Metallica exclusive

Metal legends have six weeks to finish album

09 Mar 2008 - Metallica have given 6 Music an exclusive on their new album, which will be their first in five years.

The band are hard at work in LA on the follow-up to St Anger, their last studio record in 2003. This time they're not working with long-time producer Bob Rock, preferring to head into the studio with Rick Rubin who previously produced Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond.

Frontman James Hetfield (pictured) and drummer Lars Ulrich are the original members of the band.

Speaking on Bruce Dickinson's Rock Show, Ulrich said: "We're just finishing up a record, we've got six weeks left and it should be out in September, that's the idea right now."

He added: "I like what I've heard so far. I'm not one of the great sellers of 'the new record's the best thing we've ever done and it ****'s all over the last record and it's way heavier'. I'm not a great believer in all that horse-****."

“I like what I've heard so far.”
Lars Ulrich

The St Anger album got mixed reviews although the title track won a Grammy.

Asked about the new as-yet-untitled record, Ulrich said: "I like it and I'm one of Metallica's harshest critics. So far it feels pretty good but there's still plenty of time to **** it up, so let's see what happens."

Metallica will be playing some festivals in the summer, though nothing is confirmed in the UK yet.

Last year they took time out for their Sick Of The Studio tour including an appearance at Live Earth in London.

Andre Paine