Metallica have shared footage of their headline performance in Lisbon, Portugal on the Sick Of The Studio 2007 tour.
This week's #MetallicaMondays stream is yet another treat from the band, with a hit-packed 18-song set featuring two encores and their first full cover of Diamond Head's Am I Evil? since 1998.
As drummer Lars Ulrich looks back on this headline set from Lisbon, Portugal's Super Bock Super Rock festival 13 years ago, he remembers that it was "hella fun taking a break from working on [2008 ninth album] Death Magnetic and rolling to Europe for the summer and dusting off songs like …And Justice for All and the full version of Am I Evil? for the first time since 1952". While that's not quite historically accurate, there was indeed a long period in which they didn't cover the track.
Read this: The 20 greatest Metallica songs – ranked
Though this awesome archive footage doesn't show it, Metallica naturally opened – as they have done for over three decades – with Ennio Morricone's iconic 1966 composition The Ecstasy Of Gold ahead of the performance.
The composer sadly passed away on July 6, with the band posting the following tribute on social media: “Your career was legendary, your compositions were timeless. Thank you for setting the mood for so many of our shows since 1983.”
Frontman James Hetfield added that he will “forever think of [Ennio] as part of the Metallica family”.
“The day we first played The Ecstasy Of Gold as our new intro in 1983 it was magic!” he said. “It has become a part of our blood flow, deep breathing, fist bumping, prayers and band huddle pre-show ritual ever since. I have sang that melody thousands of times to warm up my throat before hitting the stage. Thank you Ennio for pumping us up, being a big part of our inspiration, and a bonding between band, crew, and fan. I will forever think of you as part of the Metallica family.”
Speaking to Kerrang! about the influence of Ennio's work on Metallica, bassist Rob Trujillo shared: “I believe a lot of Metallica’s music is built on layers and chance and taking risks. The compositions of layered guitars; the dynamic of that ingredient is really, really cool and that’s the same thing with classical music. Ennio did it incredibly well and he’s a genius at that. I know Orion is a Metallica piece, but to me it has the beauty of an Ennio Morricone composition – the layers and the journey it takes you on, the highs and the lows.”
Watch Metallica headline Portugal's Super Bock Super Rock in 2007 below:
Check out the full setlist below:
1. Creeping Death
2. For Whom The Bell Tolls
3. Ride The Lightning
4. Disposable Heroes
5. The Unforgiven
6. …And Justice for All
7. The Memory Remains
8. The Four Horsemen
9. Orion
10. Fade To Black
11. Master Of Puppets
12. Battery
Encore:
13. Sad But True
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. One
16. Enter Sandman
Encore two:
17. Am I Evil? (Diamond Head cover – full version played for the first time since 1998)
18. Seek & Destroy
