Metallica O2 Arena London 24-10-17

Huge queues greeted us after a looong journey across the capital and Kvelertak were already on the huge stage in the round and if I'm honest after seeing them support Slayer I was disappointed this time.The sound did them no favours and in the 3 songs we suffered I didn't catch a single word the singer said as he was buried so low in the muddy treacle of a mix.

As the arena filled to capacity and the anticipation of Metallica's first UK dates indoors since way back in 2009 built and at 8.15 the familiar intro of Ennio Morricone's The Ecstasy Of Gold started as the lights dropped and the roar nearly took the roof off.

For 2 hours and 15 minutes we were treated to a set list that had 6 from last year's superb Hardwired to Self Destruct and of course plenty of oldies too.

Here is what the played.







































With the album being out for 11 months now although it was new music played live here in the UK with Metallica being at the fore front of social media and all the many many live tracks they have posted on line over the last year every song felt like a returning hero.

Hardwired with it's We're so fucked Shit outta luck Hardwired to self-destruct chorus sang back to the band by all 20000 in the huge dome and that was just the opener.The sound was very loud but clear and no sign of the earlier issues thankfully.

Anyone who has seen footage of their recent European shows on line will have seen the stunningly clever idea the band have had of how to make a stage in the centre of the arena the same for all 4 sides of the arena.52 cubes in the light rig have a life of their own moving up and down and side to side with footage normally played on a back drop played on their 6 sides meaning each side of the arena sees the same and it looks amazing.
From band footage on the night to so many pictures the list was endless and the part where there was bodies inside trying to get out during Sanitarium was mind blowing.
Even when they just have a single colour on them the effect was stunningly good.

Add to that the miniature drones out and above the bands heads during Moth To The Flame and Metallica have jumped way out in front of anyone in the live setting.

My vantage point both visually and audibly was spot on and the spectacle was jaw dropping as the band and crowd went at it from the word go.Putting crowd favourite Seek And Destroy at track 3 was a master stroke and the crowd singing was so loud and Through The Never was a welcome addition too before Sanitarium's intro took us down for a few seconds before building up again to a Kirk Hammett guitar solo at the songs climax as pits raged at various points on the floor.

Now That We Are Dead like all of the new material is built for the live shows with Lars Ulrich on fine form pounding his kit to within an inch of it's life.It has a real groove to it with James Hetfield and Kirk's taut muscular riff at it's heart.Mid song the band have a drum solo with a difference with 4 cubes on stage for the band to pound out a rhythm on.A slight change to the kettle type drum's earlier in the tour.Maybe a change as James fell into the huge hole a few weeks ago.

Dream No More again is all riff and rhythm before a crowd favourite saw the whole place go nuts with Rob Trujillo's bass intro starting For Whom The Bell Tolls which was superb.

Halon On Fire now has James's haunting vocal intro solo before Rob and Kirk joined up for snippets of  London Calling, Immigrant Song and then rob solo on Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth) with the crowd yelling their approval for the pictures of Cliff Burton who sadly lost just over 30 years ago.

Die Die My Darling was ably backed up the pyro packed Fuel before the Moth's took to the sky on another Hardwired classic.6 songs played off the album and all superb.

Sad But True gave London HEAVY before a quite stunning version of One with the cubes showing us soldier's pictures and video footage and the whole spectacle off the scale.Wow.

Master Of Puppets ended the main set with the crowd participation enormous with pits everywhere and the singing just incredible and the mid song break down had the hair's on the back of my neck stood to attention with the cubes again stunning with grave stones dropping from the top ones down to the bottom giving a visual spectacle that stunned.

Damage Inc had the pits again on over drive before James showing off his melodic tones on Nothing Else Matters with arena full of phone lights.

Only one way to end as James picked out the start to Enter Sandman and we had lift off with the whole floor a thrashing pit and the singing removing rafters in the roof as band and crowd united.

To see a band at the height of their powers 36 years into their careers and still pushing themselves both musically and in the live spectacle was awe inspiring and we can only hope we don't have to wait so long to see them again indoors in the UK.

Anyone with a ticket for any of their 4 UK shows in the next week you are in for a treat.