A low-frequency hum traveled through Seattle’s Elliot Bay area. Its source and epicenter emanated from the middle of Lumen Field, where over 70,000 Metallica fans gathered in anticipation of seeing the forefathers of thrash metal perform the first of two sold-out shows for their final U.S. stop on the M72 “No Repeat Weekend” world tour.
Metallica, who initially honed their aggressive craft in San Fransisco’s Bay Area over four decades ago, signaled to their legions of fans clad in various shades of black they would soon be taking the stage by blasting AC/DC’s bagpipe-blaring “A Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock n’ Roll).” The first portion of their hallmark introduction served its purpose. All eyes turned toward the 50-yard line, where die-hard fans in the snake pit, the ring within “the round” stage, began slithering in with excitement as sightings of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Rob Trujillo occurred in the shadowy frays.
Metallica's signature starter continued as the stadium lights faded to black and the haunting tone of Ennio Morricone’s “The Ecstasy of Gold” soared into the night sky. Eight giant towers with huge screens hovering in the air lit up, streaming corresponding scenes from the classic “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” which ultimately ends with Tuco, “The Ugly,” running through Sad Hill Cemetery in a delirious daze.
A millisecond later, Metallica surreptitiously took to the stage and burst into “Creeping Death” from 1984’s Ride the Lightning, its iconic thick down-picked guitar riffs igniting the venue in a sanguine stylized scene. It was followed by the equally energetic performance of the dark and powerful “Harvester of Sorrow” from 1988’s… And Justice for All. The song’s maniacal meaning became more potent and complete with James adding his trademark “YEAH-YEAH” along with a haunting chuckle -his hello to Seattle.
The foursome forged forward with one of the foundational songs from their earlier thrash metal years, “Leper Messiah” from 1986’s seminal Master of Puppets. Its fervent force pushed up and out to the band’s furthest, yet no less dedicated fans, in the highest, most elevated of seats. The eight towers added visuals with closeups of the band superimposed over trippy visual effects as backdrops.
Staying true to their pledge of no repeat songs, Metallica continued with a blend of newer cuts from the recent 72 Seasons album and a few spur-of-the-moment compositions. Two stand-outs included “If Darkness Had a Son” (72 Seasons), dedicated to Megan from the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and Kirk and Rob’s off-the-cuff, “Orca Attack.” The addition of these songs as well as the less played “Blackened” from …And Justice for All made M72 feel authentic, a show filled with rock-on ferocity that only Metallica can create.
Additional deep cuts provided more nuance to Metallica’s “No Repeat Weekends” mantra. “Orion” (Master of Puppets), written by the band’s late bassist Cliff Burton, was an emotional moment as James, Kirk, and Rob played the song’s intricate, blues-driven grooves as one and circled around Lars’ drum kit-one of four sets in total which mysteriously moved around the circumference of the “ring,” ensuring fans could easily interact with the band throughout the performance.
“Nothing Else Matters,” from Metallica’s 1992 eponymous album- also known as the “Black Album” that catapulted the speed metal heads into mainstream notoriety- added a ruthlessly beautiful element to the show as cell phones lit up against a pure black and blue sky. However, as forever flag bearers of thrash metal, Metallica soon returned to their high-octane virtuosity for “Fuel” from 1997’s Reload, with huge flames bursting into the sky in time with James’ guttural baritone “Give me fuel, give me fire…” The combination proved full throttle theatrics is what the foursome truly desires.
Metallica’s last song of the evening was instantly recognizable. “Master of Puppets,” the oft-argued greatest metal riff ever written, suddenly hit the air. Its pummeling chug made concertgoers, both old and new, headbang in time. The fans’ actions served as the purest form of heavy metal fanfare. As the classic chromatic chords ascended into the air, it was clear that all in attendance had officially been welcomed into the Metallica Family.
SETLIST
It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll) AC/DC
The Ecstasy of Gold- Ennio Morricone
Creeping Death
Harvester of Sorrow
Leper Messiah
King Nothing
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72 Seasons
If Darkness Had a Son
Orca Attack (Kirk and Rob’s spin-off song)
The Day That Never Comes
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Shadows Follow
Orion (Dedicated to Cliff Burton)
Nothing Else Matters (Kirk- intro)
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Sad But True (with extended James Outro)
Blackened
Fuel
Seek & Destroy
Master of Puppets
