METALLICA's LARS ULRICH: 'There Will Definitely Be Some Pretty Extensive Touring In America'

METALLICA's Lars Ulrich says that the band will embark on its first proper American arena tour since 2009 next year. "It's time to come back, and do some proper penetration of America," the drummer tells Rolling Stone.

"We did 180 shows on the 'Death Magnetic' tour in two-week periods over three years. 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."

METALLICA will be touring in support of its long-awaited new album, "Hardwired...To Self-Destruct", which will be released on November 18 via Blackened Recordings.

Ulrich tells Rolling Stone that he is looking forward to performing many of the new songs live. "Some of the stuff on 'Death Magnetic' was pretty cerebral," he says. "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."

"Hardwired...To Self-Destruct" was produced by Greg Fidelman with Ulrich and METALLICA frontman James Hetfield.

The effort will be issued on double CD, vinyl and digital download. A deluxe version will feature a bonus disc containing the riffs that formed the origins of the album along with "The Lords Of Summer", which the band debuted on tour a couple of years ago.

Asked if the new album's first single, "Hardwired", is representative of the rest of the album, Hetfield told Pioneer Press: "It's representative of METALLICA, for sure. The whole record is not that, though. It's one of many parts. It's not all thrashy, it's not all mid-tempo rockers, it's not all ballads or instrumentals or whatever."

Photo credit: Herring & Herring