"Songs that even Metallica rarely plays Live"

10 Songs That Even Metallica Rarely Plays Live

If you’re a die-hard Metallica fan, you know the feeling. You’re standing in a surging crowd, the lights dim, and the opening chords of Enter Sandman or Master of Puppets roar through the speakers. It’s incredible, of course, but secretly you’re hoping for that one obscure gem. That deep cut from Load, Garage Inc., or even Master of Puppets that hasn't seen the light of day in decades.

Unfortunately, even the Kings of Thrash leave some of their best tracks to gather dust in the vault. But luckily, there’s a solution. As the premier Metallica tribute band of the moment, we do things a bit differently. Where a standard Metallica cover band sticks safely to the well-known radio hits, we dive deep into the catalog.

Our defining factor?
We play the songs that other tribute bands and Metallica themselves (almost) never play live anymore.
Here are 10 legendary Metallica tracks you almost never hear live—unless you come to a MetallicX show.

1. Dyers Eve (...And Justice for All)
The closing track of ...And Justice for All is a technical masterpiece, infamous for its blistering pace and merciless double-bass drumming. It probably gives Lars Ulrich cramps just thinking about it, which is likely why Metallica rarely dares to bring this track to the stage.

2. The Frayed Ends of Sanity (...And Justice for All)
Featuring that iconic chant intro ("Oh-ee-oh, oh-oh..."), this one is a massive fan favorite. Yet, it took until 2014 for Metallica to ever play the song live in its entirety during their 'By Request' tour. Since then, it has unfortunately vanished right back into the vault.

3. Fixxxer (Reload)
The emotional and heavy-as-lead closing track of Reload was the ultimate holy grail for fans for decades. Metallica played it for the very first (and so far, last) time in 2021 during their 40th-anniversary shows. It's a bold, brilliant track that deserves way more love.

4. To Live Is to Die (...And Justice for All)
This largely instrumental tribute to the late, great bassist Cliff Burton is pure goosebumps. Because it is such an emotional and complex piece, Metallica has only performed it live a handful of times.

5. Bleeding Me (Load)
An epic, bluesy masterpiece where James Hetfield truly pours his soul out. While it stands as one of the absolute highlights of the Load era, you unfortunately rarely hear this track echoing across major festival grounds nowadays.

6. Where the Wild Things Are (Reload)
One of the most unique and psychedelic tracks Metallica ever recorded (co-written by Jason Newsted). Metallica has never played this song live. If you ask us, that's a massive missed opportunity!

7. Eye of the Beholder (...And Justice for All)
Due to its complex time signatures and a vocal line that James found uncomfortable to deliver live, this song hasn't been played in full by the band since 1989 (!). It's a shame, because that opening riff is undeniably heavy.

8. The Outlaw Torn (Load)
Much like Bleeding Me, this track is an emotional rollercoaster and a major favorite among hardcore fans. The mesmerizing outro is practically built for a roaring live performance, yet it remains noticeably absent from the band's standard setlists.

9. Sweet Amber (St. Anger)
St. Anger is a heavily debated album, but it absolutely harbors a few hidden gems with fantastic riffs. Sweet Amber was played live just once in 2004 and has never been touched by the band since.

10. Escape (Ride the Lightning)
It’s an open secret that James Hetfield dislikes this song (as the band was forced by the record label to write a 'radio-friendly' track at the time). Metallica only played it live for the first time in 2012, purely because they were performing the entire Ride the Lightning album from front to back.

Why MetallicX is the Ultimate Metallica Tribute in the Netherlands

When you are looking for the definitive Metallica tribute Nederland (or beyond), you don't just want to hear the hits. You want to feel the energy, the passion, and the musical challenge of a band that truly lives and breathes the entire discography. MetallicX is not just your average Metallica tribute band. We are here for the fans who can dream Master of Puppets, but whose adrenaline truly spikes when those unexpected deep cuts kick in. We fill the gap that Metallica leaves behind.

Curious to find out which obscure tracks and heavy classics we are bringing to a stage near you soon?
Keep an eye on our tour dates or book MetallicX for your festival or venue!

> Check out our upcoming shows