Broward/Palm Beach Music has issued the following report from Saby Reyes-Kulkarni:

Two decades removed from its last truly cutting-edge work, 1988's classic ...And Justice For All, METALLICA finds itself strangely resting on top of the world while still fighting to stay relevant.

Starting with 1991's Metallica (known as the Black Album), the band began to veer wildly from the thrilling thrash-metal style it once played with unparalleled skill. Last year, it returned with the Rick Rubin-produced Death Magnetic, an attempt to re-embrace its trademark, epic song structures. Fans and critics alike hailed the band's return to form, and this fall sees Metallica on a long-awaited arena headlining tour.

Guitarist Kirk Hammett talked to New Times about the band's mindset and where it stands in today's metal climate.

Q: Looking back to the Black Album, why did you suddenly go for shorter songs? You had three classic albums in a row with winding, involved, progressive songs, and your fan base up until that time came to you for that.

A: "We were just burned out on it. We wanted to do something that was more groove-oriented and had a little more soul. With the stuff we did in the '80s, a lot of times it was about showing off our chops."

Q: So why the return to form with Death Magnetic?

A: "We got tired again. [laughs] When we started writing for Death Magnetic, we found out that the more progressive stuff sounded good again. We hadn't done it for a while, and all of a sudden, it just kinda sounded fresh. A lot of it also has to do with the fact that Rick Rubin said that he wanted to make the ultimate Metallica album. In his mind, the ultimate Metallica album would be more along the lines of what we did back in the '80s."

Q: How much pressure does the band feel, knowing there's this back catalog that's there to be measured up to?

A: "It depends. [laughs] Some days you feel it; some days you don't."

Q: Rick Rubin left the band alone in the studio a lot. What did he bring to the table?

A: "His whole approach is like that of a fan — a person who goes out to the record store and buys albums. He knows what he expects to hear from a band, and when he doesn't hear it, he just goes elsewhere. He's not bogged down in "A minor in this part instead of D major." That's really cool because it leaves all the musical problems for the band to solve. At the end of the day, you get a less adulterated result. One thing about Bob Rock [the band's producer from 1991 to 2003] was that a little bit of his songwriting style and sensibility would work its way into the music."

Q: How does finding personal peace reflect in the music when you're playing heavy stuff?

A: "When I'm really down and out, music makes me feel better, and it just happens to be heavy metal that moves me emotionally. And you don't have to be clean and sober or a raging drunk to feel how music moves you."

Read the full report at this location.