Masters of Metal, Metallica have released nine records over two decades, cementing them as one of the big four metal bands. In that time, they have released their classic and most popular singles that helped make them one of the biggest well know metal acts today, and with each single comes a video to do the song ‘justice’! Let's take a look at some of the best visual offerings that you might have somehow forgotten and look at why they are so awesome.
So here are six examples of Metallica at their finest and strangest:
The Unforgiven
Released in 1991, this was their third official video. This is one of their most epic and intense. It has a classic and serious feel to it too, being all in black and white too. The theme is about a boy born in captivity, and as the video progresses, he turns into an old man...and no, this isn't a pun about the theatrical cut being 11 and a half minutes long! The unfortunate character featured spends his life carving into stone to create a window whilst always grasping his prized possession in his withered hand, a locket. This is thought-provoking and sorrowful portrayal of the struggle with life. The powerful imagery fits the immense song.
I Disappear
The video premiered in 2000 and was filmed in Monument Valley, Arizona, on the cliffs. The song itself was for the movie soundtrack, Mission: Impossible II. So they created a heart-pumping adventurous video to go with the theme, which depicts the members in scenes that reference the film! Such as jumping through buildings and planes, fast driving, explosions and aggressive pushing through crowds! The Chevrolet Camaro James Hetfield drives in the video was gifted to him after filming (I bet he was told after filming, as he wouldn't have driven like a maniac otherwise!). This was the last video to feature bassist Jason Newsted, so a bit of Metallica history for you!
Until It Sleeps
This was the first video from 2006's Load album. It has a dark and eerie feel, being very surreal and mad, by portraying concepts from various paintings by Hieronymus Bosch. Apart from the general forms inspired by Bosch's paintings, like the integral human-eating monster from The Garden Of Earthly Delights, the fall of Adam and Even from Haywain and Christ in the Crucifige Eum scene of Ecce Homo...bet you didn't know there was actual logical sense and meaning behind all this weird activity! As you can imagine, with such concepts, there is some powerful imagery and perhaps controversial scenes to go with it, making for compelling and slightly uncomfortable viewing!
Memory Remains
This is the first song from 1997's Reload. It portrays an almost dream-like state, using an anti-gravity concept, where the band perform on a suspended moving platform. To make it even stranger, Marianne Faithfull sings in a dark corridor and plays the organ loudly. The video reportedly cost $400,000 to film, with the large platform costing around $100,000. Who would have thought this simple idea and a platform that stayed stationary the whole time, along with the band, would be so costly?! Still, it makes for some interesting, if not bizarre, visuals! Priceless!
All Nightmare Long
This was unleashed in 2008 and is perhaps their strangest video to date! It actually doesn't feature the band and takes us to some weird alternate history done in a sketchy documentary style, depicting a series of fictional events following the 1908 historic Tunguska Event, where Soviet scientists discover strange organisms...they also reanimate dead tissue, leading to a small zombie apocalypse before seeking help from military forces! Come on, in this zombie-obsessed day in age, who wouldn't want to watch that?!
No Leaf Clover
This is the eighth song on the live album S&M featuring the San Franciso Symphony. Although it's a fairly straightforward video, this is ultimate Metallica, living it large and seeping with style, proving just how incredible they are most grandly. Only a few bands can pull off metal and orchestra collaborations! The song carries the video and mighty performance, ending in a dramatic crescendo captured wonderfully in the settings and backdrop of the live performance.
What is your favourite Metallica video?! Leave you comments below.
Like this list? Want some more, feel free to hit me up with suggestions of other bands to feature!
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