Metallica - Live Sh*t: Binge And Purge [DVD Re-Release] (Elektra)

Metallica’s self-titled 1991 album (Also known as The Black Album) went on to become Metallica’s biggest selling album. With over fifteen million copies sold and still counting, the band spent a better part of two and a half years on the road playing anywhere and everywhere anyone was willing to see them.

In celebration, they decided to go against the grain in regards to releasing a long overdue official live recording. 1993’s Live Shit: Binge And Purge box set was every Metallica fans dream. The three complete Metallica shows showed the band at various stages, with the first being the triple CD set recorded during their five-night stint in Mexico City in February 1993. The videos were recorded from separate tours. One was shot in San Diego during the "Wherever I May Roam" tour of 1992, while the other was shot in Seattle during the "…And Justice For All" tour in 1989. If the eight hours of music wasn’t enough, they also included a lavish seventy two-page book, a Scary Guy stencil and a snake pit backstage pass, all packaged in a stunning miniature road case!

So with sales close to a million, and the acceptance of DVD, Metallica have decided the time is right to re-release the mammoth set. The packaging has been given a revamp, with all five discs now squeezed into a double CD pack. The road case has also been reduced in size, and as much as I hate to say it, doesn’t quite look the part like the old road case did.

Inside the double CD pack, we’re given the triple audio CDs recorded at Mexico City, and the two new DVDs. Unlike the old box set, the San Diego show has now been placed on the one DVD as opposed to the two video set. The DVDs in general have the expected clarity over the video versions, and stand up well over time. But the one disappointing aspect is the sound. The fact that it’s still only mixed in 2 channel stereo and not D.T.S. or Dolby 5.1 format is a sore point considering it’s pretty much the standard these days.

The snake pit pass and the Scary Guy stencil are still included (Around the size of a CD cover), but the seventy-two page book (Along with hundreds of photographs and screensavers) is only accessible on DVD 2 through a DVD-ROM on your computer. Sure, it will become standard in time to come, but it does beg why it isn’t included as an extra on the menu so you could view it through your normal DVD player! After all, they do offer to display the lyrics through the menu! And the final insult has to go with the now censored title. I shall say no more.

Live Sh*t: Binge And Purge is still a colossal collection of classic Metallica live shows, and is still value for money, regardless of whether you own the video set or not. I only wish a little more thought had gone into its re-release.

metallica.com

By: Justin Donnelly