Review from CDNow
Innovative rock musicians have been rubbing elbows with their classical cousins for quite some time -- from the exotic string flourishes on Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti to the cello strains that gave the Smashing Pumpkins' "Disarm" its poignant charm. When Metallica decided to plunge into philharmonia, it did so, true to form, in uncompromising style.
Working with arranger extraordinaire Michael Kamen, the band played two concerts with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra at the Berkeley Community Theatre last April. This double-disc recording documents those shows and, unlike most live albums, actually offers a clearer perspective on the performances, capturing symphonic subtleties that were sometimes lost between Metallica's prodigious playing and its voluminous hometown fans.

On such denser, thrashier songs as "Battery" the orchestra basically bolsters the sturm und drang by underscoring the powerful themes that drive it. With other numbers, notably "Master of Puppets" and newer tunes like "Devil's Dance," there's more room for interplay between rock and classical elements -- horns flash brassily in the mix and percussion peppers the grinding grooves.

In recent years there's been some debate as to whether or not Metallica has lost its edge, but this collaboration demonstrates the band is simply cultivating a more refined bite.