Metallica’s Lars Ulrich spoke with Billboard about the band’s upcoming Record Store Day release Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité, Metallica!, the reissues of 1983's Kill 'Em All and 1984's Ride The Lightning, and more. Lars was also asked about how the new Metallica album is coming along.

“Well, thank you for asking! We’re getting there! I think it’s going to get wrapped up soon. Unless something radical happens it would be difficult for me to believe that it won’t come out in 2016. That’s what we’re going for.

“But obviously, the way we do things now is very different than the way we did things back in the days of Kill ‘Em All and Ride The Lightning. Nowadays we like to do so many different things - we like to write and record but we also like to be Record Store Day ambassadors and put out deluxe reissues and go play at Rasputin’s and AT&T Park and all these other things.

“So, you know, writing and recording is now something that is part of the bigger picture rather than something that happens exclusively. And when it really comes down to it, the new record may actually have been written and recorded faster than the last one (2008’s Death Magnetic). It’s just been spread out over a longer period of time, with these gaps in recording. Which is fine. I’m certainly not complaining about it. It’s just the way we work now. But anyway, the record - it’s definitely coming along. Nearing completion. Should be done soon… hopefully. (Laughs) End quote!”

Read more at Billboard.com.

In celebration of this year’s Record Store Day, on April 16th Metallica will be releasing a special exclusive CD titled Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité, Metallica! The artwork for the upcoming release can be seen below.

The nine-song set was recorded live at Le Bataclan in Paris, France on June 11th, 2003 and Metallica are donating all profits to victims of the attacks in Paris in 2015.

Tracklisting:

"The Four Horsemen”
"Leper Messiah”
"No Remorse”
"Fade To Black”
"Frantic”
"Ride The Lightning”
“Blackened"
"Seek & Destroy"
"Damage, Inc.”

“Fade To Black”:

Metallica will perform live at Berkeley, CA's legendary record store Rasputin Music on Saturday, April 16th in celebration of Record Store Day 2016. As this year's Record Store Day Ambassadors, the band invites fans to join them on this special day to experience the passion for music that lives on in local record stores around the world.

"Getting loud, noisy and sweaty at Rasputin's on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley transports Metallica right back to the core of its Bay Area beginnings," said Metallica's Lars Ulrich. "We can't wait to celebrate Record Store Day while shaking up the East Bay old-school style."

Rasputin Music customers and Met Club members are invited to be in the audience by entering to win tickets to this very intimate performance.

Two Ways To Win:

1. Visit Rasputin Music in Berkeley between now and April 10th to fill out a ballot for your chance to win ONE ticket to the special performance.

2. Met Club members can click here to win ONE ticket to the performance.

For all guidelines and additional fine print details, click here.

Metallica will reissue their first two albums, 1983's Kill 'Em All and 1984's Ride The Lightning, on April 15th. Both albums have been remastered for the most advanced sound quality and will be available in three formats - CD, vinyl, and deluxe box set. Both deluxe box sets include original source material from the band's personal collection with many never before heard or seen recordings, along with a book including rare photos and essays from those who were there.

In support of the upcoming releases, Metallica have posted this live video for “Whiplash”, filmed at The Metro in Chicago, IL on August 12th, 1983:

In the video below, Lars Ulrich cracks open the Deluxe Edition of Ride The Lightning for the first time.

Metallica are streaming "Creeping Death" from the remastered edition of Ride The Lightning. The track was remastered by Howie Weinberg At Howie Weinberg Mastering in Los Angeles, CA.

Fans can pre-order both Deluxe Box sets at the Met Store.

Ride The Lightning tracklisting:

CD/Vinyl
“Fight Fire With Fire”
“Ride The Lightning”
“For Whom The Bell Tolls”
“Fade To Black”
“Trapped Under Ice”
“Escape”
“Creeping Death”
“The Call Of Ktulu”

Vinyl – Live At The Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA – March 10th, 1985 (2LP) – Previously Unreleased
“The Ecstasy Of Gold”
“Fight Fire With Fire”
“Ride The Lightning”
“Phantom Lord”
“(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth”
“For Whom The Bell Tolls”
“No Remorse”
“Fade To Black”
“Seek & Destroy”
“Creeping Death”
“Am I Evil?”
“Motorbreath”

Vinyl – Creeping Death (Picture Disc)
“Creeping Death”
“Am I Evil?”
“Blitzkrieg”

CD – Metallica Interviews
Metal Forces Interview with Lars, November 1984
WUSC Cleveland Radio Interview with Cliff and Kirk – February 1985
Metal Madness Interview with Lars, March 1985

CD – Demos And Rough Mixes From Lars’ Vault – Previously Unreleased
“Ride The Lightning” (Studio Demo)
“When Hell Freezes Over (The Call Of Ktulu)” (Studio Demo)
“Creeping Death” (Studio Demo)
“Fight Fire With Fire” (Studio Demo)
“Ride The Lightning” (Garage Demo)
“When Hell Freezes Over (The Call Of Ktulu)” (Garage Demo)
“Fight Fire With Fire” (Garage Demo)
“Ride The Lightning” (Boom Box Demo)
“Blitzkrieg” (Rhythm Track Rough Mix)
“Am I Evil?” (Rhythm Track Rough Mix)

“Ride The Lightning” (Garage Demo):

CD – Live At Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco, CA – March 15th, 1985 – Previously Unreleased
“Fight Fire With Fire”
“Ride The Lightning”
“Phantom Lord”
“The Four Horsemen”
“(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth”)
“For Whom The Bell Tolls”
“No Remorse”
“Fade To Black”
“Creeping Death”
Guitar Solo
“Am I Evil?”
“Motorbreath”

CD – Live At The Lyceum Theatre, London, UK – December 20th, 1984
“Phantom Lord”
“The Four Horsemen”
“(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth”
“For Whom The Bell Tolls”
“No Remorse”
“The Call Of Ktulu”
“Seek & Destroy”
“Whiplash”
“Creeping Death”
Guitar Solo
“Metal Militia”

CD – Live At Castle Donington, UK – August 17th, 1985 – Previously Unreleased
“Creeping Death”
“Ride The Lightning”
“For Whom The Bell Tolls”
“The Four Horsemen”
“Fade To Black”
“Seek & Destroy”
“Whiplash”
“Motorbreath”

DVD – Live At The Metal Hammer Festival In St. Goarshausen, Germany – September 14th, 1985
“Creeping Death”
“Ride The Lightning”
“Disposable Heroes”
“No Remorse”
“(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth”
“For Whom The Bell Tolls”
“The Four Horsemen”
“Fade To Black”
“Seek & Destroy”
“Whiplash”
“Fight Fire With Fire”
Guitar Solo
“Am I Evil?”
“Motorbreath”

Live At MTV’s Day On The Green At Oakland Stadium, Oakland, CA – August 31st, 1985
“Creeping Death”
“Ride The Lightning”
“For Whom The Bell Tolls”
MTV Day On The Green Interview with Lars and James

Danish TV – Previously Unreleased
Lars Ulrich When He Was Young (Lars’ first television interview)
SPOT – Lars Ulrich

In the video below, James Hetfield cracks open the Deluxe Edition of Kill 'Em All for the first time.

Listen to “The Four Horsemen” from the Kill 'Em All reissue, streaming below:

The deluxe numbered box set of Kill 'Em All includes four vinyl records, five CDs, one DVD, a deluxe book including rare photos and a patch while the deluxe numbered box set of Ride the Lightning includes four vinyl records, six CDs, one DVD, a deluxe book including more of those unseen photos, a mini-book of lyrics handwritten by James Hetfield and a set of three posters. The Deluxe Box sets are limited edition collectors' items.

Fans can pre-order both Deluxe Box sets at the Met Store.

Kill ‘Em All tracklisting:

CD/Vinyl
“Hit The Lights”
“The Four Horsemen”
“Motorbreath”
“Jump In The Fire”
“(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth”
“Whiplash”
“Phantom Lord”
“No Remorse”
“Seek & Destroy”
“Metal Militia”

Vinyl – Live At Espace Balard, Paris, France – February 9th, 1984 (2LP) – Previously Unreleased
“The Ecstasy Of Gold”
“Hit The Lights”
“The Four Horsemen”
“Jump In The Fire”
“Phantom Lord”
“No Remorse”
“Ride The Lightning”
“Motorbreath”
“(Anaesthesia) – Pulling Teeth”
“Whiplash”
“Seek & Destroy”
“Metal Militia”

“Phantom Lord”:

Vinyl – Jump In The Fire (Picture Disc)
“Jump In The Fire”
“Seek & Destroy” (“Live” at The Automatt)
“Phantom Lord” (“Live” at The Automatt)

CD – Interview & Radio IDs
Metal Forces Interview with Lars, January 1984
Radio IDs with Lars, James, and Cliff from 1984

CD – Rough Mixes From Lars’ Vault, Bootleg Tracks and Whiplash Remix EP
“Motorbreath” (Rough Mix)
“Hit The Lights” (Rough Mix)
“(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth” (Rough Mix)
“Seek & Destroy” (Rough Mix)
“Whiplash” (Rough Mix)
“The Four Horsemen” (Rough Mix)
“Seek & Destroy” (NOT Live from The Automatt)
“Phantom Lord” (NOT Live from The Automatt)
“Jump In The Fire”
“Whiplash” (Special Neckbrace Remix)
“Seek & Destroy” (“Live” at The Automatt)
“Phantom Lord” (“Live” at The Automatt)

CD – Live At J Bees Rock III, Middletown, NY – January 20th, 1984 – Previously Unreleased
“The Four Horsemen”
“Jump In The Fire”
“Fight Fire With Fire”
“Ride The Lightning”
“Phantom Lord”
“Seek & Destroy”
“Whiplash”

CD – Live At The Keystone, Palo Alto, CA – October 31st, 1983 – Previously Unreleased
“Hit The Lights”
“The Four Horsemen”
“Jump In The Fire”
“Fight Fire With Fire”
“Ride The Lightning”
“Phantom Lord”
“When Hell Freezes Over (The Call Of Ktulu)”
“Seek & Destroy”
“(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth”
“Whiplash”
“Creeping Death”
Guitar Solo
“Metal Militia”

DVD – Metallica Live At The Metro In Chicago On August 12th, 1983 – Previously Unreleased Except “No Remorse” and “Metal Milita”
“Hit The Lights” (Video Only/No Audio)
“The Four Horsemen” (Video Only/No Audio)
“Jump In The Fire” (Video Only/Partial Audio)
“Phantom Lord”
“No Remorse”
“(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth”
“Whiplash”
“Seek & Destroy”
Guitar Solo
“Metal Militia”