METALLICA's JAMES HETFIELD: 'We Haven't Even Started Writing' Songs For Next Album

That's Entertainment's Dina Butti conducted an interview with METALLICA frontman James Hetfield prior to the band's return to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on April 19 for a headlining performance at the du Arena, Yas Island. You can now watch the chat below.

On the progress of the songwriting sessions for METALLICA's next studio album:

Hetfield: "We haven't even started writing it. We're going through riffs; we have, like, 800-and-something riffs we're going through — lots of ideas. We're really excited about it, but doing concerts here and there, trying to get back in the studio and get some stuff done, it's all really exciting, but it gets done on METALLICA time, which is not really scheduled. When it's done, it's done. And when it's good, then it will be done."

On METALLICA's upcoming 3D feature film, "Metallica Through The Never":

Hetfield: "The idea behind it was a best-of concert. A lot of younger fans haven't got to see all of the things from the past — like the '…And Justice For All', the 'Ride The Lightning'… all of the stage props that we had; the destruction scene, 'Master Of Puppets' crosses… lots of things like that. [We came up with the idea of] doing a best-of concert and touring that. And then we thought, 'Well, if we're gonna do that, why don't we film it?' And then, 'Well, let's film 3D.' And it kind of swapped its order. So we're making the movie and then possibly touring it aftereward. And then there's also a narrative that goes along with it. So there's a story about a runner, or someone who works at the show, who is sent out to get something, and the big adventure that he goes on."

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich recently said that he would be "surprised" if the band's follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic" came out before 2015. He said: "It takes us awhile to make records, and we're also so busy with so many other things. But we'll get around to it eventually."

"Metallica Through The Never" will now come out on September 27 and not August 9 as originally announced. The film will be digitally remastered into IMAX 3D and play for one week exclusively in IMAX theaters in North America before expanding into additional theaters on October 4. The film stars the band, thousands of its fans and acclaimed young actor Dane DeHaan in a story that follows a member of METALLICA's road crew — played by DeHaan — who is sent on a mission during the band's concert that turns his life upside down.