Metallica packs them in at Gillette Stadium

Metallica once again revved up a sellout crowd Friday night at Gillette Stadium.

Playing to a packed house, Metallica frontman James Hetfield held center stage in the house that Tom Brady built. With six Super Bowl championship banners prominently on display along the end zone of the stadium, the singer couldn’t help but marvel at where his band stood.

“For those who have come to Metallica shows in the past, you probably remember seeing balloons, but we’re going to deflate them a little this time,” said Hetfield, drawing more than a few friendly jeers from the crowd. “This coming from a Raiders fan of course.”

The good-natured jab at the GOAT was taken all in good stride by the Boston chapter of the Metallica family, however, as the grizzled quartet guided their loyal fan base through a grueling two-hour set. It was the first of a two-night stand with the outfit serving a heaping dose of heavy metal madness to the music-hungry masses.

An ambitious endeavor in both size and scope, the M72 World Tour is being billed as a no-repeat weekend. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are playing two different 15-song sets over the course of two nights, giving diehard fans a double dose of metal mayhem.

Although such a project could be an endurance test for the casual fan, the band proved up to the task compiling an impressive balance of both old and new material, spanning all eras of their lengthy and illustrious legacy, with plenty of hits and deep cuts still left in the tank for Sunday’s sendoff.

Friday’s set opened in classic old-school style, as drummer Lars Ulrich launched into the catchy cadence of “Creeping Death.” Lead guitarist Kirk Hammett provided the signature riff that launched a thousand garage bands, one that still retains its fury and fire some 40 years later.

Hetfield’s prominent howl on “Harvester of Sorrow” echoed throughout the stadium, setting an ominous tone.  A potent guitar duo, both Hammett and Hetfield provided an added crunch to “Leper Messiah,” while bassist Robert Trujillo dove into the Load-era groove of “King Nothing.”

While the headbanging hits came fast and furious, Metallica also laid into the ultra-melodic “72 Seasons,” the title track off the band’s latest release. Friday’s set featured three cuts off the new album. Newer tunes such as “If Darkness Had a Son” proved to be among the best of the batch, with the quartet working like a well-oiled machine.

Playing in the round in a football stadium setting certainly presented its challenges. Metallica was in perpetual motion shifting to various parts of the stage, including entertaining a snake pit situated in the middle of the arena.

Ulrich alternated between three different drum kits, while Hetfield strategically maneuvered his way between various microphone stands located both inside and outside the circular stage.  The band was aided by a high-tech staging rig, playing around eight large screen pillars, giving all those in attendance a birdseye view of the show no matter where they stood.

The expanded two-day set allowed the quartet to indulge in some deeper cuts in the catalog. The instrumental “Orion” off “Master of Puppets” was such an occasion.

Hetfield held his ground on the Black album-era ballad “Nothing Else Matters,” backed by Hammett’s soaring solo, before maintaining the band’s heavy hammer on “Sad But True.”

Metallica jetted to the finish line spurred on by “Fuel,” which continues to get a big pop, particularly from the younger members of the audience. They capped their epic set with a herculean one-two punch of warhorse tracks “Seek and Destroy” and “Master of Puppets,” ending on a thunderous note.

Although some signature tunes were somewhat conspicuous by their absence (“For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “One,” “Enter Sandman”), one can assume those songs and a slew of other gems will be covered Sunday night, undoubtedly whetting the appetite of headbangers everywhere that will be returning for the fist-pumping grand finale.

Opening acts Mammoth WVH and a newly reconfigured Pantera helped set the stage. Wolfgang Van Halen had a short but sweet six song set, including the anthemic closer “Don’t Back Down.”

Pantera continues to trailblaze its impressive comeback. Singer Phil Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown have gotten an added jolt with the addition of Black Label Society guitarist Zakk Wylde and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante. The pair have paid tribute to the legacy of the late great Abbott brothers, guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul, giving an added kick to signature screamers “Broken,” “Walk” and “Cowboys from Hell.”

• Creeping Death
• Harvester of Sorrow
• Leper Messiah
• King Nothing
• 72 Seasons
• If Darkness Had a Son
• Foxboro on the Run (Kirk and Rob doodle)
• The Day That Never Comes
• Shadows Follow
• Orion
• Nothing Else Matters
• Sad But True
• Hardwired
• Fuel
• Seek & Destroy
• Master of Puppets