Metallica Teases First Album in Seven Years and a 2023-2024 World Tour

James Hetfield with Metallica in concert in 2017
James Hetfield with Metallica in concert in 2017. Photo by Roberto Finizio/REX/Shutterstock (9373522b)

It’s been a while since Metallica surprised us with a new studio album and they’re finally ready for a comeback. Their eleventh LP titled 72 Seasons is coming our way next year, and the band will celebrate its release by embarking on a massive world tour.

According to frontman James Hetfield’s statement, they picked the name 72 Seasons because this album will reflect on the first 18 years of our lives that form our true or false selves aka 72 seasons.

“The concept that we were told ‘who we are’ by our parents… Much of our adult experience is reenactment or reaction to these childhood experiences. Prisoners of childhood or breaking free of those bondages we carry,” explained Hetfield.

The band teased the album by dropping the first single “Lux Æterna”, one of 12 tracks set to be featured on this record. Metallica will release it through their own label Blackened Recordings on April 14, 2023, and they’re going to celebrate its release by embarking on a world tour in 2023 and 2024.

The metal legends haven’t released a new studio album since Hardwired… to Self-Destruct in 2016. This double album became an instant hit and easily topped the Billboard 200 chart, in addition to hitting No. 1 in over 50 countries around the world.