New Metallica Album Looking Doubtful For Pre-2015 Release, Says Ulrich

There is no doubt that Metallica are fielding plenty of questions from the media on release dates for new material. As circumstances unfold it’s starting to seem as though the band may not be as excited to get this next record out as the rest of us. So far we’ve heard mixed reports on the record, depending on which band member you source but the overwhelming vibe seems to be that this is a case of the ‘difficult 10th studio album’.

The latest update on the album comes from Lars who has crushed any hope that we’ll be able to get our hands on the record within the next 12 months or so. Ulrich told South Africa’s Channel24 “It would surprise me if the next full-length Metallica record would come out before 2015.” The iconic drummer explains the situation further adding, “It takes us awhile to make records, and we’re also so busy with so many other things. But we’ll get around to it eventually.”

He does have a point. Done are the days where we would wait 1-2 years for a Metallica album to drop, such as the gap between Kill Em All and Right The Lightening. We are in a post-Black album era where it seems to take 5-6 years between cycles, for example St. Anger and Death Magnetic. Given that Death Magnetic dropped in 2008, 2015 seems pretty reasonable.

On the topic of co-curricular activities, Ulrich has another point. Between curating their own festivals, gigging hard on the international circuit and preping their own 3D Film, Metallica Into The Never, it would be a challenge to clock any studio hours.

We can’t tell you too much else on the album. We know that the band have been working on a diverse collection of tracks, and have found it somewhat of a challenge to follow up from Death Magnetic. According to Blabbermouth, there was talk of the album dropping last year, but according to Kirk Hammett, “That’s what we’re hoping would happen. Whether that’s a reality, we’ll see. We’re recording stuff here and there, but it’s a pretty slow process.”

Sounds like they need to sit down and work all this out, Metallica style (With heaps of shouting and such).

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