Review: Metallica @ Adelaide Oval 05/11/25
If there was any lingering doubt that Metallica are still at the top of their game, that was put to rest with a powerhouse performance from the phenomenal four-piece, who shook Adelaide to its core.
Words & Image Tobias Handke
Metallica w/Evanescence & Suicidal Tendencies @ Adelaide Oval 05/11/25
It’s been over a decade since heavy metal behemoths Metallica performed in Australia (last here for Soundwave 2013), and while it’s understandable to think father time might be catching up to the quartet, their performance at Adelaide Oval proved there’s still bite in these old dogs.
Having dusted off the cobwebs with their opening tour performance in Perth, Metallica delivered a career spanning set that included songs from ten of the band’s 11 albums, with older longtime fans fist-pumping alongside teenage kids screaming in delight at their first-ever Metallica show.
Opening proceedings was Californian thrash legends Suicidal Tendencies. Sadly due to the Adelaide traffic, I only caught the tail end of their set. From all reports it was an energetic display from frontman Mike Muir and co, with a fairly hectic mosh pit keeping the energy flowing.
Evanescence followed and had the crowd in full voice with their gothic rock concoctions. Vocalist Amy Lee has lost none of her power, belting out fan favourites ‘Going Under’, ‘Afterlife’ and ‘Call Me When You’re Sober’ before taking to the piano for the ballad ‘Immortal’. Evanescence ended with their hit song ‘Bring Me To Life’, which the whole crowd joined in for a mass sing-along of the anthemic chorus.
AC/DC’s ‘Long Way To The Top’ blared out of the speakers as a video montage of Metallica over the years played on the big screens. This was followed by Ennio Morricone’s ‘Ecstasy of Gold’, which opens every Metallica show, complete with footage from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Metallica appeared on stage as the first notes of ‘Creeping Death’ reverberated around Adelaide Oval, with the audience losing their collective shit. Bathed in red light, Metallica wasted no time reminding everyone why they continue to sell out stadiums around the world, with their crunching riffs, Lars Ulrich’s punishing drumming and frontman James Hetfield’s iconic scream no doubt disturbing the bats in the nearby Botanic Gardens.
‘For Whom the Bells Toll’ followed, setting the scene for two hours of hard-hitting rock from a bunch of guys nearing retirement age. Not that you could tell, with each member of Metallica giving their all and turning Adelaide Oval into a swaying mosh of sweaty bodies and flaying limbs.
The Black Album (‘Enter Sandman’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’ and ‘Sad But True’) and Ride the Lightning (‘Creeping Death’, ‘Fade to Black’ and ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’) dominated the setlist, with Re-Load favourite ‘Fuel’ sending bursts of flames into the sky while …And Justice For All’s ‘One’ replicated the horrors of war on stage with an expoosive pyrtoenchis display and animated footage of World War II battlefields.
Guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo got the spotlight for a brief moment when Hetfield and Ulrich left the stage, geeing up the crowd with instrumental versions of INXS’ ‘Need You Tonight’ and The Angels’ ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’, with the audience supplying the “No way, get fucked, fuck off.”
As expected, Metallica played a couple of tracks from their most recent albums, 72 Seasons and Hardwired… to Self-Destruct, with ‘Lux Æterna’ getting a surprisingly positive reception and ‘Moth Into Flames’ turning the stage into the Vegas strip with bright neon visuals.
Metallica ended their epic performance with their most well-known track, ‘Enter Sandman’, as fireworks lit up the Adelaide skyline.
They came, they saw, they conquered. Metallica put on a show for the ages and left everyone in attendance hoping it’s not another 12 years before they return.
