Fantastic reaction as a tribute to Cliff Burton. Thanks Doug.

Been listening to Metallica for about 30 years and the middle of this song still gets me every time.

9:35 that isn’t a violin, that is actually an electric guitar using a technique called a volume swell. where you use vibrato to let a note ring out then turn your volume on a bit. it gives that fade in and out feel as if it were a violin.

James and Kirk’s harmonised volume swells were so beautiful that an actual classical composer thought they were strings.

"To Live is to Die" is a masterpiece, and further demonstrates why Metallica is so much more than a simple thrash metal, but really conquered the summa bonum of metal

It's nice to know that Mikael Akerfeld from Opeth once played the clean riff from the middle section at a concert and then told the audience: "if it wasn't for that lick, Opeth wouldn't be around".

Everyone talks about the beautiful clean interlude, but no one mentions how powerful/breaking is the harmony before and how it kicks in at 8:34. Those guitars are crying, man.

"They're in E minor" - That's how you know it's Metallica. Loved the reaction to the beginning of the interlude. More than 30 years later, it still gives me goosebumps.

It's a masterpiece. I heard this at 17. I had just lost my mother and father to tragedy. This was one of the songs that helped me through it.

The thing is, To live is to Die fades out with this really calming acoustic guitar and it makes you feel all is well but then the album goes right into Dyers Eve which scares the hell out of you. Which it should. You have to listen to the two songs back to back on your own time, it’s great.

There is something magical when James rips out a solo

That interlude arpeggio is the most melancholic melody ever. Play this when you feel like shit and it talks to you, shows empathy to your emotions. As the great Jose Feliciano said, “she just listens to me, her music means more to me from any other woman I had known.”

The ending really needs to be heard in the context of the album where Dyer’s Eve just takes over abruptly (and intensely). Yeah you’re right in noticing that.

James Hetfield wrote some of the most beautifully composed music to ever be played.

Metallicas MOST underrated album. I can’t get enough, start to finish.

I know Orion is the shit and Call of Kutulu is haunting but this has always been my favorite instrumental. I always felt it was working the stages of grief. The intro to me always resembled the moments after the news broke of a tragedy....the processing of info, the calm sorrow....then the anger rises, the feeling of betrayal by life, by love, by stealing of your brother in his prime. Then the middle part hits, the lachrimose, the rending of all happiness as the brain finally comprehends that he is gone, it is not a cruel joke someone played, but a bitter reality that left burning gall in the back of the throat. When a man lies, he murders some part of the world,. These are the pale deaths which men miscall there lives, all this I cannot bear to witness any longer, cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home. R.I.P. Cliff

That song is a masterpiece, and going straight into “Dyers Eve” which is a great album closer!!!

“Cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home”-the final lyric-is Cliff’s epitaph.

I never understood why this song made me want to cry until I learned the context of its creation. All the stages of grief encapsulated in it, it all made sense then.

When a song manage to get you emotional without words, it ascends into music Olympus

They literally lost a brother the story kirk tolled of him hearing james yelling and crying outside the hotel at night drunk "cliff where are you cliff" and that making kirk breakdown is one of the most heart wrenching story's I've ever heard.

The slow intro, written in a Spanish style,repeats like an infinite memory - over and over again... The heavier part: A symbol for the loss and aggressions they felt. Solo #1: Kirk's feelings can be heard in every string he hits. The slow part: The slow part which sounds very silent is now including more harmonies - acceptance of the loss and the will to carry on... Solo #2: It is a kind of a laid back and more harmonized solo - It's representing how deep the death of Cliff Burton has touched them. The heavy part again: They tribute Cliff in doing what Cliff would want from them: To carry on with the music. The outro: Exactly the same as the intro - symbolizing that the song (the memory on Cliff) won't ever have an end. The last riff is cut which is symbolizing Cliff's life - cut short at such a young age.

And Justice for All is the best metal album of all time IMO. There's not a bad song on that album. And To Live is to Die is an absolute musical masterpiece.

Who grew up just staring at the album cover from front to back when you listening to awesome music and let your mind take away?

This song honestly might be the most underrated masterpiece in modern music history. It transcends genre and time, and evokes the rawest of emotions in the most epic, yet accessible of ways. At the very least it’s the greatest tragic song I’ve ever heard.

Part of Metallica’s “magic” is the song sequencing on each album. This blasts straight into Dyer’s Eve and you get to hear pure anger from James. Powerful stuff my friend.

James’ solo is giving me goosebumps every time I listen to it. Been listening to ‘tallica for 35 years. And still. This song is a songwriting masterpeice.

What it is, is a musical masterpiece that portrays the peace, anger, pain and ultimately the resolution of losing a much loved one. Genius.

Metallica has 1 more true instrumental called “Suicide And Redemption” if you’re interested in capping off the 4 Metallica instrumentals. It even features a solo by James just like this one which is rare! Great tune!

The death of my wife at a fatal car crash was very much a shock too. This song encapsulates many of those same feelings that I have now, about a month after the incident. These songs I would listen as a teenager and young adult, come back to me with whole new meanings.

I remember the first time I heard that middle section around the 4:29 mark (is the song not this video) as an emotionally fueled teenager it actually made me cry. One of my favorite quotes by James Hetfield “it means a lot to me that my darkness can connect with your darkness, and make it ok”

Cliff Burton is the main reason I started playing guitar, when I first heard anesthesia I thought it was electric guitar not bass and was blown away that he could create such sound as compared to Hendrix or EVH. He was definitely beyond his time as far as skill, speed and creativity. Gone too soon 😔 RIP

9:02 everybody's face, hearing that break... 😲 🤟😁 "To live is to die" is a total masterpiece,,, RIP Cliff ☦ 🎸 🎶 ☦

The Metallica instrumentals really start with Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth) from Kill'em all. It is pure Cliff.

I love watching this guy discover the power in metallica. You can just see it in his eyes and face.

One of the most forgotten songs by them. When i was 13 I wore this out in the cassette player. Lol

This song is so special. You can really feel the sadness, anger, and lament they felt at his death. He was a very special musician, and I’m guessing an amazing friend and band mate. I can only speculate, but you really can’t write such amazing, emotionally connected music unless that person was pretty damn special. This song really hits me in the feels when I listen to it. I’m glad you like and appreciate their music! And this arguably one of their best ❤️

this song really tells a story of pain, suffering and sadness. it starts off with the clean guitars kind of like he said just everything is as it should be, then out of nowhere everything changes. then around the end of the solo i notice it feels like trying to fight off the sadness and keep the rage and anger alive to keep from being sad but as the second part of clean guitars comes in, that’s when the wall falls. that’s when everything comes caving in and sadness emerges. but it got back up and ended as it started. learning to get through the grief and go on as things were.

Hands down the best song by Metallica. So many feels. This is a masterpiece.

Beautiful And Justice for All is my favorite Metallica album. Very underrated.

No violins...it's a guitar swell. You hit the note with the volume low and turn it up to get the swell sound. This song hits me every time. RIP Cliff.♥️

“That must go in to the next song” - and it does. UUUGHH how it does. It allways blows my mind \m/ It is like 2 songs in one for me.

That cut to the classical in the middle brings me to fricken tears every time.

James' solo in the middle is, in my humble opinion, pretty much the best (in terms of emotiveness) solo ever.

Great example of heavy use of guitar harmonies throughout the song, it's something that Cliff introduced to the band when he joined. And damn that china sounds so musical compared to later years of Lars' recordings.

I love how primal and simple the main riff is, it just feels like raw emotion. Edit: is it possible you could do an analysis of pantera’s cemetery gates? It’s a beautiful ballad with some great parts, I think you might enjoy listening to it.

For ove 30 years, I have said this is one of the most emotional songs ever written. Not just Metallica, but overall. And it was only 10 years ago I learned this was a tribute to Cliff. This song has brought tears to my eyes.

That classical guitar intro and outro is one of the most beautiful and sad melodies ever composed in my opinion. Been listening to Metallica since mid eighties. That very melody always touches me deeply.

for the riff that mimics violin, it's actually guitars but with a volume pedal or volume knob being cut in and off softly.

To Live is to Die has always been my favorite Metallica song. Glad you gave it a listen.

I first listening to this album when I was about 10. I didn't have any of the musical knowledge, I just coped with metal a lot through my younger years. This song just always had this profound effect on me that could just make me cry, but a healing sort of cry and I never knew why. This album was one of the only possessions I had and I remember every bit of every song. I even remember the specific drum fills for each track. Its such a strange thing that now I can watch someone else react to such an intimate thing to me personally and watch them have their version of a profound feeling to it like I did. Music is so beautiful and I feel honored that it gives me the chance to have these moments, even with strangers on the internet.

When Cliff died, I was devastated. Your interpretation of this song breathes new life into it for me. Now, I must play along on my Les Paul with it and learn

This song going directly to Dyers Eve is absolutely mesmerizing. Love AJFA.

I've been obsessed with that little throwaway chromatic bluesly riff they just casually throw in a couple of times in this song for my entire life. THIS song, along with "Orion," out of all of them, is the distilled, concentrated essence of What "Metallica" Is. And thank you for being able to understand the music just by listening to it.

My favorite Metallica song. I remember the first time I heard that melodic breakdown in the middle, I felt like my whole life was being summed up in that 10 seconds lol. So cool to see someone with musical knowledge talk about this song.

You have to do Dyer's Eve next. Those are the rules.

The “strings” are a guitar technic called "violoning".

I like how you comment in the moment. Many will stop the track and talk, which often is my cue to move on. I love your appreciation and open-mindedness to "music".

0:00 Humble Beginnings 0:55 The Rise in Fame 4:29 The Death 4:56 The News Spreads/Quiet Morning 5:51 The Mourning/When Tears are Shed 6:46 The Anger/Doubt/Acceptance 7:30 The Continuation 9:05 Humble Endings

The “strings” are guitars (bass actually*) where you turn up the volume on each note by hand after the note is plucked.

Those strings are actually guitars, faded in (probably with volume knob or pedal)

To me instrumentals, especially long instrumentals, can get very boring very fast, but the tracks from Metallica's first four are phenomenal, and this one is the king. My God the way it just drops out right in the middle of the song is just magic.

As one of those who commented on that video (and Orion's as well) suggesting this song, thank you, thank you very much indeed. I'm not into "reaction videos", but somehow a while ago KZfaq suggested me your channel and, well, it's not the same when the guy (that's you) talking knows what's he's talking about. Thank you. As a MetallicA fan, I have to say there's one instrumental left most people forget about and that's "Suicide & Redemption" from "Death Magnetic" back in 2008. All I can say without spoiling it for you is that it's a totally different animal (it's 20 years after the song in this video, even a few years more since "Orion" and "Ktulu") and I think you would need more letters than a, b and c to tell its sections apart. Again, it has nothing to do with this "classical trio" of instrumentals but it is, to me, an unexpected gem, as it's their only instrumental for the last 33 years. Again, thank you.

I shed some tears watching your reaction. You legitimately pin point every single aspect of the song. You got the whole thing. Wow

although I've never been a fan of this track as a whole, that middle section is the most beautiful piece of music the band has done. Just audible bliss. Wish there was more like it. In saying that, the rarity is what makes it stand out.

The bridge section to this track is so good words fail me. It's one of the reasons i play music and its one of the few pieces that still raise the hair on my neck after 30+ years. As good or better than any classical piece ever written in the history of ever.

I found this channel yesterday, and I've been bingeing. This is like a music appreciation masterclass.

One of the most underrated songs of Metallica

I love the return to the intro for the outro . What really makes it effective is the guitar is now playing alone, whereas the intro had drums and guitar. It really sells the isolation and loneliness of grieving.

This is the first video of yours that I am seeing. You are a lovely man. Your genuine enthusiasm and your expressions coupled with your descriptive notes it's a sweet package that takes us on a journey.

I love how you work to interpret the context and look for the message and the emotion delivered by every key in the song

Great tribute to the great cliff. Thank you a lot man, really appreciated. Now it only remains the Kill 'Em All instrumental "Anesthesia (pulling teeth)" from Cliff. I think you could also appreciate "the outlaw torn"

Oddly, this is actually my favorite track on Justice.

9:01 This part gives me chills every time. Such an amazing range of emotions conveyed just through the music. Love your analyses btw! Great channel!

Great!! This is one of my favorite songs by Metallica. It's emotional... like you said. Thank you for including it in your channel!!

This song is an amazing tribute to Cliff. One other instrumental that gets overlooked a lot is Suicide and Redemption from Death Magnetic, it is structured similarly to this song.

"Suicide and redemption" is their latest instrumental so far.

I love your perspective. Makes me feel like I listen to metal correctly. I've always listened beyond the head banging and appreciated the musicianship.

You're explanations to the flow of music is why I like your reaction videos. I never thought about how the flow of the music is a reflection of what the guys where going through. On tour having fun, to the abrupt change during the accident, to the slow grieving process, then back to the tour life. Makes me appreciate MetallicA's music even more. Thank you! 🤘

The ending was abrupt but it doesn't segue into the next song. It's supposed to end completely abruptly, likely as a metaphor for Cliff's life ending too quickly. The next song is Dyer's Eve and it completely interrupts the flow on purpose.

"Cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home." - Makes my hairs stand on end everytime.

I’ve got to say that I’ve heard this song over a thousand times in the past 30 plus years, and your interpretation of what it means hit me in the feels tonight. Thank you.

DIscovered this channel today, damn I loved your reaction. It's amazing how this song shows exactly the 5 steps of grief the band went through after Cliff's passing!

Mikael Åkerfeldt has once said that without this song there wouldn’t be opeth =)

Omggg i clicked the second I saw the notification. This is my all time favourite Metallica song! The gentle section in the middle never fails to give me goosebumps. I'd only consider myself an average Metallica fan but this is their masterpiece in my opinion. Your videos really are a treat, Doug! Edit: The original mix is more brittle sounding, similar to that you weren't so keen on in your Blackened reaction video. This 2018 mix i would argue is more thunderous but less harsh to the ears. The only thing i do prefer about the original mix is that the ending during the soft acoustic reprise cuts off completely abruptly to silence out of nowhere, rather than a rapid fade out and it really makes you say "Woah!".

Your reaction made me think about this song in a deeper way than ever before, especially how Cliff's passing effected the band. Thank you so much for this, liked and subbed!

I absolutely love this song. Always been one of my favorite songs by Metallica. Thank you for reacting to it.

Most reactors don't do their homework before hand . . You clearly do. Best reactor out there . . Thank you. \m/😎\m/

1. The slow introduction: it symbolizes the feeling of aggression and loss that the band suffers due to their loss. 2. Solo #1: represents the whole feeling of anger of Kirk Hammett. 3. The interlude (slow part of the intro): it represents the acceptance of the loss of the 3 remaining members, and the going forward in their honor. 4. Solo # 2: represents how deeply the death of Cliff Burton has affected them. 5. On the return of the heavy part, they pay tribute to Cliff by reading the poem, his last composition, and continue with the tribute doing just what Cliff would have expected of them, to move forward with the music. 6. Upon reaching the end, the song returns to the classic style of the introduction, symbolizing the memory of Cliff, which will never end. The final riff is suddenly interrupted, symbolizing the end of Cliff's life, cut short by death at such a young age. P.S. thanks to the autor of this comment

Doug, you not only analyse music as a muscian, but as an overall artist that appreciates all the sides a song may have, it is wonderful. From a metal fan with respect and appreciation :)

Thank you, Doug. I have appreciated so much your reaction and your interpretation. It felt like listening to a song I love with a friend.

Saw Metallica for the first time in 1986 for Master of Puppets tour in Brussels Belgium…..haven’t stopped to adore them since!!! The middle part is really breathtaking!!!!🤟

On the album, this song segues directly into a brutal song called "Dyers Eve". It's really effective - you should check it out.

I’m so happy I found your channel Doug. One of my absolute favorites

I love how you talk about keys/chords/melodies during this, its awesome to see someone react to some of my favorite tunes and learn something along the way.

I had the rare occasion to see them play this song live. The plucked part is played by James with his wah pedal wide open and the "violin part" is played by Kirk on guitar while opening and closing the volume knobs on his guitar. It may be that in the studio version he used a volume pedal though... Anyways, thanks for your video and comments on this epic piece! It is considered as a true tribute to Cliff Burton.

I feel so sad and peaceful at the same time when I am listening to this song. Also the short poetic lyrics in the middle are so powerful. This is a masterpiece

I've been a fan of this song since 1988. Nice to see a breakdown/appreciation of it.

Even though I’ve heard this song hundreds of times, it’s fun and interesting to listen to you explain the the song structure. Great channel!

Love this tune, Newsted is incredibly underrated and of course Cliff is a legend.