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[Mouse]

Marseilles, France (AP) Legendary heavy metal band Metallica has been secretely working on their ninth studio album in this working-class French city. "A lot of fans think we've just been jerking around," says frontman James Hetfield, "but we've been at it". The band has been recording in Merde, a studio owned by a friend of producer Bob Rock. Why France? "It's quieter here. We can hear the metal better," says drummer Lars Ulrich.

So are you ready for the title of their next opus? "We decided to call it 'Almost Finished', since we're almost finished with it," joked new bass player Rob Trujillo. This is Trujillo's first time recording a Metallica album, and he loves the process. "I love the road, playing for the crowds, but there's something about the studio experience... It's like giving birth or something, without all the pain and blood and stitches."

The real title, "The Man Within Me", might raise a few eyebrows from the metal community. Is there any truth to the rumor that it's related to producer Bob Rock's recent admission that he was gay?

"Hell, no!" says Hetfield. "If that were the case, we'd call it 'Coming Out' or something like that. Sure, Bob's gay and we've all accepted it. I think that's why he calls himself Bob, because he likes to Bob, up and down."

Ever the jokesters, Metallica has taken a lot of criticism from 2003's "St. Anger", an album which energized their sound in new ways, but alienated many old fans. So is "The Man Inside Me" nothing more than "St. Anger 2"?

"This album is so ****ing different from Anger," claims Ulrich. For example, on St. Anger, people loved the way I played open snare. On this album, I opened up the kick drum, too. You know how it usually sounds like "boom, boom, boom"? Now it's like, more of a whoomple sound. With the open snare, it's great. "Whoomple, ping, whoomple, ping," he says, while air drumming to get his point acrosss.

And what about new bass man Trujillo? "I'm totally into 'Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas', so I wanted to reproduce that sound." Does playing a metal washtub, broom handle, and string feel somewhat less than metal? "****, NO!" yells Trujillo, before adding that it might be hard to take his washtub bass on tour with him.

Another criticism of St. Anger was the lack of guitar solos. Guess what? According to lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, they won't be coming back. "I did a lot of whistling on this album," says Hammett. "Actually, when you whistle with a wah-wah set up, it sounds very metal."

Songs to watch for: the title track and the song "...And Neither Do We", a take-off on the famous quote by George W. Bush where he mistakingly says about America's enemies, "They never stop looking for new ways to harm our country, and neither do we."

Singer Hetfield calls this album his "Thriller", referring to the classic disk by Michael Jackson that set records for sales. Whether "The Man Inside Me" will reach those heights, only the public can say.

COMPLETE TRACK LISTING - Release date September 29, 2005

1. The Man Inside Me
2. Hangover
3. ...And Neither Do We
4. Shuckin' and Jivin'
5. Mama Said II
6. The Unlistened To
7. Whoa, Yeah Yeah
8. Broken Contract
9. The Pwn Within
10. P2P (Instrumental)
11. See Ya!

hahaha...this IS a joke right?

[Hog]

Yeah, very funny

am i the only person who'd LOVE to hear mama said II!?

[Fast Caz]

Well Metallica are a joke now so who knows...... maybe they are trying to be cool?

[Cloud]

Originally Posted by haigyman

am i the only person who'd LOVE to hear mama said II!?

Fuck no, Mama Said is ace

[Hog]

Originally Posted by haigyman

am i the only person who'd LOVE to hear mama said II!?

Haigy, please dont take this serious, the are recording in Merde, France. Kind of gives the game away that it is a piss take.

However, I also liked Mama Said, quality tune

Originally Posted by Hog

Haigy, please dont take this serious, the are recording in Merde, France. Kind of gives the game away that it is a piss take.

However, I also liked Mama Said, quality tune

uh...i wasn't

but bob rock IS gay right?

[Cloud]

haha i just noticed "P2P (instrumental"

[Hog]

He has a family but guys have been known to go to "putt from the rough"

Surely more likely to be this guy...