It must be acknowledged the contribution of blessed chance, the therapeutic flow of the Pacific, the latest advances in pharmacopeia (and dietetics), the post-pandemic desire for revenge, or the determination to strum guitars until the skeleton says: enough. We must give thanks to so many energies of this world and the other for allowing Metallica to continue shaking any stage in 2024 with the violence of a DANA, we wouldn't finish today if we had to list them all. Each of their performances is a mix of miracle, mass in Ilamas, and exorcism. This Friday, in the first of their two concerts in Madrid in three days, the San Francisco quartet brought out the very best of themselves and showed why they are irresistible to both longtime fans of double bass drums and to the youngsters who have just discovered them in a Netflix series. Why, ultimately, they have been eternal for a long time.
The performance of Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett, and Trujillo at the Metropolitano, with almost all tickets sold out months ago - 100,000 tickets: a historical record for the Californian group in Spain - started with sunshine and a double tribute: the already classic one to Ennio Morricone with 'The Ecstasy of Gold' and, even before, the unexpected 'It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)' by AC/DC. Trumpets and borrowed bagpipes that predisposed to the epic.
The fact that the uncorking came hand in hand with 'Creeping Death', a rampage with which the band used to open their shows back in 1988, makes sense. The configuration of the 'M72 World Tour', with two shows in the same city in just 72 hours, allows Metallica to look at themselves in the mirror and divide their hits without repeating a single one. They and Live Nation call it the 'No Repeat Weekend', in case anyone misses that it is a unique and perhaps unrepeatable occasion. It seems difficult to have the combo that has contributed the most to popularizing metal among the masses so within reach again.
"We are very proud to be in Madrid, where we have come quite often in 46 years. Thank you very much," Hetfield greeted in English half an hour into the evening before launching into '72 Seasons'. It is the quartet's latest album, the first track of the work, and the one that gives the tour its name. It was conceived during confinement as a splash of anger and self-affirmation: its title refers to the seasons of the year that have passed since a person's birth until they reach adulthood.
Last night, it sounded in Spain for the first time as overwhelming and heart-pounding as expected from an instant classic (over seven minutes long, mind you). "Blinded by the ashes of the past," Hetfield belted out, ironically shaking off accusations of being a complacent composer. Hammett began firing away with the six strings.
With scarce seconds to catch their breath, 'If Darkness Had a Son' hit, another freshly unsealed wrecking ball. Those who for years relentlessly mocked the mediocre level of 'Reload', 'St. Anger', and 'Death Magnetic' - the abysmal low point of a career spanning four and a half decades - have still not recovered from the shock caused by '72 Seasons', which has meant both a return to the basics and a mini harmonic evolution in their co-leader's vocal register.
Trujillo used his Latin origin to practice Spanish. "Hello, Madrid! Welcome to the party! We like to play here, and tonight we have composed a song just for you: 'Sangria Brain'," the bassist launched with the help of a sheet before engaging in a surprise duel of fretboards with Hammett. 'The Day That Never Comes', with its dreamy intro, extended the moment of complicity with the audience. It lit up the mobile phone flashlights and ended in a standing ovation.
With the musicians near trance, 'Shadows Follow' and 'One'. And then a break with 'Orion' before the monumental karaoke with 'Nothing Else Matters', finished with a hint of oeoeoé.
The double appointment in Madrid is the last one on European soil of the 'M72 World Tour' after passing through Munich, Helsinki, Copenhagen, and Warsaw. Translated: at this point in the tour, Metallica has a more refined setlist than a Targaryen's braid (with which Trujillo would rival in hair). Although, truth be told, the sound quality was noticeably improvable: too much blending and excessive echo.
It almost didn't matter when the chords of 'Sad But True' thundered, marking the capital night definitively dark. A Spanish guitar was playing when the eight giant screens projected the national flag.
"Satanic and from Carabanchel" refers to a good heavy metal pedigree since the mid-90s. It's time to update the coordinates. At least the geographical ones. It's interesting to see how the rivalry between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid also extends to the logistics of mega-concerts in the capital, like a parallel derby. While the central Merengue coliseum is becoming the favorite stage for thirty-something (or even younger) pop superstars like Taylor Swift, Duki, Karol G, or Aitana, the peripheral rojiblanco stadium is consolidating as a platform for veteran rock superstars like Iron Maiden, Rolling Stones, Guns N' Roses, or Bruce Springsteen. It's true that Luis Miguel has just performed at La Castellana, and Manuel Carrasco turned Avenida de Luis Aragonés upside down a few years ago, but the trend is clear: acne on one side and long hair on the other.
Metallica, by the way, had already performed at the old Peineta in the years of Olympic dreams, when the parents of Lamine Yamal hadn't even met. It could be said that the band knows the neighborhoods of Madrid just as well or even better than many municipal politicians: they debuted at the now-defunct Pabellón del Real Madrid (Begoña) and then played at the Palacio de los Deportes de la Comunidad (Goya), the pavilion at Casa de Campo, the Rayo stadium (Vallecas), and the Ifema esplanade (Valdebebas). Now that it seems that the City of Sports will be built in San Blas-Canillejas, it remains to be seen how high the waves of the artificial beach will reach with such a blast of decibels.
The final surge was gut-wrenching. Do you smell that, son? No, it's not napalm. It's the trail of fuel and charred skin left behind by Metallica after performing 'Battery' and 'Fuel'. By then, the crowd surrounding the donut-shaped stage in the center of the stadium had compacted a bit after presenting a significant gap at the field level in the prelude. With 'Seek & Destroy', about twenty beach balls rained down to entertain the audience.
And what can we say about 'Master of Puppets'? Well, it would have made even Demogorgon hide under the bed. It was an apoteosic closure for this kind of first leg match of Metallica in Madrid.
The return leg next Sunday will coincide with the Euro final, which could cause a syncope for the metalhead-football fans, who exist. In any case, there is a formula that can try to satisfy everyone. The Killers momentarily stopped their performance at the London O2 last Wednesday so that the audience could watch the final moments of the Netherlands-England match. With the referee's whistle, they resumed the performance and celebrated the British qualification in style.
It would be fair for the culmination of a double summer night projected with Hetfield's cavernous voice, Ulrich's bulging biceps, Hammett's stratospheric fingering, and Trillo's convulsions to arrive right where the current Captain General Rodri briefly ran or have as a soundtrack the wild purring of 'Inamorata'. Now that would be heavy.