Metallica recently took the stage at the Download Festival on June 8 and 10, offering two distinct performances as part of their innovative “No Repeat Weekend” tour, which features two different setlists over two nights in the same venue.
During the first night, the band played a captivating blend of crowd-favorites such as “Creeping Death,” “Orion,” and “Blackened,” complemented by popular tracks like “Nothing Else Matters” and “Sad But True.”
The second night, however, sparked a debate, primarily about their rendition of the 1988 hit “One,” with concerns raised about Lars Ulrich‘s drumming precision.
Music Radar pointed out a significant discrepancy between the official audio of the song’s bridge, available on the band’s YouTube channel, and fan-recorded video clips from the show.
The apparent difference indicates that Lars‘ drumming may have been adjusted before the official release due to clear inaccuracies in the live show.
Supporters of Ulrich on YouTube attributed the mismatch to a faulty microphone on his left bass drum, although this cannot account for the inconsistent rhythm noted in videos recorded by fans.
Sven “Sven Spandex” Smith from Dirty Rose shared his views on the contrasting audios, labeling the official version as “completely faked.”
For a side-by-side comparison, you can listen to the official audio release of “One” at Download and the fan-recorded clips available below.