Metallica To Release First Album In 8 Years

The band announced Thursday it’s releasing its first album in eight years, the longest Metallica has ever gone between studio albums. Hardwired … To Self-Destruct will feature 80 minutes of music from the veteran heavy metal group. The album is scheduled for release Nov. 18.

Metallica debuted the album’s first track, “Hardwired,” on 93X (KXXR-FM) in Minneapolis and the accompanying music video on YouTube . They say their 11th studio album represents “the next phase of our journey.”

The “Nothing Else Matters” and “Unforgiven” band explained that Hardwired … To Self-Destruct will be available in several forms: a double CD, vinyl, through digital download, as well as a deluxe edition with “the riffs that were the origins of the album.”

The band’s current lineup includes singer-guitarist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo.

Metallica released Death Magnetic in 2008.