Metallica’s James Hetfield: It Won’t Be Eight Years Between Albums

Story by Cat Badra
James Hetfield assures fans Metallica’s next album won’t be years and years away
Metallica took eight years between albums before releasing their 10th studio album, “Hardwired…to Self-Destruct,” last year, following up 2008’s “Death Magnetic.” That was perhaps too long, if you ask frontman James Hetfield. Metal fans would agree it was too long, too.
In an interview with Singapore’s The Straits Times, Hetfield explained that the years between “Death Magnetic” and “Hardwired…to Self-Destruct” “was a mistake,” adding that “it won’t be” another eight years before the next studio release it out.
Switching gears to “Hardwired,” Hetfield said he was “surprised” that the collection has garnered “such a positive response.” (I wonder why he would be surprised. It’s a great set.)
“It feels good to make a record that people are embracing as a new, viable album that they will have in their musical quiver,” he said.
In other news, Metallica are slated to bring their heavy metal jams to the Grammy Awards on Feb. 12 in Los Angeles.
“Music comes in trends and what not, but we haven’t gone anywhere,” Hetfield said. “If we’re still popular enough to play the Grammys, that’s cool.”
Photo by Anne Erickson
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