Metallica will release their new album, 72 Seasons, on April 14. Speaking with ALT 105.1, frontman James Hetfield shared some insight on the first single, "Lux Æterna", as well as the new album.

Says James: "'Lux Æterna' is an upbeat, kind of fast and joyous song, I would say... really indicative of New Wave Of British [Heavy] Metal stuff, so kind of a harkening-back-to-'80s kind of riff. It's just fun and makes me move. It was fun making the video, fun recording a song that comes out really easy, that was a real easy song to write and to perform, like I said, very much like the early '80s for us."

"'72 Seasons' came out of a book I was reading about childhood, basically, and sorting out childhood as an adult. And 72 seasons is basically the first 18 years of your life. How do you evolve and grow and mature and develop your own ideas and identity of self after those first 72 seasons? Some things are more difficult than others... you know, some things you can't unsee and they're with you for the rest of your life, and other things you're able to rewind the tape and make a new tape, you know, in your life. So that's the real interesting part for me, is how you're able to address those situations as an adult and mature."

"There's been a lot of darkness in my life and in our career and things that have happened with us, but always having a sense of hope, always having the light that is in that darkness, and without darkness, there is no light, and being able to focus a little more on the light in life instead of all of the... how it used to be and how horrible it is. There's a lot of good things going on in life, focusing on that instead, and it helps to balance out my life. And there's no one meaning to it, you know, everyone has some sense of hope or light in their life, and, obviously, music is mine. And the song specifically talks about gathering of people at a concert and able to see the joy and the life and the love that comes out of music and the family and the kinship in that, and just a sense of uplifting."

Metallica previously stated: "Yes, you read that correctly... we have completed recording at HQ, and our 12th studio album is coming your way! It’s been six years since Hardwired…To Self Destruct, so we think it’s about time for some new music. With 12 tracks totaling over 77 minutes, 72 Seasons hits all the places you can consume music on Friday, April 14, 2023.

"Produced by Greg Fidelman, along with James and Lars, 72 Seasons is available for pre-order now on CD, 2LP 140g black vinyl, two different colored vinyl variations, and digitally in the Met Store. Every pre-order will receive a digital instant grat track of the first song we are releasing, “Lux Æterna,” and you can check out the brand new video, one of the coolest we’ve ever made, on our YouTube channel. Directed by Tim Saccenti, we recently traveled to Los Angeles to capture our performance using some crazy cutting-edge technology.

"The album package was once again conceived and art directed by our good friend, acclaimed designer David Turner, and his team. David, who won a Grammy for his work on Death Magnetic, is the man behind the look and feel of all of our recent releases, including Through The Never, S&M2, and Hardwired.”

Pre-order the new album here.

72 Seasons tracklisting:

"72 Seasons"
"Shadows Follow"
"Screaming Suicide"
"Sleepwalk My Life Away"
"You Must Burn!"
"Lux Æterna"
"Crown Of Barbed Wire"
"Chasing Light"
"If Darkness Had A Son"
"Too Far Gone?"
"Room Of Mirrors"
"Inamorata"

"Lux Æterna" video:

Upcoming Metallica tour dates are listed below. M72 World Tour Enhanced Experience Package details via the following links:

Enhanced Experiences
I Disappear Tickets
Enhanced Experience FAQs

April
27 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Johan Cruijff Arena
29 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Johan Cruijff Arena

May
17 - Paris, France - Stade de France*
19 - Paris, France - Stade de France
6 - Hamburg, Germany - Volksparkstadion
28 - Hambur, Germany - Volksparkstadion

June
16 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Ullevi Stadium**
18 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Ullevi Stadium

August
4 - East Rutherford, NJ - MetLife Stadium
6 - East Rutherford, NJ - MetLife Stadium
11 - Montreal, QC - Stade Olympique
13 - Montreal, QC - Stade Olympique
8 - Arlington, TX - AT&T Stadium
20 - Arlington, TX - AT&T Stadium
25 - Inglewood, CA - SoFi Stadium
27 - Inglewood, CA - SoFi Stadium

September
1 - Glendale, AZ - State Farm Stadium
3 - Glendale, AZ - State Farm Stadium

November
3 - St. Louis, MO - The Dome at America’s Center
5 - St. Louis, MO - The Dome at America’s Center
10 - Detroit, MI - Ford Field
12 - Detroit, MI - Ford Field

May
24 - Munich, Germany - Olympiastadion
26 - Munich, Germany - Olympiastadion

June
7 - Helsinki, Finland - Olympic Stadium
9 - Helsinki, Finland - Olympic Stadium
14 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Parken Stadium
16 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Parken Stadium

July
5 - Warsaw, Poland - PGE Narodowy
7 - Warsaw, Poland - PGE Narodowy
12 - Madrid, Spain - Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano
14 - Madrid, Spain - Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano

August
2 - Foxborough, MA - Gillette Stadium
4 - Foxborough, MA - Gillette Stadium
9 - Chicago, IL - Soldier Field
11 - Chicago, IL - Soldier Field
16 - Minneapolis, MN - US Bank Stadium
18 - Minneapolis, MN - US Bank Stadium
23 - Edmonton, AB - Commonwealth Stadium
25 - Edmonton, AB - Commonwealth Stadium
30 - Seattle, WA - Lumen Field

September
1 - Seattle, WA - Lumen Field
20 - Mexico City, Mexico - Foro Sol***
22 - Mexico City, Mexico - Foro Sol
27 - Mexico City, Mexico - Foro Sol***
29 - Mexico City, Mexico - Foro Sol

Show 1 Support Europe: Architects & Mammoth WVH**
Show 2 Support Europe: Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills
* Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills play Show 1 in Paris, Architects & Mammoth WVH play Show 2 in Paris
** Volbeat replaces Architects on Show 1 in Gothenburg

Show 1 Support North America: Pantera & Mammoth WVH***
Show 2 Support North America: Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills
*** Greta Van Fleet replaces Pantera on show 1 both weekends in Mexico City

(Photos - Tim Saccenti)