germany

METALLICA – “Enter Sandman” (Remastered 2021 German CD singles – 5″ Maxi CD and 3″ Pockit-CD)

The Black Album box set is coming! Batten down your wallet because it looks absolutely incredible. Yet on the 14 CDs and 6 DVDs, you won’t find the specific live tracks released only in Germany on the new set of “Enter Sandman” CD singles. (There is also a glow-in-the-dark vinyl single, but it is missing the live tracks.) All the discs maintain the style and design of Metallica’s original 1991-1992 singles. This is an appetiser for what is to come, including two of the newly remastered Metallica tracks. Proceeds went to German charity.

“Enter Sandman” and “Sad But True” are the two remastered studio cuts included. The remastering sounds good and the tracks are not brickwalled. Fans will be pleased to know that Metallica opted out of the Loudness Wars this time. Good thumping bass, nice and prominent. Crisp, clear, and loud enough. “Sad But True” is really punchy.

The live tracks are all taken from Frankfurt or Stuttgart, shows not included in the box set. The 5″ Maxi-CD and 3″ Pockit-CD each contain two exclusives. Just like in the days of old, you have to buy both formats to get all the tracks.

“Through the Never” is one of the thrashiest songs from the Black era, and the very dry recording here is evidence of non-tampering. Tasty wah-wah from Kirk Hammett. “Damage, Inc.” brings thrash the old school way, Metallica as frantic as ever, barely holding it all together, but making the heads bang no matter what. By the end it’s a total steamroller.

The teeny little 3″ CD is no less mighty. “Of Wolf and Man” is choppy and heavy. Hunting relentlessly like the titular wolf, Metallica are out for blood. What’s really wild is the long jammy section at the end which contains a surprise. Finally the Budgie cover of “Breadfan” ends the whole series of tracks with an explosive go-for-the-throat attitude. Sloppy but foot on the gas the whole way.

What’s better than a wicked set of Metallica CD singles, including a 3″? What could beat that? How about if both discs were pressed in black plastic? Would that do anything for ya? These limited singles are sure to be collectible for their exclusive tracks and unique traits. Try the German Amazon site for international shipping. Contrary to a report in Bravewords, these singles do ship worldwide.

4/5 stars

AC/DC – Live at River Plate (2012 Sony Music Germany edition with three bonus tracks)

Time moves agonizingly slow in AC/DC Land. Witness the nine years between Stiff Upper Lip and the band’s latest studio album Black Ice. Even more astonishing is the fact that Live at River Plate is AC/DC’s first live album in 20 years! Granted, only three studio albums came between AC/DC Live and this record. Still, most bands of AC/DC’s ilk tend to release live albums as if it’s an annual occasion.

I’ll give AC/DC credit for something: value. Of Live at River Plate‘s 22 tracks, only 12 were on the last live album. Live at River Plate is a lot more Bon-heavy. It also draws several tracks from Black Ice itself, which is nice, but you get the feeling that these were the “let’s go take a piss” songs in concert.

“We don’t speak very good Spanish,” says Brian, “but we speak Rock and Roll pretty good! Let’s go!” Then the band tear into the golden oldie, “Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be”, which last time, was relegated to B-side status, on the 1992 live “Highway to Hell” single. Brian Johnson’s voice is noticeably more whispery. This is inevitable, singing this kind of music. Considering this, it’s astonishing to hear Brian as ferocious as ever on “Let There Be Rock”. How the man still has a voice after all these years is a mystery to science.

Hit after hit with new tracks mixed in, AC/DC roll ’em out: “Black in Black”, “Dirty Deeds”, “Thunderstruck”, “Hells Bells”, “The Jack” along with newbies like “Black Ice”. Meanwhile, Angus struts out his unmistakable guitar glee in extended solos and trade-offs with Brian. The most exciting thing about AC/DC on stage remains Angus Young. Even without the visuals of the shorts and the stomping, Angus continues to entrance, just doing what he does and making it all sound easy.

Disc 2 is just as heavy on the hits: “You Shook Me All Night Long”, “Rosie”, “T.N.T.”, “Highway”, “For Those About to Rock”. “War Machine” from Black Ice gives the audience a chance to get a beer, even though it’s as menacingly good as classics like “The Razors Edge”.

One thing that hasn’t been highly publicized is that the German edition of this album includes three bonus tracks. These bonus tracks are real treats, of the underplayed AC/DC variety! All three are taken from the Live at Circus Krone DVD, which was only available with the massive AC/DC Backtracks box set. Sweet.

Everybody loves “Rock ‘N’ Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution”, and it’s still as entertaining as ever, if a little less energetic. “If You Want Blood” is another favourite, from the Bon era. Bon used to sing this one at maximum lung power, but Bon was a 33 year old man. Brian was 55 when he sang this. I’m glad for its inclusion, as it’s still a high voltage head banger. But the real treat is “What’s Next to the Moon”, an oldie from Powerage that isn’t on any AC/DC live album except this German edition. And it prowls like a wolf, with teeth.

Live at River Plate was released in three colours (red, yellow, blue) in North America, but I don’t know about this German edition. The only pictures I’ve seen of it were red, like mine.

The single from this album was the Record Store Day 2011 exclusive “Shoot to Thrill” / “War Machine”. I don’t have anything in particular to say about the single, except it sure took them long enough to put out a full live album!

4/5 stars