METALLICA's LARS ULRICH: 'I'm Super Bummed That We Can't Get Out And Connect With All Our Friends And Our Fans'

METALLICA's Lars Ulrich has delivered a message of encouragement to fans on the band's new SiriusXM channel Mandatory Metallica.

He said (hear audio below): "Obviously, these are unprecedented and challenging times for everybody all over the world. I'm super bummed that we can't get out and connect with all our friends and our fans, we're bummed for the state of the world, but at the same time, I think that we will get back to it at some point.

"As soon as it's safe and as soon as we can put concerts together and as soon as we can put experiences together that are safe for the entire METALLICA family all over the world, we wanna do that, and we can't wait to get back to it.

"I encourage everybody to hang in there. I know these are trying and difficult times for all of us. But I love the way that the whole music community and how, literally, it feels like the whole world is just bonding together and trying to find the light and trying to find the positive in a situation that, obviously, very few people expected.

"And so when it's safe, and when it makes sense, then we will be right where we belong, which is out there connecting with people, playing and out there sharing music and hoping that we can make a difference."

Mandatory Metallica features the band's biggest songs, rarities and concert recordings from throughout the band's iconic career as well as commentary from each band member. The channel has embarked on a 30-date "virtual METALLICA tour," which is airing a daily concert from the band on tour around the globe, including the band's exclusive SiriusXM concert from 2013 at the Apollo Theater in New York City and their 2016 concert at New York City's Webster Hall. An exclusive at-home DJ session, "Welcome Home", from Lars Ulrich is also featured. The band will take over SiriusXM's Liquid Metal channel each Monday in May, for "Metallica Mondays". Mandatory Metallica is available on the SiriusXM app in the Rock category.

Anyone who is not already a SiriusXM subscriber can download the SiriusXM app or go to SiriusXM.com/streamfree, and start listening free of charge, with no credit card or commitment required. The SiriusXM app is available on mobile phones, tablets and computers, as well as on a wide variety of connected devices in the home including smart TVs, devices with Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant, Apple TV, PlayStation, Roku, Sonos speakers and more. The SiriusXM app also offers additional features such as SiriusXM video, Personalized Stations Powered by Pandora that listeners can curate themselves, and an On Demand library with more than 10,000 hours of archived shows, exclusive music performances, interviews and audio documentaries.

For information on these new music channels dedicated to iconic artists, head over to siriusxm.com/new-channels.

METALLICA has been largely out of the public eye since last fall when the band canceled an Australian tour and announced that frontman James Hetfield was returning to rehab for the first time since 2002 to battle his addictions.

In March, METALLICA announced that its South American tour, which was originally planned for April, was postponed until December. In addition, the band's appearances at four Danny Wimmer Presents-produced festivals in May and September were canceled: Epicenter in Charlotte, Welcome To Rockville in Daytona, Sonic Temple in Columbus and Louder Than Life in Louisville.