Andy Greene of Rolling Stone reports:
It’s been nearly six years since Metallica last released a studio album, but as they gear up for a run of summer festivals in Europe, the band is also putting together material for a new LP. “We’re going through the grind,” says Lars Ulrich. “We’re in there doing riffs and putting them into songs. We don’t really write one song and then show up the next day and do another one. We just work on riffs and sections, connecting riffs and tempos and moods.”
There’s no timeline for the release of the album, but Ulrich says they’ve made much progress. “We’ve been doing this, off and on, for the better part of a year,” he says. “We’re going to do these dates this summer and then really hone down. I’d say that right now, we’re in the fourth inning.”
Read more at Rolling Stone.
source: rollingstone.com
24 Responses
Hopefully when they finish the new album it will be another #1 for them! Then they have hit a Grand Slam Home Run to win the Game! I understood Lars when he said they are in the 4th Inning, means they have gotten close to having the album half finished and probably will have it done more than likely the end of Summer or in the Fall depending on their time in & out of the studio. Gotta learn to speak Baseball!
The loss of Cliff Burton can never ever be overstated enough. That is where everything changed for this band and the direction they went. I’m sure I will give the new album a listen, and listen to James do way too many “YEAAAAAHHHHHH!”s and all that and then probably never listen to it again. That has been the general trend for me when it comes to the last 5 or 6 releases, including that symphony crap. They lost the redneck in them when Cliff died.
I’m sorry, but I can’t stop thinking about Jim Breuer’s amazing imitation of Lars on TMS. He nailed it.
Crossing my fingers that this one picks up the vibe from Death Magnetic and takes it further, but it won’t matter if they don’t learn from the mistakes that were made while mixing DM. Honestly I think my 6-year old son could have done better on an iPad.
Thinking of the timeline of their first 3-4 albums compared to now, the word complacency doesn’t even begin to describe the approach these guys have to making music anymore. They’re tired, they have no real motivation to be artists anymore, they’re making this album for no reason other than fan pressure, basically. If you don’t agree, go back and read the headlines coming off the abysmal failure of “Through The Never”…Robert was the only one showing any real signs of enthusiasm for making new music, while Kirk was saying things like “We’re kind of backed up into the corner now, so yes, we have to start working on the album.” Granted he did say he was excited but called it a challenge to write and record an album within the year 2014. Said he had “only 400 riffs” while James has “about 800”. Then there was Lars who would immediately chime in with a release date a year later than what any of the other guys said. These guys pumped out their first 3 albums in less than 3 years and now it’s a challenge to do an album within a year because they’re sifting through a catalog of riffs, instead of plugging in and creating new fresh riffs in the moment as a band…Get ready for Unforgiven IV, or maybe “Exit Sandman”.
As much as I sound like a Debbie Downer, the truth is that I really want to be proven wrong here. I’m a fan of nearly all music but mostly Rock and Metal and I’d love to see these guys come out swinging with an album that takes people by surprise.
Yes the loss of Cliff was a major turning point. Certainly the impact and influence that Mustaine had on the early work was even more significant. From 1986 until recently, he songwriting was basically only Hetfield (or cover songs). Not looking to rekindle the Metallica v Megadeth holy wars (puntended). I just feel that the creativity and originality seemed to change into calculated, formula rock – even starting with AJFA..