ROBERT TRUJILLO On Next METALLICA Album: 'We're Just Blueprinting Everything Right Now'

During a brand new interview with Rock Cellar Magazine, METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo was asked about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic".

"We're just blueprinting everything right now," Robert said. "There are a lot of ideas, a lot of song bodies; you gotta go through the process. For me personally, I'm really excited about what we've been able to jam out."

He continued: "I don't like to make predictions, but I'd like to think — at least for me — that I'm really happy with what's happening instrumentally. So let's see how that journey continues."

Trujillo added: "Writing a METALLICA song is a journey and a process, and it takes time. But that's what's special about it. METALLICA likes to nurture a song, nurture an arrangement."

Robert also spoke about METALLICA's passion for making music and playing live, telling Rock Cellar Magazine: "One of the things that I've noticed since I've been in the band is that as players, Lars [Ulrich, drums], James [Hetfield, guitar/vocals] and Kirk [Hammett, guitar] truly enjoy making music and performing. When they put their instruments on, in a lot of ways they become teenagers again. The impromptu jams — they might be KING DIAMOND or MERCYFUL FATE, DIAMOND HEAD, or BLACK SABBATH – there's always this excitement that runs through their veins when they put the instruments on, and that carries over into original ideas too."

On Black Friday "Record Store Day," November 28, METALLICA released a limited-edition 12-inch vinyl of "Lords Of Summer". Side A features the "First Pass" (studio) version of the new song "Lords Of Summer" as well as a previously unreleased live version recorded at the Rock In Rome Sonisphere festival on July 1, 2014. Side B features a laser etching of the METALLICA "M" logo. This collectable vinyl is only available through independent retail and Metallica.com.

METALLICA earlier in the year completed a tour where the band played a nearly all-request set, with 17 songs chosen online by fans prior to each gig and the last slot filled by "Lords Of Summer".

Trujillo recently told LA Weekly that the documentary he's producing about the late, pioneering electric bass player Jaco Pastorius has already cost him a lot of money out of his own pocket. Trujillo revealed, "When you are trying to do it right, it's costly. I've been a part of this film for five years. I've spent a huge chunk of money. It's great because I feel it needs to be done, but I have [other] responsibilities, too."

The movie, titled "Jaco - A Documentary Film", tells the story of the electric bass pioneer through interviews with family, friends and fellow musicians such as Flea, Joni Mitchell, Sting, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Geddy Lee, Bootsy Collins and Carlos Santana. Trujillo has been working on the project for nearly five years.