Metallica’s
72 Seasons was the most anticipated album of the year, finally arriving in April, seven years after its predecessor, Hardwired… To Self-Destruct. Full-speed-or-nothing single Lux Æterna may have called back to the band’s early days, but 72 Seasons itself was an epic trawl through singer James Hetfield’s psyche, recorded against the backdrop of the pandemic.
Then the band embarked on the equally ambitious M72 World Tour, which saw them playing two shows in each destination, with a different setlist each night. It also found the quartet bringing their in-the-round stage to stadiums for the first time, complete with Snake Pit in the centre. And it’s not done yet –the run extends towards the end of 2024.
“It’s all go, man,” says bassist Rob Trujillo, speaking to Hammer from Mexico City, where he’s watching his son, Tye, play with his own former band, Suicidal Tendencies. “Sometimes you’ve just gotta roll up your sleeves and move forward.”
How has 2023 been for Metallica?
“2023 has been great. The release of 72 Seasons was obviously a big deal for us, especially considering we couldn’t be in the same room together most of the time we were writing it [due to the pandemic]. We started working via Zoom, which was strange, but it helped us dig deep and really turn this into a passion-driven batch of songs and ideas. You can hear the energy that came forth when we finally did get together. Some songs had first-take moments –we might have played Inamorata like 20 times, but the first take was the one we used.”
In an interview on Metallica’s official site, you say the first creative thing you did for 72 Seasons came from an acoustic version of The Day That Never Comes. Will we ever get to hear that version?
“That’s a good point! There were a lot of ideas that weren’t included in the final batch of songs for 72 Seasons. In the back of our minds I’m sure there was an idea we should have a slower song or ballad, but we were ready to go. So far as The Day That Never Comes goes, it has a lot of potential as an acoustic song, so I think it’s something we’ll do at some point, maybe as part of All Within My Hands [Metallica’s non-profit foundation]. I was more interested in the metal, though, which is basically what we’ve pursued as a team. But at some point there will be a ballad. I’m ready to start writing the next album with these guys already, but we’re only halfway through the tour currently so that’s a way off yet.”