Metallica & San Francisco Symphonic Orchestra

The Profile

Metallica is an American heavy metal band formed in 1981. The San Francisco Symphony is a major American orchestra founded in 1911. The two collaborated in 1999 on the live album and DVD S & M, conducted by Michael Kamen.

Symphony & Metallica (S & M) is a 1999 live album and DVD documenting Metallica's performances with the San Francisco Symphony, conducted and arranged in part by Michael Kamen. The S & M recordings were made in April 1999 and released in 1999.

The lone DeBaser review praises Metallica's 1999 S&M project with the San Francisco Symphony and conductor Michael Kamen, highlighting successful symphonic arrangements on tracks like No Leaf Clover and Master of Puppets. The reviewer notes the band's versatility beyond strict metal orthodoxy. Some tracks (notably One) are judged less successful in orchestral adaptation. Overall the review frames S&M as a historically significant and well-executed crossover.