Metallica - Live at Grimey's 2008 (11/04/2011)
Metallica - Live at Grimey's
Held in the basement of Grimey’s Record
Store, Nashville in 2008, Metallica recorded an exclusive set for their diehard
fans, releasing it over two years later as a nine track live EP. What’s
contained within is every detail of the Metallica live performance, the only
difference being that it’s confined in the space of a record store rather than in a stadium.
As a fade in, the crowd cheer asking for the new album (Death Magnetic at the time of recording) to be played in full, to which vocalist James Hetfield replies; “but it sounds a lot like the old stuff.” Though Death Magnetic was met with mixed reactions, Grimey’s is a nostalgia hit of some of Metallica’s greatest and inspiring songs. Carefully selected opening tracks No Remorse and Fuel set the scene for an intense hour of classic riffs. The small confines of the venue can be felt through the music. It’s almost as though this is one of the earlier recordings of Metallica before their breakout success.
“Out of the garage and into the basement” Hetfield says, before breaking into the classic opening of Harvester of Sorrow. Funnily enough, Hetfield tells the crowd to shut up as they cheer, focusing mid-song before continuing on. It may sound pretentious and arrogant, but truthfully it only adds authenticity to the performance. The clean, crisp performance of Welcome Home (Sanitarium) provides one of more relaxed moments of the album, if but only for a short moment before the full potential of the song is unleashed.
With fans yelling out where they are from; Nashville, Virginia, Compton, it’s clearly evident that Metallica’s most loyal have traveled far and wide for this performance and this is for them, For Whom The Bell Tolls. In between, small jam sessions, talkback with the audience give the release a grungy, dirty personal atmosphere. A highlight comes late in its second half when a fan-based rendition of The Frayed Ends of Sanity begins, before launching into Master of Puppets.
There is something about this song that gets me every time. The guitar crunches through the amp as Hetfield commands the song. Where as most live versions of the song I’ve heard have been stadium sourced, hearing it from the realms of a record store is something truly special. With every “Master!” from Hetfield, we can actually hearing it being growled back from a ferocious crowd, providing the most profoundly real recording of the track.
Following a close to perfect performance of Sad But True, the album draws to a close with Motorbreath and the always brilliant Seek and Destroy. It’s a grungy finale to an EP that gives new meaning to the term “wish you were here.” Live at Grimey’s is one of the most exciting live recordings I’ve listened to in a long time. Intimate, brutal, this is essential listening for Metallica fans until they make for a return to Australia.
Luke Sutton
As a fade in, the crowd cheer asking for the new album (Death Magnetic at the time of recording) to be played in full, to which vocalist James Hetfield replies; “but it sounds a lot like the old stuff.” Though Death Magnetic was met with mixed reactions, Grimey’s is a nostalgia hit of some of Metallica’s greatest and inspiring songs. Carefully selected opening tracks No Remorse and Fuel set the scene for an intense hour of classic riffs. The small confines of the venue can be felt through the music. It’s almost as though this is one of the earlier recordings of Metallica before their breakout success.
“Out of the garage and into the basement” Hetfield says, before breaking into the classic opening of Harvester of Sorrow. Funnily enough, Hetfield tells the crowd to shut up as they cheer, focusing mid-song before continuing on. It may sound pretentious and arrogant, but truthfully it only adds authenticity to the performance. The clean, crisp performance of Welcome Home (Sanitarium) provides one of more relaxed moments of the album, if but only for a short moment before the full potential of the song is unleashed.
With fans yelling out where they are from; Nashville, Virginia, Compton, it’s clearly evident that Metallica’s most loyal have traveled far and wide for this performance and this is for them, For Whom The Bell Tolls. In between, small jam sessions, talkback with the audience give the release a grungy, dirty personal atmosphere. A highlight comes late in its second half when a fan-based rendition of The Frayed Ends of Sanity begins, before launching into Master of Puppets.
There is something about this song that gets me every time. The guitar crunches through the amp as Hetfield commands the song. Where as most live versions of the song I’ve heard have been stadium sourced, hearing it from the realms of a record store is something truly special. With every “Master!” from Hetfield, we can actually hearing it being growled back from a ferocious crowd, providing the most profoundly real recording of the track.
Following a close to perfect performance of Sad But True, the album draws to a close with Motorbreath and the always brilliant Seek and Destroy. It’s a grungy finale to an EP that gives new meaning to the term “wish you were here.” Live at Grimey’s is one of the most exciting live recordings I’ve listened to in a long time. Intimate, brutal, this is essential listening for Metallica fans until they make for a return to Australia.
Luke Sutton