Metallica’s next album won’t take 8 years

By Martin Kielty
( Metal Hammer )
last updated

Lars Ulrich predicts Hardwired… To Self-Destruct follow-up won’t take 8 year to arrive as Metallica add China date to WorldWired tour

Metallica

Lars Ulrich won’t quite promise – but he believes Metallica will release their 11th album before 2024.

There’s an eight-year gap between ninth title Death Magnetic, which arrived in 2008, and its follow-up Hardwired… To Self-Destruct, which arrives on Friday (November 18).

Ulrich tells Apple Music: “Everybody’s like, ‘Eight years – what have you been doing?’ It’s like, ‘Excuse me? We’ve been busier than we ever have in our lives.

“We spent three years touring Death Magnetic, we put two incredibly hard years into the Through The Never movie project. We did the dance with Lou Reed and we’ve played every festival on this planet multiple times. We’ve been to continents that are primarily inhabited by penguins.

“So it’s been a pretty busy eight years – and we’ve managed to record a record.”

He continues: “You can probably throw this back in my face, but I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s been such a good experience to do this record, and the whole vibe of these songs, I hereby officially predict, or hope, that it’s not going to take another eight years for another record.

“So there you go. I said it. Throw it back at me eight years from now.”

Last week Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett described the Guns N’Roses reunion as “somewhat of a nostalgia act.”

Frontman James Hetfield says his band’s approach is different, telling the LA Times: “I don’t want to think we’re trying to stay young by writing new stuff – but it makes us feel relevant.

“It makes us feel like we’re still progressing.”

Metallica have just added their first-ever date in Beijing, China, to their 2017 touring schedule. Announcing the January 18 show, they say: “Those of you who are astute watchers of the schedule will notice there are still few dates open, between opening night in Seoul and the Singapore show. Keep watching…”

Hardwired…To Self-Destruct arrives via the band’s Blackened Records label and it’s marked with a launch event at London’s House Of Vans on release day. Metallica are the cover stars of the latest edition of Metal Hammer, on sale now in print and via TeamRock+.

Metallica Hardwired… To Self Destruct tracklist

Disc 1

  1. Hardwired
  2. Atlas, Rise!
  3. Now That We’re Dead
  4. Moth Into Flame
  5. Dream No More
  6. Halo On Fire

Disc 2

  1. Confusion
  2. ManUNkind
  3. Here Comes Revenge
  4. Am I Savage?
  5. Murder One
  6. Spit Out the Bone

Metallica tour dates 2016-17 so far

Nov 14: Berlin Circus Halli Galli, Germany
Nov 15: Paris Le Grand Journal, France
Nov 18: London House Of Vans, UK
Jan 11: Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome, South Korea
Jan 18: Beijing Le Sports Centre, China
Jan 20: Hong Kong AsiaWorld-Expo, China
Jan 22: Singapore Indoor Stadium, Singapore
Feb 03: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 05: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 07: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 09: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Mar 25-26: Sao Paulo Interlagos Racetrack, Brazil
Mar 31-Apr 01: Buenos Aires Hippodrome San Isidro, Argentina
Apr 01-02: Santiago Parque O’Higgins, Chile

Martin Kielty
Freelance Online News Contributor

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.