Kirk Hammett felt excluded from Hardwired writing sessions

Kirk Hammett
Kirk Hammett (Image credit: Getty)

Metallica’s Kirk Hammett admits that he felt excluded from writing sessions for forthcoming album Hardwired… To Self Destruct.

In the upcoming issue of Metal Hammer magazine, due out next week, bassist Rob Trujillo explains that drummer Lars Ulrich felt it was “really important” to connect with vocalist James Hetfield on the long-awaited follow-up to 2008’s Death Magnetic by involving him more in the creative process.

Trujillo tells Metal Hammer: “Lars focused more on simplifying the creative journey, and locking into James and really bringing him in for this album. It’s Lars’s vision, and I’m happy to support whatever we need to do.”

You may like

Hammett recently recalled the “devastating” time in 2014 he lost his phone containing hundreds of song ideas for the 10th record – which meant he “had to start at zero” again. But he admits he still found Metallica’s new songwriting plan a “very bitter pill to swallow.”

He adds: “For me, being in this band, I always want to contribute. I always have a lot of musical concepts and ideas to bring to the table. Obviously, that was not meant to be this time, and I had to accept that fact.

“So I focused on my solos, just making sure that my playing on the album was at its best – at its full potential. Hopefully I can bring my ideas to the next Metallica album. I just hope it’s not another eight years.”

Metallica will celebrate the launch of their forthcoming record with an intimate show in London’s House Of Vans on November 18. They also released live footage of Battery and Ride The Lightning from their show in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Watch the videos below.

Hardwired... To Self Destruct artwork

Hardwired... To Self Destruct artwork

Metallica Hardwired… To Self Destruct tracklist

Disc 1

  1. Hardwired
  2. Atlas, Rise!
  3. Now That We’re Dead
  4. Moth Into Flame
  5. Dream No More
  6. Halo On Fire

Disc 2

  1. Confusion
  2. ManUNkind
  3. Here Comes Revenge
  4. Am I Savage?
  5. Murder One
  6. Spit Out the Bone

Metallica tour dates 2016-17 so far

Nov 05: San Jose Estadio Nacional, Costa Rica
Jan 11: Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome, South Korea
Jan 20: Hong Kong AsiaWorld-Expo, China
Jan 22: Singapore Indoor Stadium, Singapore
Feb 03: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 05: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 07: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 09: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Mar 25-26: Sao Paulo Interlagos Racetrack, Brazil
Mar 31,-Apr 01: Buenos Aires Hippodrome San Isidro, Argentina
Apr 01-02: Santiago Parque O’Higgins, Chile

Metallica frontman sees funny side of 'the Hetfield memes'

Former TeamRock news desk member Christina joined our team in late 2015, and although her time working on online rock news was fairly brief, she made a huge impact by contributing close to 1500 stories. Christina also interviewed artists including Deftones frontman Chino Moreno and worked at the Download festival. In late 2016, Christina left rock journalism to pursue a career in current affairs. In 2021, she was named Local Weekly Feature Writer of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards.

Read more
Metallica performing live in 2022
Why Robert Trujillo hasn’t written much Metallica music: “These guys write amazing songs, and I’m not going to suddenly insert myself”
Kirk Hammett of Metallica performs at Ford Field on November 12, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan
"We were all basket cases! But we created this thing called Metallica that’s been our refuge." Kirk Hammett on 40 years in one of the biggest bands in the world
Metallica in 1996
Metallica’s Kirk Hammett is open to making another Load-style album: “We might just say, ‘OK, let’s go back to the ’90s again.’ It’s not a bad idea.”
Kirk Hammett performing with Metallica, playing his Les Paul guitar Greeny
Metallica’s Kirk Hammett announces new book with help from Jason Momoa: “I hope all of you enjoy this journey as much as I did!”
Metallica posing for a photograph in the mid 1990s
“I like to push some of those buttons. I like the fact that people have a problem with what we’re doing”: How Metallica kicked back against the 1990s haters with Reload
Metallica with Dave Lombardo on drums in 2004
“I sped everything up a little bit, just kicked them in the *** a little”: Dave Lombardo looks back on the day he drummed in Metallica
Latest in
Vera Farmiga in 2021
The Conjuring star Vera Farmiga announces debut album with her heavy metal band The Yagas
'Emo' Ed Sheeran busking
Watch Ed Sheeran cover Chappell Roan's Pink Pony Club on the New York subway while disguised as an emo busker
A close-up shot of the Marshall Major IV on-ear headphones on a turquoise, blue and black background.
I’ve never seen the Marshall Major IV headphones this cheap before - get them for half price in Amazon’s big spring sale
Evanescence in 2025
Evanescence release new song Afterlife from Devil May Cry TV series soundtrack, have their next album in the works
Tony Banks
“You only have to hear the opening sweep to reach for your lighter and wave it in the air”: Tony Banks' greatest Genesis moments
The Horrors
Ghouls Aloud: The Horrors come back from the dead with "a dazzling nocturnal spectacle of sombre reflections and oozing catharsis"
Latest in News
Vera Farmiga in 2021
The Conjuring star Vera Farmiga announces debut album with her heavy metal band The Yagas
'Emo' Ed Sheeran busking
Watch Ed Sheeran cover Chappell Roan's Pink Pony Club on the New York subway while disguised as an emo busker
A close-up shot of the Marshall Major IV on-ear headphones on a turquoise, blue and black background.
I’ve never seen the Marshall Major IV headphones this cheap before - get them for half price in Amazon’s big spring sale
Evanescence in 2025
Evanescence release new song Afterlife from Devil May Cry TV series soundtrack, have their next album in the works
Bruce Dickinson in 2024 and a painting of William Blake in 1759
“This deluxe edition contains actual soil from the grave of William Blake”: Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson is releasing a comic book compilation with dirt from the resting place of one of England’s most famous poets
Steven Wilson in 2015 and Playboi Carti in 2025
“I’ve been touring around indie record stores, and I’ve yet to meet anyone who’s even heard of Playboi Carti”: Steven Wilson comments on chart battle with superstar rapper