METALLICA's LARS ULRICH Admits He Reads Online Comments: 'I'd Like To Challenge Anybody In A Band To Say They Don't'

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich has admitted to Metal Hammer magazine that he occasionally reads social media comments about his band's music.

The METALLICA co-founder said that he found himself checking out what fans were saying about the group's surprise comeback single "Lux Æterna" when it arrived late last year.

"If you decide to go down into the comment sections, at least for me, you have to prepare yourself for not taking any of it overly personally," Lars said. "You have to kind of remove yourself from it. But I'd like to challenge anybody in a band to say they don't look at comments.

"I mean, I'm not sitting up until four o'clock in the morning scrolling through every one," he added. "But when you haven't put any music out in five or six years and you dump something like 'Lux Æterna' on an unsuspecting world, you're going to want to see what the feedback is."

Lars's METALLICA bandmate James Hetfield previously discussed the prospect of reading online comments from METALLICA fans during a 2017 interview with Andy Hall of the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3. At the time, the guitarist/vocalist said: "I've got tons of friends that are either musicians or artists or someone who are creative and putting stuff out there. I just tell 'em, 'Don't read the comments. I mean, just don't. Unless you're feeling a little more secure in yourself these days.' 'Cause most of us artists are pretty fragile, insecure people, and we get up there and the music makes us feel strong and good. But other times when people… you know, someone says something about the lyrics, and it's just, like, 'Ouch! That went right in my heart, dude!' So I tell you, when you read that stuff, you can't believe it — you just can't. Most people… It's really easy just to hit 'send' [on your phone or computer] — I know that. But we also do get a lot of great comments out there that kind of work themselves out. It's like throwing a couple of pitbulls in a room — they work it out. You don't have to… Especially on the METALLICA site, they have people… it goes back and forth. And as long as there's passion, that's all that matters, really."

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett touched upon his views on reading online comments from the band's fans during a 2016 interview with the 93X radio station. Asked about the response to "Hardwired", the lead single from METALLICA's last album, "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct", Kirk said: "I kind of feel the excitement. I can kind of feel the energy in the air. I mean, we all kind of are picking up on it. I'm getting a tremendous amount of texts from friends, saying, 'Great song. Wonderful song.' But as soon as I go on to my computer and turn it on, and think to myself, 'Should I read what other people are saying?' or 'Should I read some comments [on whatever web site]?' I instantly say to myself, 'Don't go there,' because I'll just get, first, angry, then frustrated, then confused, and then wanna just write it all off as just fucking useless bullshit, and why did I even waste my time."

METALLICA's 12th studio album, "72 Seasons", will be released April 14 via METALLICA's own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with Hetfield and Ulrich, and clocking in at over 77 minutes, the 12-track "72 Seasons" is METALLICA's first full-length collection of new material since 2016's "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct". The album will be released in formats, including 2LP 140g black vinyl and limited-edition variants, CD and digital.

METALLICA and Trafalgar Releasing will hold a worldwide "72 Seasons" listening party. For one night only on Thursday, April 13, "72 Seasons" will be played in full in pummeling surround sound, exclusively for cinema audiences worldwide — with every one of the new songs featuring its own music video and exclusive commentary from the band. The result will offer fans an unforgettable night as they experience "72 Seasons" first and fully on the eve of its April 14 release date.

The "72 Seasons" global premiere sees METALLICA and Trafalgar joining forces once more, having previously worked together on the October 2019 worldwide cinematic release of "S&M²", which documented METALLICA and San Francisco Symphony reuniting to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their original "S&M" (Symphony & Metallica) concerts and releases.

In the six years since the arrival of "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", METALLICA has reissued some of its classic albums, released a second live album with the San Francisco Symphony, commissioned a covers album featuring the likes of GHOST, VOLBEAT, WEEZER, Corey Taylor and THE HU, and landed on the Billboard songs chart with "Master Of Puppets" after a prominent placement in the hit Netflix show "Stranger Things".