What Does DAVE MUSTAINE Think Of METALLICA's 'Hardwired… To Self-Destruct'?

Dave Mustaine, who was the original lead guitarist of METALLICA, was asked by TeamRock to review the band's new album, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct". He said: "I've always been able to appreciate the talent in METALLICA. Every band has its strengths and its weaknesses. Personally, from everything I've heard so far, I think the new album is a good one.

"I hear that a lot of people have been making comments about Kirk Hammett and Rob Trujillo not writing anything on it. But sometimes that's just unavoidable. I guess I would've loved more writing from both those guys, because I loved [Rob Trujillo's former bands] INFECTIOUS GROOVES and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and I always loved the lines Kirk wrote with EXODUS, but that's the way the cookie crumbles when you're in the studio. The best songs make the cut. Everyone wants to pick the best things.

"When it comes down to critiquing production stuff, it's kind of a personal thing. One man's trash is another man's treasure. For example, I know a lot of people really dig Rick Rubin and the way that he produces stuff. While I respect Rick tremendously, I do think that what he does with bands like THE CULT really works and then when he does stuff with metal bands, it doesn't necessarily translate in the same way. 'Hardwired' is definitely a different sounding record than, for example, 'St. Anger', and it sounds pretty good to me. I know it took 'em eight years to make this record, so I'm glad for them that people are digging it. It's a small community, you know?"

Mustaine, who was a member of METALLICA for less than two years, from 1981 to 1983, was not inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band during the April 2009 ceremony at Cleveland, Ohio's Public Auditorium.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich later explained to The Plain Dealer that the MEGADETH leader was not included because "you've got to kind of cap it somewhere. Dave Mustaine never played on any METALLICA records. No disrespect to him. But there [were] half a dozen other people that were in the lineup in the early days. We thought . . . the fair thing to do would be to include anybody that played on a METALLICA record." He added: "Dave Mustaine was in the band for 11 months, predominantly in 1982... I'm not trying to play it down. I have nothing but respect and admiration for his accomplishments since."