Bands Performing with Orchestras

Over the years, hard rock/metal bands have performed live with a full symphony orchestra backing them, with mixed results.

Who did it the best? Who was bad? And who's performance was just pointless?

Is this a trend you would like to see continue? If so, who would you like to see perform with an orchestra?

Or is it simply too much?

Rage is one of the best bands to ever use the orchestra on a metal CD. I even think Metallica did it well on S&M. I hated, however, that they got so much credit for being "the first metal band to ever release an orchestral metal album." Pffft!

Doro did a fantastic job. hers was probably my fave.

Well I thought Metallica's one was horrendous. Just complete garbage all around.

I thought the Scorpions one was interesting and had some cool moments.

This is not something I would like to see continue. Its all pointless to me!

Lurideath wrote:

This is not something I would like to see continue. Its all pointless to me!

I agree to this. I don’t like such albums and I don’t buy them. The only one of such releases that I bought many years ago was the LP Concerto For Group And Orchestra from Deep Purple.

I thought the Rage CD was fantastic, great choice of songs. But I think that CD showed that you just can't get a very tight sound with a full orchestra. After that they started using the "Lingua Mortis" orchestra or whatever, which was either a smaller chamber orchestra, or probabley sythesized. Anybody know?

Lurideath wrote:

This is not something I would like to see continue. Its all pointless to me!

yeah that's my general feeling on the subject. i see it as a trend, much like acoustic albums, & albums of cover songs.

there are of course a few exceptions though.

Rage was great IMO.

I liked the Metallica disc. Sure, it wasn't great, but it has it's moments.

I like the Kiss Symphony discs quite a bit. I think the only thing that really held it back was that Ace wasn't a part of the show. Otherwise, the recording is great and the song with the orchestra are fantastic. Many of those old "Destroyer" songs lend themselves well to this format.

I've yet to hear the Scorpions.

Aerosmith did an incredible version of "Dream On" with an orchestra.

Of course, Deep Purple were probably one of the first bands to do this back in the 1970's.

Rage's "XIII" disc was my introduction to that band, and to this day I think it's the best example of mixing metal with an orchestra.

Like Eyesore said, I was a little annoyed when Metallica started getting all the credit for coming up with the "Orchestral Metal" idea, when those of us "in the know" were well aware that Rage were doing it before them, and better.

Besides, Rage's symphonic stuff was all original material, whereas Metallica's S&M album was all "covers" of their own stuff with the orchestra added.

I have had very little exposure to bands doing this sort of thing, but from the little I've heard, I can honestly say it doesn't do anything for me. I thought the Aerosmith "Dream On" version was kinda cool, but I hated the Metallica album. It seemed pointless. Metallica as a four-piece band is very powerful. A full symphony orchestra is also very powerful. Put the 2 together and it's just a mess.

By the way, I was watching VH1 Classic Albums Deep Purple's "Machine Head" and they talked about their orchestral album, which got me thinking about this topic.

I liked what Believer did.

I also generally really like violin and cello, and would not mind hearing them incorporated any time a band can pull it off without going all goth or st00pid.

ack

I looked at the credits on Rage "Ghosts", which says on the sticker "with Lingua Mortis Orchestra sounds". But there are only keyboards, synths, listed on the credits. As I said the Rage with Prague orchestra was excellent, but the sound is boomy, echoey, and somewhat ponderous despite the quality of the material. I think it's best to do as many bands have done, just use a small array of classical instruments in studio and get the tighter sound. And yeah, it did tick me off too to see Metallica get so much pub for doing the orchestral, when I knew Rage had already done it and done it better.

I forgot all about Aerosmith's Dream On orchestrated version. That was a great song. And even though I DESPISE GnR... the November Rain orchestrations were pretty cool.

I think these bands are trying for a new demographic - possibly trying to squeeze dollars from the 45-65 yr olds.

I'm kidding of course, but I can't stand any of that stuff. It's
not metal and it never will be. I am completely content with
guitar/bass/drums/vox and will continue to be closed-minded about
it. With that said, I did listen to Doro - Classic Diamonds a few
days ago, and she does a killer job! Really enjoyed her version
of "Breakin' the Law".

I like what Believer did with the Orchestration,but for the most part I dont care much for it.

well.... the only one i can think of is the one that metallica did.

it is a goood album but i only feel the pre and after black album material works with the orchestra very well