When word leaked out that Lady Gaga and Metallica would be performing together at the Grammys, inquiring minds immediately wanted to know how exactly that would work. Would it be more like Lulu, where Metallica riffed beneath Lou Reed vocals? Or S&M, where the band played their classics backed by a full orchestra?

Not quite either, it turned out. Backed by fire (Fire! Fire! Heh heh) and some intensely headbanging fans, Gaga came out in full Metallica gear, dressed like a superfan. The idea was for her to duet with James Hetfield on “Moth Into Flame,” but it soon became clear that Hetfield’s mic was broken. This made it awkward at first, but thinking on his feet, the frontman made his way over to Gaga’s mic and they shared.

While her pipes solo were certainly up to the task before, their duet turned out even better. Who knew Hetfield could harmonize like that, especially with someone who sings in a much higher register?

When I was in high school, I’m certain some of my peers would have considered this performance heresy (heavy metal fans can be as purist as any other nerddom). Nowadays I imagine budding Beavises checking out Gaga as a result, and maybe having their minds blown.

In case you can’t tell, I’m a fan of both artists, so naturally I was favorably inclined. But I’m really happy they went all-out heavy rather than something as obvious as Gaga singing “Nothing Else Matters, ” which would have been excellent but easy. Check out the full performance below, via Perez Hilton:

Lady GaGa and Metallica Perform At The Grammys by videosuploaded

Can we get a whole album now? Would you buy it? Let us know below if MetalliGA should be a thing.

Image: Lady Gaga Facebook