Metallica - Some Kind Of Monster

Like most people of a rock persuasion Metallica played at least a small part in the development of my appreciation of hard rockMy flirtation with rock music came about in my characteristically stubborn way For four years as a teenager I shirked off peer pressure to listen to metal because, I liked my Prog rock and my electronica, that coupled with the fact that a lot of the music in the 1980’s and 1990’s was truly awful, either big haired glam music or the elitist dirge that was thrash metal

I was aware of Metallica, but it was too heavy for my glam mates, and at the time the only thing I had heard was Kill 'Em All… so one long and boring weekend when  I was fourteen I borrowed And Justice For All..

And that was me hooked I went and taped it then borrowed garage days off my mate for four years. And thankfully for me a new album was due out. So I waited and went out and bought all the singles in my limited edition black case thing.

Christmas came and I got the black album and listened to it to death…so much so my brother started to listened to it. . The videos on MTV were a god send and then they opened for the Freddie mercury tribute concert. They where getting played everywhere all the time. And it was great

My mate Chris (who I borrowed And Justice For All from) got ‘The Year And Half In The Life Of Metallica’ video which covered the recording of the Black album and the stadium tour.

The video was an exceptional insight into Metallica, it was witty with a huge smattering of tongue in cheek Spinal Tappness

I looked forward to the new album so five years later, I sat up to watch the Metallica video on Head Bangers Ball. 'Until It Sleeps' …in my eyes they could do no wrong but This song and the video was more akin to U2 than Metallica, this really was the end of my love affair with Metallica (on the plus side I seen Stabbing Westward for the first time).

But old habits die hard I went out and bought the new album, got my free t-shirt(I actually queued for it) but I never listened to the album, I’ve also bought the two follow ups. Reload (never listened to) and St:Anger(only listened to yesterday)

Then I got the DVD of Some Kind Of Monster, which is a documentary that follows the making of St Anger. It follows the band through initially concept the new antagonism that exists in the band the exit of Jason, group therapy sessions, Hetfields disappearance into rehab, the search for a new bass player and the Napster dispute.

The sum total of all these parts is the picture of a band on the brink, that they some how managed to pull back from and regain their place at the top of the hard rock hierarchy.

The movie is critically acclaimed and does tell a compelling story and I can appreciate that people who do not have an interest or an understanding of Metallica can find it entertaining.

The parts of the movie I find most interesting are Mustane discussing his ungracious removal from the band, Ulrich’s say on Napster and some of the therapy sessions are interesting and probing enough to give you an insight into what actually goes on in the bands head.

However I do find that some of the therapy session are a bit American and touchy feely and they occasionally grated on me (probably my Brit sensibilities)

I think to get most out of this film it should not be taken in isolation, when watched in conjunction with a year and half, where Metallica's youthful optimism to the band who knew they where on the cusp of greatness.

Now in Monster it shows them older wiser with families and business concerns, that their once youthful vices have become middle aged demons that must be overcome

It is an insight and the DVD extras are biblical and would probably take another lengthy review just to touch on them…although the extend Mustane interview is a must see for anyone who knows Metallica and Mustanes history.

Well worth the 11 quid you would spend on it