Metallica’s Kirk Hammett has expressed openness to revisiting the band’s controversial Load and Reload era.
During an interview with the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, the lead guitarist was asked whether he’d be interested in making music similar to the band’s mid-90s albums. Despite the divisive reception from diehard metal fans, he didn’t rule out the possibility of exploring that style again.
“Yeah, who knows? We might just say, ‘OK, let’s go back to the 90s again,’” he said (via Blabbermouth). “It’s not a bad idea.”
Hammett also pointed out that while Load and Reload faced harsh criticism upon release, some of their songs remain crowd favorites in Metallica’s live shows.
“We changed our appearance, we changed our sound, we changed the way we recorded,” Hammett reflected. “I was even playing different guitars and f**king tuning to E-flat and listening to a lot of blues and jazz. And so all those factors came out on Load and Reload to make what Load and Reload are, and Load and Reload are so different from anything that came before it.
“It’s interesting, ’cause nowadays I run into fans and they love that era – they love ‘Load‘ and ‘Reload‘. But when those albums first came out, it was like, ‘F**k Load. F**k Reload. F**k Metallica.’ But nowadays we play ‘Fuel‘ and people go nuts.”
After releasing Load and Reload in 1996 and 1997, Metallica shifted toward a rawer, garage-style sound with St. Anger in 2003, their first album in 17 years without longtime bassist Jason Newsted. In 2008, they returned to their thrash metal roots with Death Magnetic.
Hammett recently revealed in the interview with Rolling Stone that he has an astonishing 767 riffs ready for Metallica’s next album.
“I have 767 new ones for the next album,” Kirk said. “It is such a nightmare going through this stuff, too. And I’m the one responsible for all of it and I can’t do it… I don’t foresee us starting the next album for at least another year because we’re still finishing the tour. Once we fully finish this and go to all the outlying places like Asia and Australia and New Zealand, I think we’re gonna take a little bit of a break, not too much of one, and then we’re gonna get right back into it.”
Metallica 2025 Tour Dates:
April
- 19 – Syracuse, NY – Wireless Dome*
- 24 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre*
- 26 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre+
May
- 1 – Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium*
- 3 – Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium+
- 7 – Blacksburg, VA – Lane Stadium*
- 9 – Columbus, OH – Sonic Temple
- 11 – Columbus, OH – Sonic Temple
- 23 – Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field+
- 25 – Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field*
- 28 – Landover, MD – Northwest Stadium*
- 31 – Charlotte, NC – Bank Of America Stadium*
June
- 3 – Atlanta, GA – Mercedes-Benz Stadium*
- 6 – Tampa, FL – Raymond James Stadium+
- 8 – Tampa, FL – Raymond James Stadium*
- 14 – Houston, TX – NRG Stadium*
- 20 – Santa Clara, CA – Levi’s Stadium+
- 22 – Santa Clara, CA – Levi’s Stadium*
- 27 – Denver, CO – Empower Field at Mile High+
- 29 – Denver, CO – Empower Field at Mile High*
(*Pantera and Suicidal Tendencies support)
(+Limp Bizkit and Ice Nine Kills support)
