Masters of the moshing masses Metallica first foray into feature filmmaking is a riff roaring yet convoluted mess of narrative blending with music in Through the Never.

Metallica are a band who has tried their hardest to distance themselves from their heavy metal peers. Whether it be joining forces with a sympathy orchestra (the live “S&M” album), hiring a psychiatrist to resolve internal rifts (as seen in documentary Some Kind of Monster) or collaborating with Lou Reed (in the poorly received “Lulu”), Metallica are more than willing and (financially) able to try something new.

Problem is when the Grammy award winning heavy metal foursome step outside their comfort zone, the results are often mixed, and so it goes with Through the Never, a 3D concert movie meets post-apocalyptic thriller.

Narrative wise the movie stars Dane DeHaan as a Metallica roadie charged with a mission to find a mysterious object amongst a world gone crazy, as the metal giants play to a sell-out crowd of rabid enthusiasts oblivious that outside Hell has taken over.

It is a premise as confusingly banal in execution as it is on paper, with director Nimrod Antal unable to provide a reason why we should care about the misadventures of this supposedly mute young man, the mysterious package he has to find and the violent mob in constant pursuit.

Fortunately Antal counters with some of the best concert footage to hit the screen, shot in 3D for best consumption on IMAX screens. 30 years strong and Metallica are a band who are still astonishingly powerful on stage: front-man James Hetfield is growling, grimacing machismo with a six string; drummer Lars Ulrich a flurry of wailing arms and busy feet; lead guitarist Kirk Hammett fast fingers and a wall of wah-wah posturing; and then there is bassist Robert Truillijo who stalks the stage like a monster.

Most impressive is the visual presentation, with Metallica proving themselves as innovators of the stage show. Props and pyrotechnics share time upon a stage made up of monitors that display thematic visuals that wow in the most awesome of ways, whether it be watching a river of crimson during the Old Testament inspired “Creeping Death” or soldiers battle in war during the epic ballad-cum thrash odyssey “One”.

If Through the Never was a straight ahead concert film it would be a masterpiece of heavy metal showmanship. Yet this is a two headed beast, with one side charging forward while the other is sitting lame in a state of morose confusion. Songs are chopped up or cut short to appease the narrative elements and it’s a sacrifice that just isn’t worthy.

Metallica’s inability to be content as kings of the heavy metal universe has once again seen them shoot another hole in their once unblemished legacy. Just like collaborations with symphony orchestras and Lou Reed, their decision to enter the world of feature filmmaking seems to be one made up of ego and boredom, the kind that only multi-millionaires could suffer from and that only a multi-million dollar experiment could appease.

Losing out in the end are those fans who are willing to pay those extra dollars to see a 3D showing of Through the Never on an IMAX screen, only to leave with quizzical look of “what the hell did I just witness?” Perhaps it’s time Metallica put away their pet projects and focus on what they do best: create new music.