Das Metallica auf ihren Touren immer wieder fleißig mitschneiden, wenn´s im Tuning-Room Riff-Ideen hagelt, ist bekannt. Schon des Öfteren ließen einzelne Bandmitglieder in Interviews verlauten, dass für das neue Album schon einiges an Material zusammengekommen ist. Zu diesem Thema äußerte sich nun auch James Hetfield in einem "MTV-Brazil" Interview:
"James Hetfield has admitted he’s already amassed “500 riffs” for the next record.
Metallica have already begun thinking about the follow up to 2008’s ‘Death Magnetic’. In an interview with MTV Brazil, James Hetfield revealed that writing would begin soon after the Death Magnetic tour winds up in the autumn.
“When we’re done touring, which will probably be in October or November, we’ll take a little time and then start writing”, said the frontman. “I’ve already got 500 riffs. It’s crazy. I’ve got a lot of ideas already".
“I play guitar a lot. I play guitar a lot when I’m not on tour. The last year I’ve fallen in love with playing”.
On the subject of the shrink Metallica employed during the making of 'St Anger', and as featured in the ‘Some Kind Of Monster’ movie, Hetfield said: “We needed some help. He was a referee and he was able to let us say what we needed to say to each other in a safer environment. It definitely saved Metallica”."