Metallica have released a 30-second sample of upcoming single 72 Seasons

Metallica, 2022
(Image credit: Tim Saccenti)

Metallica have released a 30-second sample of upcoming single 72 Seasons. The song is the title track of the band's eleventh studio album, due for release on April 14 via Blackened Recordings.

The arrival of the song follows the release of three other singles from 72 Seasons, Lux Æterna, Screaming Suicide and If Darkness Had a Son.

Explaining the concept of 72 Seasons, Metallica frontman James Hetfield says, "The first 18 years of our lives that form our true or false selves. The concept that we were told ‘who we are’ by our parents. A possible pigeonholing around what kind of personality we are. 

"I think the most interesting part of this is the continued study of those core beliefs and how it affects our perception of the world today. Much of our adult experience is reenactment or reaction to these childhood experiences. Prisoners of childhood or breaking free of those bondages we carry."

Metallica will support the album with a world tour, including two headline sets at this year's Download Festival (dates below). Yesterday the band released a teaser video suggesting that they'll also be playing at an event called PowerTrip in October, alongside AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden and Tool.  

Metallica M72 2023/2024 World Tour

Apr 27, 2023: Amsterdam Johan Cruijff Arena, Netherlands
Apr 29, 2023: Amsterdam Johan Cruijff Arena, Netherlands
May 17, 2023 - Paris FR - Stade de France, France
May 19, 2023 - Paris FR - Stade de France, France
May 26, 2023: Hamburg Volksparkstadion, Germany
May 28, 2023: Hamburg Volksparkstadion, Germany
Jun 08, 2023: Download Festival, UK
Jun 10, 2023: Download Festival, UK
Jun 16, 2023: Gothenburg Ullevi Stadium, Sweden
Jun 18 2023: Gothenburg Ullevi Stadium, Sweden

Aug 04, 2023: East Rutherford MetLife Stadium, NJ, USA
Aug 06, 2023: East Rutherford MetLife Stadium, NJ, USA
Aug 11, 2023: Montreal Stade Olympique, Canada
Aug 13, 2023: Montreal Stade Olympique, Canada
Aug 18, 2023: Arlington AT&T Stadium, TX, USA
Aug 20, 2023: Arlington AT&T Stadium, TX, USA
Aug 25, 2023: Inglewood SoFi Stadium, CA, USA
Aug 27, 2023: Inglewood SoFi Stadium, CA, USA
Sep 01, 2023: Glendale State Farm Stadium, AZ, USA
Sep 03, 2023: Glendale State Farm Stadium, AZ, USA
Nov 03, 2023: St. Louis The Dome at America’s Center, MO, USA
Nov 05, 2023 St. Louis, The Dome at America’s Center, MO, USA
Nov 10, 2023: Detroit Ford Field, MI, USA
Nov 12, 2023: Detroit Ford Field, MI, USA

May 24, 2024: Munich Olympiastadion, Germany
May 26, 2024 - Munich DE - Olympiastadion, Germany
Jun 07, 2024: Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Finland
Jun 09, 2024: Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Finland
Jun 14, 2024: Copenhagen Parken Stadium, Denmark
Jun 16, 2024: Copenhagen Parken Stadium, Denmark
Jul 05 2024: Warsaw PGE Narodowy, Poland
Jul 07 2024: Warsaw PGE Narodowy, Poland
Jul 12, 2024: Madrid Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, Spain
Jul 14 2024: Madrid Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, Spain

Aug 02, 2024: Foxborough Gillette Stadium, MA, USA
Aug 04, 2024: Foxborough Gillette Stadium, MA, USA
Aug 09, 2024: Chicago Soldier Field, IL, USA
Aug 11, 2024: Chicago Soldier Field, IL, USA
Aug 16, 2024: Minneapolis US Bank Stadium, MN, USA
Aug 18, 2024: Minneapolis US Bank Stadium, MN, USA
Aug 23. 2024: Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium, Canada
Aug 25, 2024: Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium, Canada
Aug 30, 2024: Seattle Lumen Field, WA, USA
Sep 01, 2024: Seattle Lumen Field, WA, USA
Sep 20, 2024: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 22, 2024: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 27, 2024: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 29, 2024: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico

Tickets are on sale now

Fraser Lewry
Online Editor, Classic Rock

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.