Metallica drops new single, plans tour
Just as Rock Music Menu predicted in this very spot two weeks ago, as it got closer to the Pandora livestream event that took place this past weekend where Metallica headlined the new venue in Minneapolis, the U.S. Bank Stadium, the band dropped a new single and announced a release date for their eagerly anticipated 10th studio album.
The dozen song strong, two-disc set titled ‘Hardwired …To Self-Destruct’ will drop in mid-November. Last Thursday, the band released a statement revealing the news.
“It really does exist!” the announcement began. “We know it’s been a long time coming, but today we proudly introduce you to ‘Hardwired … To Self-Destruct,’ the long awaited next Metallica studio album that is the follow-up to ‘Death Magnetic!’ Two discs, nearly 80 minutes of music is coming your way on November 18, 2016... yes, THIS YEAR! ’Hardwired…’ represents the next phase of our journey as Metallica and we are so excited to share it with you.”
The first single, a sort-of-title-track called “Hardwired,” debuted late last week with an accompanying video. It’s a nonstop slice of thrash that helped establish the band with metal fans in the first place. Checking in at just over three minutes, it’s the second shortest composition in the Metallica catalog, bested only by “Motorbreath” from their first album, ‘Kill ‘Em All,’ which runs just three seconds shorter.
Frontman James Hetfield’s lyrics leave a bit to be desired on the song, with a chorus not fit for publishing in a family newspaper without first being censored that goes, “We’re so [expletive]/[Expletive] outta luck/Hardwired to self-destruct.”
‘Hardwired…To Self-Destruct’ is available for pre-order in a variety of configurations including 12 songs on a double CD, vinyl, digital download, as well as a deluxe version with the riffs that were the origins of the album. Everyone who pre-orders the album through Metallica.com will receive an instant download of “Hardwired.”
The cover of the album is interesting on a couple different levels; set on a stark white background, it features a multi-colored amalgamation of each band member’s face. Many are rightfully likening it to the Foo Fighters’ 2011 release ‘Wasting Light,’ which used a similar concept. It also represents the first time the group has had themselves featured in any manner on the cover of an original LP. They did appear on 1987’s long out of print ‘The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited,’ and the double-disc extended follow-up to it in 1998, ‘Garage Inc.’
The new record is the first by the band since 2008’s critically acclaimed ‘Death Magnetic,’ and marks the longest period between original albums by the band in their 38 year history. But it’s not like the Bay Area-based outfit have been resting on their laurels. Not only did Metallica complete a touring cycle for that release, the curated and played their own music festival, performed in Antarctica, becoming the first band to do a show on every continent, put out a concert film, and headlined scores of festivals around the world.
Last Saturday, the group performed “Hardwired” live for the first time in Minneapolis last weekend, kicking off the night’s encore with the song. Following the fast-paced blowout of the track, Hetfield said, “Hardwired for you baby…first time live! I love it.”
The next question, of course, is when can fans here in the States expect to hear and see the songs in a live setting? Thankfully, the wait won’t be that long. Drummer Lars Ulrich spoke to Rolling Stone this week and said the group will be hitting the road right after the New Year starts.
“We did 180 shows on the ‘Death Magnetic’ tour in two-week periods over three years,” he said. “That’s what works for us. We’re going to start pretty much full-on touring in January and are looking to figure out what we’re doing in North America, but there will definitely be some pretty extensive touring in America.”
He also said a good amount of the new material will be mixed into the set each night, and gave some indication of how the other tracks on ‘Hardwired…’ will sound.
“Some of the stuff on ‘Death Magnetic’ was pretty cerebral,” he said. “You had to really think about what the next crazy part is that was coming up. Some of the songs from the new record are a little more physical. It’s gonna be a lot of fun to play this. Also, some of these songs are a little shorter than the ones on Death Magnetic. I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun to throw many of these songs in, but we’ll change the setlist every night like we always do.”
The last time Metallica played Philadelphia was almost eight years ago; January 17, 2009 as one of the first dates on the second North American leg of the “World Magnetic Tour.” They did play in Atlantic City in the summer of 2013 though, at Bader Field for the inaugural edition of the ill-fated music festival “Orion Music + More.” The group did a regular set on the main stage, and under a fake name performed “Kill ‘Em All” in its entirety on one of the smaller stages.
It’s a pretty safe bet to assume that if it’s January or February when Metallica comes to the region, the show – or shows – will take place at the Wells Fargo Center. But the band isn’t averse to doing something against the grain, especially in Philly. In the sports complex parking lot, they put on the free “Million Decibel March” in November of 1997. The following November, on a small club jaunt to promote ‘Garage Inc,’ they did a night at the Electric Factory.