METALLICA's LARS ULRICH: 'Next Album Will Have A Lot Of Fiddle On It'

METALLICA's official web site has been updated with a six-minute video message from the band regarding the group's recently completed shows with THE ROLLING STONES and the early songwriting session for the band's next studio album, tentatively due in late 2006. A few excerpts from the message follow:

Lars Ulrich: "It was fun getting out of the house and playing a couple of shows, getting a little sweat going, and getting up and sharing some metal moments with our San Francisco friends. And there was a bunch of you guys that flew in from all corners of the country and the world, so we appreciate that. It was fun. And it kind of got us kind of back into the mode of being 'TALLICA again, so we've been here [in the rehearsal room] . . . kicking around the last couple of weeks, working on some new, uh… some new what?" (looks at Hetfield)

James Hetfield: "New metal."

Kirk Hammett: "No, it's not 'nu' metal. It's metal."

James Hetfield: "K-N-E-W. Knew metal. We knew metal, and still know metal."

Kirk Hammett: "Actually, this is more like Jurassic metal."

James Hetfield: "We have a lot of ideas. We just have to figure out which ones are good. That's all."

Lars Ulrich: "We need some help. Maybe some of you guys can come join us and help figure that out."

James Hetfield: "No."

Kirk Hammett: "Or we're gonna flip a coin.'

Robert Trujillo: "We're actually in 'fiddle' mode right now. We're like fiddling with the ideas, kind of blueprinting them…"

James Hetfield: "We've got a fiddle on the next record."

Lars Ulrich: "'METALLICA – next album will have a lot of fiddle on it' — headline on Blabbermouth."

James Hetfield: "It has been the best break — best break that I can remember. All the other breaks I don't remember. [Laughs] It was a great time hanging out at home. Just got really into being at home. It was really nice hanging out. We're pretty fortunate — we've got HQ here, we kind of show up when we want and we start writing some material. We live just down the street, so it's a pretty cool set-up."

Lars Ulrich: "It's been so much fun the last couple of weeks getting back together, getting all creative again for the first time in a couple of years, and hanging with Rob and getting him involved in the writing process. It's been a lot of fun, we're all really psyched and going into the holidays with spunky spirit. We're looking forward to throwing a lot of shit at you guys next year and having some fun."

Watch the video message at this location. Check out pictures from the rehearsal studio by clicking here.