Let's recap any and all updates we've had on the "new" Metallica material that the band has been working on for, seemingly, forever now…
In December, Robert Truijillo said:
"We’re just blueprinting everything right now. There are a lot of ideas, a lot of song bodies, you gotta go through the process. For me personally I’m really excited about what we’ve been able to jam out. I don’t like to make predictions, but I’d like to think – at least for me – that I’m really happy with what’s happening instrumentally."
He offered another update in early January:
"We've been jamming on lots of new ideas — frameworks, so to speak. And, you know, James [Hetfield, vocals/guitar] is getting into working up melodies and experimenting on that level. But it's really, like, kind of, you work out parts, a process of elimination, and then you jam 'em out. We jam' em out and get 'em into your system, make 'em a part of you."
Last month, Lars said they're tweaking the music:
"In our world, there's been a distinct difference between the creative phase and the recording phase," he says. "With this project, we're trying to bridge the two a little more organically and not have there be such a great divide between the processes. We want to see if we can bring some of the creative curiosity, the impulsive stuff that happens when you're first playing a song into the studio."
Today, we offer a new update from Robert Trujillo. The Metallica bassist spoke to Rolling Stone about a new documentary he's involved with about bassist Jaco Pastorious and of course the topic of new Metallica came up. How could it not? Rob offered some encouraging words…
What's going on with the new Metallica album?
We're working on these songs and we're having a blast. We are being productive and having fun.What do these songs sound like?
It's sounding like Metallica [laughs].Does it feel like an extension of Death Magnetic?
I can't say that yet. I really can't relate it to any album; I think every Metallica album is unique in its own way. What we're doing is special and unique in its own way, but still keeping it heavy. For me as a listener, part of the journey I'm on with Metallica, there's just a certain edge that needs to be there. Before I even joined Metallica, I used to train for tours, when I was in Suicidal Tendencies, to Ride the Lightning. There's nothing like jogging the trails to, like, "Fight Fire With Fire." I can tell you that what we're doing sounds heavy, but again each album is its own little experience. So we'll just have to wait and see.
But the question is how much longer will we have to wait? At the rate these guys are going, they probably won't even be finished by the end of the year.
The band will spend part of the summer playing festivals all across the country, as a way to help recoup all those losses they have.
