The Examiner.com hat mit Lars über das neue, von Rick Rubin produzietre Album gesprochen. hier Auszüge aus dem Gespräch...

Fans könnten erstaunt sein über die Entscheidung, Langzeit Produzenten Bob Rock auszutauschen, "But for our own sanity, our own creative survival, we needed to work with a different set of circumstances and dynamics," sagt Ulrich. "So we've been stripped of our defense mechanisms, and it's been very invigorating to be challenged again. Rick's taken everything we've known about making records and completely turned it upside down."

Sind die neuen Songs kurze Hitnummern, vier oder fünf Minuten lang? "Well, the most of the intros are four to five minutes," sagt er. "I don't know — Metallica and short songs just don't go that well together. But whereas 'St. Anger' was an exercise in over-pummelling the listener, these new songs echo some of our stuff from the '80s- long, epic journeys through different musical landscapes, heavier, but a lot more melodic."

Das nächste Album, angekündigt für Februar 2008 ist fast fertiggestellt, die Band poliert noch bis Mitte Dezember an den Gesangsspuren.