Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has just surprised the entire metal world by announcing a solo instrumental EP called Portals. The EP is out on April 23, with two of its four songs being co-written by S&M2 conductor Edwin Outwater. Portals also features drummers Jon Theodore (Kirk's fellow Wedding Band member) and Abraham Laboriel, Greg Fidelman on bass, Emmy-winning arranger Blake Neely, and Bob Rock.
"Initially, before I even had the idea for a solo EP, I was inspired by the need to create some sort of soundtrack music to accompany The Kirk Hammett Collection for the first 'It's Alive' exhibition at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, 2017," said Hammett. "I wanted to conceive music to play on a loop in the background as people walked through the exhibit. I sat down one night with a progression, and before I knew it, all the parts were there for 'Maiden and the Monster.'
"The initial concept for Portals started with that one song. Following that, I realized I could create different soundtrack moments. These songs are what I call 'Audio Cinematic;' I'm creating sounds and pieces of music for the movies playing in my head. Hopefully they'll create movies in other people's heads in a similar fashion."
