Sometimes the name says it all. And, with their moniker, Metallica has, more or less, set the bar to be the most metal band on the scene, going as far back as their genesis in 1981. Today’s current line-up features James Hetfield (lead vocals, guitar), Kirk Hammett (lead guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums) and Robert Trujillo (bass). The quartet are at the top of their game, waving their heavy-metal flag to the masses in stadiums across America in support of their latest release Hardwired… To Self-Destruct.
On what most local Massachusetts folk would describe as a picture-perfect day in the colony, Metallica and company set up shop May 19th at Gillette Stadium, home of the Super Bowl champions – the New England Patriots and served up their MTV hey-day and radio-friendly hits, along with deep cuts that their loyal legion fans jumped, clapped, sang and raised their horned-fists to all night long. This band, which has had over thirty plus years to hone their craft, guaranteed that the grounds in Foxboro would be shaking to the foundations while they were on stage.
With their monstrous stage, being lit by three-story tall LED video displays, Hetfield and Co. hit the ground running with full confidence. And, with a ballsy move by getting the show started with two new tracks from their current release, “Hardwired” and “Atlas Rise!”, they set the tone for the evening by not holding back in the least. Following Hetfield’s “We don’t give a shit.” speech, the crowd, mostly clad in black and Metallica T-shirts and hats were then rewarded with the classic and epic “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, which was a thrill for all. Trujillo and Hammett took the time to make their rounds on the extended stage to get close to the audience outside of the snake pit. Ulrich got up from his stool and hit the remaining last crashes on his kit, like a caveman before Hetfield switched guitars and tore into the primal “Fuel”.
Hetfield gave a nod to the late Chris Cornell during “The Unforgiven” before celebrating with the whole band during “Now That We’re Dead”, where each member took break from their respective instrument and played an over-sized drum. Hetfield used a drumstick on the strings of his guitar as well. They were having fun, to say the least. “Moth Into Flame” followed, without an appearance of Lady Ga Ga, before cruising into the crushing and anthemic “Wherever I May Roam” and “Halo on Fire”.
Hammett and Trujillo once again found their way to the end of the horseshoe-shaped catwalk. They happily jammed for a few minutes before Trujillo had the spotlight. He subtly paid tribute to Cornell, by subtly slipping in a few licks of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun and to Metallica’s original bassist Cliff Burton by weaving in “Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth). This was not missed by the audience and it was greatly appreciated.
The band reconvened to the stage and they tore through “Motorbreath” and “Sad But True”. Then the band disappeared. After a dramatic display of fireworks, pyro and green lasers shot from the stage, video of silhouetted soldiers were displayed on the LED screens as the haunting opening arpeggiation of the band’s milestone “One” rang out. The haunting video display along with the pyro and dizzying laser show continued. Ulrich’s drums and Hammett’s frenetic solos were hypnotic. The smoke didn’t have time to clear before the band popped the clutch and ripped into Master of Puppets, the dramatic “Fade to Black” and “Seek and Destroy”, for which a supplemental drum kit appeared on the catwalk. Hetfield, Hammett, Ulrich and Trujillo all had made contact with their fans, joking, slapping high-fives and thrashing into the thunderous “Seek & Destroy”. Smiles, salutes and waves galore were bested upon the crowd before the band momentarily left the stage.
After a few minutes, while the band’s name was displayed across the LED screens along the 20-yard line, Metallica returned to the stage for three more songs. They stoked the embers with “Fight Fire with Fire” before Hammett displayed his classical-flair during “Nothing Else Matters”. And, Metallica was most likely privy to the fact that they couldn’t leave the venue without playing “Enter Sandman”, of which they did so to close out this monumental night.
