ya more stronger”.