Le MetClub a mis en vente hier une série de T shirts commémoratifs des 4 shows donnés au Fillmore. 4 modèles différents, mais la possibilité de n'en acheter qu'un seul, les quantités étant ultra limitées.

Le site officiel a ajouté un extrait supplémentaire de 30s. Il s'agit cette fois de "All Within My Hands".

Certaines rumeurs (tout de même relayées par hmv) avancent les sorties européenne et asiatique de l'album au 5 ou 6 juin. Espérons que cela soit vrai. Notre "calvaire" s'achèverait plus vite que prévu!

Elektra a fait ses premières estimations. Selon ses dirigeants, l'album va se vendre à 1 million d'exemplaires... le jour de sa sortie. Rien que ça...

Les Clubbers britanniques ont été invités à s'inscrire sur une liste d'attente visant à constituer la petite audience (200 places seulement) qui assistera au show des Horsemen à l'émission CDUK. 7 titres seront interprétés.

Chino des Deftones a donné une ITW pour le Revolver magazine. Il n'est pas tendre avec les groupes qui partageront avec lui l'affiche du Summer Sanitarium Tour 2003. Alors Chino? "T'es encore fait comme un mickey?" ;-) (merci à Bud)
"LE gros problème pour moi c'est d'ouvrir pour LIMP BIZKIT & LINKIN PARK, deux groupes qui n'existeraient pas si cela ne tenait qu'à moi. (...) mais en fin de compte, je suis surmotivé et je ne suis pas là pour me faire des amis. (...) Metallica a un énorme répertoire. Mais en live? Ces enc... se tiennent juste là et jouent. Nous allons laminer leur truc. (...)"

Lars a été interviewé par le "Spin magazine". L'article sera publié dans le numéro de juin, mais vous pouvez le lire ici. Le texte est sarcastique à souhait et l'interview elle même, très intéressante... Un régal!
"They've been gone five years. But now Metallica are returning with St. Anger - possibly the most intense album of their career - and this summer's Sanitarium tour. Drummer Lars Ulrich dug deep and talked openly about singer James Hetfield's near breakdown and the band's near breakup.
A power vacuum is a dangerous thing. Take out the dominant force and you've got chaos, tribal clashes, ethnic disputes, Nickelback. In the five years since Metallica released their last studio album, Reload, hard rock has been overrun by suburban angst-rappers, Bible-touting neo-Vedders, and cartoonish goth punks. Whither our mighty metal Vikings?
Oh, pretty much whether you'd think. Off in the fortress of solitude, going to rehab, losing their minds. The band started unraveling in 2000, when their lawsuit against file-sharing underdog Napster prompted a massive backlash. Then, in January 2001, bassist Jason Newsted, who had been with the group for 14 years, went his own way. Then singer/guitarist James Hetfield entered rehab - reportedly to cope with alcoholism - leaving no word when, or if, he would return.
When he tentatively rejoined Metallica in 2002, no one in the band knew how to continue the torturous business of being Metallica. So they enlisted a group therapist - pro-sports "enhancement coach" Phil Towle - and began jamming, with producer Bob Rock (who has helmed the band's last five records) filling in on bass. They had no songs, no concept, and no idea where they were going. Yet, while some people who go through this type of ordeal end up discussing it on Oprah, Metallica did probably the only thing they could do: make a huge, brutal, no-bullshit record - possibly their rawest ever - that actually sounds like a struggle to exist. They titled it St. Anger, and their forthcoming road show (with Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, and Deftones) is called the Sanitarium Tour, just in case you had any doubts as to where they're coming from.
Sipping tea in a Manhatten cafe, drummer Lars Ulrich - an intense, peroxided 39-year-old - discusses the band's long journey and the addition of Robert Trujillo, former bassist for Suicidal Tendencies and Ozzy Osbourne (Ozzy's new bassist is - in some cosmic realignment - Jason Newsted). This, and other strange turns for Metallica, will be revealed in an upcoming documentary by the folks behind the hit indie film Paradise Lost. But until that film-in-progress hits theaters, we have Mr. Ulrich to sing us the ballad of Metallica.
Spin: It's been a harsh three years. When was the low point?
Lars Ulrich: September 2001.
Yeah, that was a great time.
[Nods ruefully] A great time. For our part, we'd been three weeks into recording [during that summer] and James had come into the studio and said, "I'm going away for five weeks into a program." He returned four months later. We'd left the amplifiers still running. It wasn't until August that we were like, "Well, maybe we should turn everything off and go home."
So when did you realize what bad shape he was in?
It wasn't until I went down to the facility and saw him that I realized what he was going though. And then, in September, the night before we were gonna get together, he called and said, "Look, I'm not ready. I don't know if I'll ever be ready. But I'll let you know." That was rock bottom, when I was wondering what the future held. I mean, the brother in me wanted to run over and give him a big fuckin' hug and say, like, "You okay?" But the member of Metallica [in me] wanted to go over and kick his fuckin' ass.
Did you collaborate on the lyrics?
[Nods] We would sit in a room together for a half-hour and just riff, all of us. Then we'd go in to play, and James would literally stand and sing from , like, either or ten pieces of paper from everybody. I remember when James said, "I would like you guys to help me write the lyrics," there was a moment of shock and disbelief. That was when I knew that the creative process of Metallica had truly become equal.
So your group therapist was in the room when you were jamming, composing, and recording?
He was there every step of the process. The new songs portray various mental demons - "Get out of my head," "I'll die if I lose control" - in a very direct way. It seems like a lot of that period's craziness went directly into the music.
Yes. It did. But this is not a rehab record. We're not talking about the Beatles going to India. It's just sitting down and understanding who you are.
In "Some Kind of Monster," the refrain is "We the people/ Some kind of monster." With the images of bombings on TV, this is easy to hear as bitter war commentary.
Well, I've always been very wary of using a Metallica interview as a platform to promote my own political views. There are very few people I respect as much as Tom Morello or Bono. But it doesn't mean that I want to use Metallica in the same way.
Well, the Napster suit was political. Are you satisfied with the settlement?
There was no victory in that, no uncorking of champagne bottles. Most of the time it feels like something that I dreamt. I mean, I was as surprised as anyone when I found myself testifying before the Senate. But anybody who knows anything about Metallica knows that we've always taken a stand against anybody who fucks with us. So it was like, "How did I become the most hated man in rock'n'roll for 15 minutes?" It was a very surreal experience, and still hurts more than I've ever let on.
When were you able to put it behind you?
Well, [laughs] I still go through eight-hour therapy sessions about it."

Notre ami quebecois [sANdmAn] nous fait parvenir cette fois la video du clip de St Anger. Dépêchez vous, les links de ce type sont toujours éphémères (d'ailleurs celui que j'ai posté hier ne fonctionne plus)
http://mcms-delivery.virtuebroadcasting.com/deliverMedia.asp?id=A9F766A7-FE7B-424E-AA4A-371D8CD4CB09

Les Clubbers sont invités à mettre leur "profil à jour" (vérification des adresses emails, etc...). Cliquez ici

Jaymz, de passage en Suède pour la promotion de l'album, a participé à un Chat pour le journal "Aftonbladet". Comme d'habitude dans ce genre d'évènement, la qualité des questions posées est très inégale. Néanmoins, le Jaymz est en forme et répond avec beaucoup d'humour :
"Metallica rocks: Which of your other albums sounds the most like St. Anger?
James Hetfield: ... and justice for all
Question: How are things working with the new member of the band??
James Hetfield: Rob is amazing, he was meant to be with us. He has an amazing attitude, and a great bass player. it´s been an easy transition...
Question: James! Thanx for the music. Are you and Lars as tough on the other band members as the press say?
James Hetfield: We used to be.. but not anymore
Question: Which are your 3 favourite METALLICA albums?
James Hetfield: St Anger, Ride the lightning, Black album
Question: james, now since you´ve been in rehab and all. do you drink at all or nothing?
James Hetfield: Zero alcohol.
Question: What is the best thing about touring?
James Hetfield: Going home. Seriously... connecting with eyes of the fans that understand what we"re doing
Question: When and where are you going to play in Sweden next year??
James Hetfield: Not sure yet... but it will be an in door tour of st Anger
Question: Any swedish bands you"re particularly interested in? I noticed entombed weer invited to the listening party, and they are among the very best!
James Hetfield: ABBA... *laughing*
Question: Any band that inspired you to go "harder" again?
James Hetfield: everything I hear on the radio that I don´t like... soft metal...
Question: Hi, i wonder what measures you have taken not to let your new album leak out to the public for mp3 sharing etc? Good luck with the new album!
James Hetfield: Thank you. All the files that we were doing were in a vault, nothing was leaving the studio
Question: Who would you mostley (dead or alive) like to do a song with?
James Hetfield: Phil Lynnot, Thin Lizzy
Question: Can you give me a tip on how to become a guitarplayer as good as you?
James Hetfield: well... *thinks long*... don´t practise much...
Question: Which Metallica concert is your favourite? Moscow 91?
James Hetfield: Yes, either that or the summer sanitarium tour with Corn at the Los Angeles Colosseum
Question: Hallo James, what is you favourite music in this moment?
James Hetfield: a band called Zky
Question: What would I have to do to become a drummer of Metallica? :)
James Hetfield: have shoes that smell like vinegar
Question: Hi! How do you manage to keep up a good show on stage, tour after tour?
James Hetfield: eat your vitamines
Question: Which of the bands you have toured with are the band you are proudest of have toured with?
James Hetfield: difficult question... say, AC/DC (monsters of rock tour) and Ozzy in 1986
Question: can you feel the spirit of ´Cliff here in sweden? I can. Respect to you all.
James Hetfield: Yeah, the spirit of Cliff lives in our hearts and is alive and well wherever be go. Thanks to everyone asking questions... love and respect, James."

St Anger arrive enfin sur nos ondes... En voici le mp3 (le son de l'enregistrement n'est pas top, ne cédez pas trop vite à la panique -comme moi :-)) Un grand merci à Bud de chez Boots 4 all !!!!!
http://townsquare.phpwebhosting.com/shit/metallica/Metallica%20-%20St.%20Anger%20Radio%20Rip.mp3

Les dernieres places (11 juin, Boule noire, Bataclan, Trabendo) ont été mises en vente hier matin dans 3 Virgin Parisiens. La répartition commençait mal d'office dans la mesure où les franciliens sont une fois de plus outrageusement avantagés (je n'ai rien contre les Parisiens, rassurez-vous, mais il faudrait que tout le monde comprenne que la France ne se limite pas à sa capitale). Peu importe...
Certains fans sont venus de loin, d'autres ont campé devant les magasins dès 1h du matin. Tout aurait pû se dérouler à peu près correctement... Mais c'était sans compter l'incroyable incompétence des employés du Virgin de Montmartre.
En effet, l'affluence est telle que la direction décide de distribuer des contremarques (pour assurer l'achat de places à leurs possesseurs UNIQUEMENT) en commençant par la queue de la file et donc, par ceux qui sont arrivés les derniers. L'ambiance se réchauffe soudainement, la grogne monte, les noms d'oiseaux fusent de toute part, tant et si bien qu'un recours au service de sécurité et à la police nationale est nécessaire. Les GROS fans qui ont passé la nuit dehors sont raccompagnés manu militari et les autres décrochent les places tant convoitées... tant mieux pour eux me direz-vous.
Et ça continue...
Certains "non-fans" ont profité de l'aubaine pour acheter des billets qu'ils proposent maintenant un peu partout sur les forums à des prix flirtant allègrement avec les 400 euros. Tout cela est fort regrettable. Souhaitons que de VRAIES et INTELLIGENTES mesures soient prises pour éviter un carnage le 11 juin...

Metallica a fait une "apparition écrite" dans les colonnes du prestigieux "The Los Angeles Times" (édition de Samedi). Le groupe y commente les shows au Fillmore et St- Anger. Encore 15 jours à tenir!!!
Kirk et les concerts de la semaine dernière :
"It was good fun, and we're still getting rid of the cobwebs. I'm just glad we made it to here, to this point."
Bob Rock à propos de St Anger et du groupe :
"It's funny, it's nice being a little scared, waiting to see how people are going to react to it. I've been doing this 25 years and this is the purest thing I've ever recorded. We didn't go back to fix things, it was one take and, if it works, it works."
"I can't explain to somebody how different they are. I was there with them through this period of therapy and what it's done for them -- the freedom, the communication -- is amazing. There's been a rebirth for them."
James et la chanson "All Within My Hands" :
"It's really about loving things to death, you know, choking things out -- it's essentially about Jason. When he said he wanted to do other music, other bands, I didn't get it. I just saw it as an attack. I wanted to squeeze tighter. We grieved that loss for a long time."
Lars commente la cure de Jaymz :
"He said he didn't want to hear from anyone and that the next communiqué would be from him. That was a pretty heavy thing to hear. I certainly was numbing myself to the potential that he was going to call back and say, 'Well we had a good ride, thanks a lot, see you around.' "
James sur St Anger :
"We're in our most confident and serene place now, and we're putting out an album called 'St. Anger. This album isn't in your face, it's through your face. What does that say? I have no idea. All I know is there is no end in sight. When you use your energy together -- instead of using some of it against each other -- you go in the same direction. When you get four guys going in the same direction, things go fast. And the music shows that."

Frantic en live au Fillmore, ça vous dit? Tout le monde dit "merci" à [sANdmAn], mon ami de Québec.
http://home.attbi.com/~dlee72598/AllMetallica.com-Frantic-liveFillmore5-22-03.mp3

Les Mets devraient participer à un "Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd" avec 3 doors down, Fuel et Kid Rock. Personne ne sait s'ils enregistrereront une nouvelle song ou reprendront la version de "Tuesday's gone" déjà enregistrée.

Lars revient sur les "grandes périodes" qui ont ponctué les Tournées. Alors Lars, avec qui as tu préféré tourner?
"Guns N Roses," the drummer replied. "Everything you've heard is true. Use your imagination. That summer we toured with them, '92, it was the most fun in terms of the girls and the drugs and the debauchery. At the same time, four months was plenty. We sort of walked out of there going, 'I'm really glad I got to experience that. Now I'll crawl back into my safer cubicle with Metallica.' "
Asked about Metallica's first-ever outdoor shows, Ulrich said, "Well, when 'Kill 'Em All' came out in '83, we did a tour with Raven, a band from England. It was basically us and them, a motor home and a truck with the equipment and some mattresses. We'd take turns sleeping in the motor home and the equipment truck. When we hit Arkansas, our manager had hooked up with some bogus guy who set up six outdoor shows in these fields, in towns you'd never heard of. We were down there a good week. It was a field, a stage, us, Raven and about 20 kids. We'd never experienced that summer thing with bugs, 120-degree weather, a camper with no AC. That was a good time. Our first full-on summer tour was Monsters of Rock, with Van Halen and The Scorpions [and] … it was fucking great. It was '88, right before '…And Justice For All' came out. We were at the bottom, sandwiched between Kingdom Come and Dokken. Basically, at that time, we used to start drinking when we woke up. We'd get the gig over by three o'clock, and then we'd have eight or nine hours to drink. It was awesome. That was our first exposure to big crowds, like, 50,000 people every day . . . We were just drunk basically all the time. Girls knew we were part of the tour and wanted to fuck us, but at the same time, we could blend in with the crowd. There's a point where you end up sitting in your dressing room because there's 14 layers of security. Back then it was like, 'Who gives a shit? Let's have another rum and Coke and go back in the audience and see what's happening.' There are pictures of us at the top of Tampa stadium with our pants off flashing everybody. It's four o' clock in the afternoon and we're already drunk off our asses. The not-giving-a-fuck meter was peaking."

Les agendas des Mets commencent à se noircir sérieusement... Voici le programme pour les deux - trois semaines à venir :
27 Mai : Diffusion de St. Anger sur les ondes et clip sur MTV & MTV2
28 Mai : Lars et Rob feront une apparition lors de la listenning party de Copenhague
31 Mai : Metallica joue live au show TV "headliners" à Londres
04 Juin : James et Kirk assureront la promotion de l'album à Varsovie
06 Juin : Le "Tour" européen débute par le Rock im Park
07 Juin : Festival de Wuhlheide
08 Juin : Prestation au Rock am Ring
10 Juin : Sortie de St Anger
11 Juin : Les shows parisiens!!!! Boule noire, Bataclan, Trabendo

Jaymz répond aux questions du magazine "Rolling stone" :
"Back in their wayward youth, the members of Metallica partied hard enough to earn the nickname Alcoholica. The joke seemed less funny when word leaked that singer James Hetfield had checked himself into rehab. The lyrics on Metallica's new album, St. Anger, certainly reflect his recent struggles, sounding alternately angry and defiant, with the occasional twelve-step survivor's mantra -- lines about "lifestyles" becoming "deathstyles" -- thrown in for good measure. Hetfield spoke from San Francisco, where the group was preparing to film a new video at San Quentin Prison.
Did you go to many summer festivals when you were younger?
Probably the most memorable was the California World Music Festival. It was one of those two-day things. The first night was Ted Nugent and Van Halen -- no, Aerosmith. I must have been fifteen or sixteen. I remember following around my buddy, who was selling drugs. He tore up a part of his ticket -- it had a kind of rainbow edge -- and he cut it into bits and sold it as acid. I was like, "What are you doing, man?" He used the money to buy beer.
What were the bands like?
I was a huge Aerosmith fan. I could not believe I was seeing them so close. I worked my way up there as far as I could. There was something magical about seeing them as actual live people, not just pictures on an album. The real coolness of Joe Perry, especially. It's impossible for him to be uncool. And I remember I was blown away by the fact that Steven was calling the crowd "motherfuckers." I was like, "Whoa -- are you supposed to do that?"
Lars mentioned some early outdoor shows you did in Arkansas.
I've got the poster for one of the shows hanging up right here, actually. The Bald Knob amphitheater in Bald Knob, Arkansas. That name is so funny. It was the Kill 'Em All for One Tour. The amphitheater was nothing but a giant field and a big cement block. But by six o'clock, they had everything set up: food, booze, catfish sandwiches.
How about the Monsters of Rock?
That whole tour was a big fog for me. Those were my Jagermeister days. It was bad coming back to some of those towns later, because there were a lot of dads and moms and husbands and boyfriends looking for me. Not good. People were hating me, and I didn't know why. That's when I realized Jagermeister is not the great elixir of life I thought it was. It was OK to feel drunk and fucked-up back then.
Did you ever worry about passing out from the heat during daytime sets?
Metallica never worried about anything in those days. And we stayed pretty lubricated with beer. For the day bands on the Summer Sanitorium Tour, I guess I'd just advise them not to wear leather or makeup.
After taking a break from touring, how are you feeling about such a big outing this summer?
We're looking forward to spreading this new lust for life we have. There's a new strength in Metallica that's never been there before. There are still fearful parts, too. But I'm pretty well set up. And I'm really proud of the new music. I think we did something where the pedal does not let up."

C'est bon de se retrouver :-)

Le clip "St anger" sera diffusé toutes les heures à partir de mardi sur MTV et MTV 2.

Le site officiel déborde de photos et de news en ce moment... Dernières en date, les pix des concerts "at the Fillmore". Les setlists sont hallucinantes... Je me laisse déjà bercer par le doux appel du 11 juin (lol), espérant que mes chers amis de la SNCF ne soient pas en grève ce jour là... Ci dessous la setlist du dernier live en date (le 21 mai) :
Fight Fire With Fire
Fuel
Leper Messiah
St. Anger
Seek and Destroy
Frantic
Harvester of Sorrow
Ride the Lightning
Sad But True
Fade To Black
Blackened
The Four Horsemen
Phantom Lord
Die, Die My Darling
Blitzkrieg
Hit the Lights

Les Horsemen se produiront au "Riverside Studios" à Hammersmith le 31 Mai. Ils y interpréteront un set live de 7 chansons qui, on peut le laisser supposer, seront d'une puissance digne des concerts que le groupe livrait il y a une dizaine d'années. LE show sera ensuite rediffusé sur l'antenne de "Channel 4" dans l'émission de fin de soirée "Headliners".

Nouveau "rebondissement" relatif au single... On parle désormais du 26 Juin!

La "damage statue" est de nouveau en vente. Celle qui lui succèdera cet été, la "pirate statue" est l'un des premiers dessins que Pushead a réalisé pour Metallica. Il avait d'ailleurs été edité sur une série de skate boards "Zorlac".

Le So what 10-1 sera bientôt dans les boîtes aux lettres des clubmembers et contiendra les ITW de Rob, dernier venu de la formation, et Jaymz...

Pour conclure, je vous annonce qu'il n'y aura pas d'update cette semaine (pour cause d'examens :-((). Je vous retrouve tous vendredi pour de nouvelles aventures... Good luck à ceux qui sont dans mon cas! See ya dudes!

Quelques bonnes news en provenance du Whipping Dancerz :
"MTV va filmer les concerts du 11 Juin à Paris !
Le DVD Bonus de St.Anger sera vendu séparement (un disque pour le CD et un pour le DVD)et sera gratuit la première semaine, le prix sera ensuite celui d'un double album standard."

Une fois n'est pas coutume, je vous livre avec un peu de retard les covers de la bêêêêêêête. Les autres pix sont dans la review ci-dessous..

Une fois de plus, les news du jour sont destinées à ceux et celles qui connaissent la langue de Shakespeare. Personne ne s'en est encore plaint... :-) Cette review postée par un fan sur le forum de Metallica.com vous a été dégotée par mon ami bud (boots4all). Il possède d'ailleurs une collection de bootlegs hallucinante (plus de 450) et très eclectique... A voir :
"It was no surprise that I was the first person sitting in the lobby of Universal music yesterday afternoon, well not to anyone that knows me as the anticipation of hearing Metallica's first instalment for the New millennium was taking the breath out of me and to be honest I was scared to death. Scared not because I was afraid it was not going to be all I had imagined from the band I have loved since 1986, but I guess a little scared that over production may have found its way into our beloved Metallica and drowned out the raw musical style of what makes Metallica's music unique.
We were informed that we were to only hear 6 songs because the album is 77 minutes long, and although I wanted to jump up and scream "I object" when the first thud of "St Anger" pumped out of the speakers I couldn't have cared less if I only heard that one song. This album is a conglomeration of what the band has been through in the last decade. You can hear it all in the lyrics. James rehab experience, the worlds disgust of Napster,the departure of Jason and just the long hard road the band has travelled. And they emerge at the other side "Triumphant".
"St Anger" not only lends its self to "Modern" rock, but it takes you back to the thrashing sound of the eighties. It smacks you in the head and forces you to open your mind to what this band can really do. There is not one moment that the music lets up and I was left feeling elated that Metallica has finally gone full circle. They can do it all, thrash, Rock, Metal, modern contemporary, all with the Metallica "Shut the fuck up and listen" stamp on it.
Track one : Frantic
The lyric "My lifestyle Determines My death. sums up this obvious journey into James and the bands addictive destructive lifestyle of old. James Voice is stronger than before, still with that almost Southern Drawl to it. You can hear James new sense of self in his delivery of the Lyric. Its a trip into James's heart and soul.
"Innocence goes on" screams James, Lars unleashes his double kick to the track and surprise surprise I think Bob Rock keeps up the fury with some thudding bellowing bowel punching Bass sounds. The song lyric trails off with "Keep Searching keep on searching on and on and on.
Track two : St Anger.
Big bass/guitar intro welcomes the listener to the title track. This is probably the thrashest track I have heard the Met boys do in a long time. Metallica fans of old rejoice, we got a little Master in this one. The lyric " No Regrets to make myself be free, I want my anger to be real , I need to set my anger free" St Anger in My head.
Its a heart felt song and a true representation of the band.
Track Three : Dirty Window.
Lyric " JUDGE JURY EXECUTIONER PROTECTOR REJECTOR EJECTOR. The chant goes out. Its a big track Battery esc. I get more excited as each track rages on as I can hear old stuff in there with a new modern thrash twist. Its "Chunky" in sound and again Bob Rock has a nice "Fury" to his playing
Track Four : Invisible Kid
Lyric " I look inside, I feel inside Ill show you, Open your heart open your mind." This song is my favourite so far. The guitars come at you as it there are ten speakers surrounding your head. The drum tracks skips along and The harmony in the vocal is spot on.
Track five : My World
Bass sound in this reminiscent to the 12 string growl used in Enter Sandman The pounding "TWANG" carries through the song.
Lyric " Its my world, its my time now Look Mother Fuckers Here I am Sons of Bitches its my world. The track has an interesting mix of James's growls wrapped in whispering. Again Kirk adds his brilliant clean guitar sound.
Track six : Shoot Me again.
This is the poetic Justice song for me. James growling " Shoot me again I ain't dead YET Shoot Me again C'mon All the Shots I Take All the shots I take.
C'MON SHOOT ME AGAIN ALL THE SHOTS I TAKE ALL THE SHOTS YOU FAKE.
I can use so many words to describe how I felt after hearing this album. Surprised, moved , educated and plain and simple I was "Rocked".
But I think if the band were presented to me and asked for my thoughts on "St Anger" I would just say "I am a Metallica fan and I am Proud".

Le numero de juin du "Stuff magazine" contiendra une ITW de Jaymz :
"Jason Newstead's departure, what happened there?
I felt that-in the day and age of three side projects- I kind of came down on him, saying that Metallica is the kind of band that doesn't want that happening. I think that was the straw that broke it for him. It was a healthy divorce.
What kind of hazing has new bassist Rob Trujillo endured?
We're not going to do what we did to harass jason. We told Jason that our photographer was gay and that he had to do a certain sexual act with him to get the best pictures. We said that we'd all done it- it's just one of those things that you have to do. Well, after he did it, our jaws dropped. {Laughs} No, he was like, "No Fuckin' way!"
What's the most embarrasing item you own?
It would probably be a pair of women's pants that I wear onstage. They don't make men's stretch jeans anymore. Nowadays, it's all about homie, baggy stuff, so I have to go to a size-14 women's extra-long.
Did you consider sending your shorn locks to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? There must have been a lot to give!
Now there's not. We're entering our hair-plug years. When I had my ultramullet, I braided my side hair and cut it off, so I have those braids still sitting somewhere in an envelope.
What do you think of Axl Rose's apparent plastic surgery?
Axl does not look like himself. There are people who feel they need to do things for security- and I understand.
Why do so many people hate Lars Ulrich?
Lars is extremely confident and vocal about what he needs, and i think that some people find that annoying. I certainly do sometimes.
What is it with rockers flipping off the camera?
well, it's either that or the metal sign. I think it's lack of creativity.
What would people be surprised to know you listen to?
I listen to Madonna and Pink. I have a four-year-old daughter who's just in love with Pink's stuff. I'm not afraid to listen to whatever she likes.
As an outdoorsman, would you be up for hunting humans? You know, somebody that nobody would miss...
{Laughs} If you would've asked me 10 years ago? Maybe. But, no, certainly not. It's not on my list of things to do.
You and sobriety: Drink in moderation or zero inebriation?
It's zero. I went on a bear hunt in Siberia for two weeks. I'm sitting around a chicken coop in four feet of snow with russians with AK-47's, and there was nothing to drink there except vodka or melted snow. I opted for vodka. Pretty soon, it turned into a shoot for breakfast, and once I tagged out with my bear, I'm just drinkin'. So that was my bottom. I Came home and continued the behavior. It disrupted my family, and I was given an ultimatum. I'm very glad it's over. I certainly do not miss the hangovers.
Does Bono deserve a Nobel Peace prize or a swift kick in the head?
He's doing some great stuff, but it sometimes seems to come from a self-serving place. Someone could knock him on the head WITH that Peace Prize. Maybe knock a little reality into him.
Did you have any "no ways" when it came to doing bad things with groupies?
Being tied up. Someone tried to do that and there's no way- being the control freak that I am- that was gonna happen. They were asked to leave."

Voici des rumeurs & des NEWS sûres postées par Man
u sur le forum du whipping dancerz :
RUMEUR :
Le Virgin Megastore Champs Elysées ouvrirait ses portes le 11 juin à minuit pour vendre l'album. (au lieu de 10 h normalement chez tous les disquaires...)
Ils organiseraient une rencontre (ça on le savait déjà) et un concours permettant de rencontrer le groupe et de se voir offrir en main propre des places pour les concerts du lendemain.... Info à vérifier et à compléter....
INFOS SURES :
Clip envoyé aux TV le 19 mai et en programmation à partir du 26.
CD d'aujourd'hui dans la semaine du 9/6
Metallica Day sur MCM le 11 juin à 22h (durée 2 heures) (rediffusé en 2eme quinzaine de juin)
JDM MCM semaine du 9/6 interview de la semaine Rob et Lars.
ARTE Tracks dans la semaine du 11 juin.
Playlist du single un peu partout (Oui FM, Le Mouv, Europe 2, Couleur 3) à partir du 26 Mai.
Sortent le 11 juin :
- CD Digipack + DVD Edition limitée 4 pochettes.
- CD Digipack + DVD Edition normale
- Cassette
- Double Vinyle.

Le single devrait sortir le 27 mai!!

Voici une review postée sur le forum de Metallica.com par un fan ayant assisté à la listenning party en Australie. Ses sentiments sont mitigés mais, comme il le dit lui même, c'est l'avis d'une seule personne et il n'est en rien representatif de la majorité... (Merci à bud de chez boots4all pour le link)
"Last night, I went along to the Metallica, ‘St. Anger’ listening party. A Metalshop exclusive!
Hosted by Universal Music (the band’s Australian label) it was the first opportunity anyone had had to hear the entire album outside Universal HQ. In fact, the copy that we had the luxury to indulge ourselves in was the ONLY copy in the country. A representative from Mercury UK flew in with the album, strapped to her person, just hours prior to our preview.
Held at Chapel on Chapel (South Yarra, VIC) in a nice candlelit room, with pizza and beer as a suitable accompaniment, the 30 or so that were invited got a chance to hear ‘St. Anger’ from start to finish… all 77 minutes of it. Everyone entering the building had to be patted down for recording devices, and all mobile phones were seized.
Just prior to the album’s playback, a series of clips were shown, depicting various stages of Metallica’s career. And while these sorts of album previews can often be a little disorientating due to the sometimes dubious nature of the pa system, the old stuff sounded clear and crisp, so there was no reason not to expect the most from ‘St. Anger’.
And before I go on any further, I would like to confirm a number of things.
1. The cover art you have seen is official, although there is some question as to what the final colour(s) will be.
2. The new/modified logo is also official.
3. The album will come complete with a DVD that features the band playing all 11 tracks in their rehearsal place.
4. There are NO solos on the album.
5. The tracklist is definitely as follows:
Sweet Amber
Shoot Me Again
Monster
My World
Within My Hands
Dirty Window
Invisible Kid
Frantic
The Un-named Feeling
Pure If I
Saint Anger
Now for the playback. One never wants to judge an album based on one listening of it, although there are many things that one can ascertain from such an experience. Personally, I feel that the public have been mislead on many levels, and that in reality, much of what the actual members of Metallica have described the album as being is the closest to the truth. ‘St. Anger’ is not a return to the band’s roots. It is heavier in a sense, but it is not the fastest, most aggressive, or most extreme thing to hit! Although I doubt anyone honestly thought that would be the case.
What I came away from the preview thinking was this. Metallica HAVE observed what bands like System Of A Down and Meshuggah have done, and arrangement wise, ‘St. Anger’ is far closer to a Meshuggah release than anything they themselves released in the 80’s. It doesn’t sound like Meshuggah, it just works on the same stripped back, minimalist principles. SOAD was another act that Metallica name checked, and while there is nothing of that eclecticism demonstrated on the SOAD records, the often jarring nature of their songs seems to have transferred, at least in part onto ‘St. Anger’. That was one disappointing thing about ‘St. Anger’, it never seemed to get started, there was no tension, no release, no peaks, no troughs… each song was something of a plateau from start to finish. There are choruses, and James’ singing is good, but it was easy to leave the preview without a shred of the 77 minute experience embedded in my head.
To reiterate, I am not suggesting that Metallica’s new offering sounds like either Meshuggah or SOAD, but I feel that the five tracks that were offered up to music journalists for previous pre listening gatherings were collated in such a way that those journalists would be given a somewhat biased view of the album overall. I mean, if they were offered the five heaviest cuts, how could they not have walked away with the notion that Metallica had created something hostile and all out aggressive? I would also be quick to suggest that I doubt the band have utilised either Meshuggah, or SOAD’s releases as blueprints for their new album, but I am convinced that they have assessed what was current and ‘hot’ in today’s heavy music scene, and coupled with the desire to do something heavy themselves, have found a medium that suits their interpretation of what was going to appeal to both themselves, and the metal buying public.
I mean, let’s be serious, would ‘Master Of Puppets’ receive the same accolades were it released today? When compared to The Haunted’s ‘One Kill Wonder’ – greatest thrash album of all time, (note: sarcasm, overhype… Thanx Earache!) it is conceivable that it would be well received, but perhaps well short of the monumental release it became. For after all, what was killer in 1985 is not necessarily viewed in quite the same light as it is today. So, evolution equals survival, and Metallica have done just that, although I feel it was the wrong tact to take. Bands that stay at the forefront are those that do what they want to do. In the early 80’s Metallica did what they believed in, and wrote songs accordingly. This is why they became great, they were of the elite of their sound.
I really wanted ‘St. Anger’ to be something great, and while it may be perceived as such by their legions of fans, as a music fan, and more importantly a Metallica fan, I couldn’t help but to feel once again that I have been cheated by hype, and a false indication of what this record actually had to offer. If I’d read nothing about the album, I would have gone along with no pre conceived ideas, and still been disappointed, but 30 seconds into the album, it was clear that there were no razor sharp guitars, no possibility that there was anything reflecting the band’s 80’s style, coupled with a very odd, hollow sounding snare, and as the album progressed, no hooks, no big catchy riffs, no melodies, no leads, and basically zero dynamics.
And to conclude, this was my interpretation of the album, it’s not to say that I won’t feel differently after hearing it more than once, and it’s not to say that YOU won’t hear it and love it. It’s just one person’s version of the events."

HMV et Lars ont fait les déclarations suivantes :
"It has been a very interesting three years", Lars Ulrich begins with a typical understatment. "A very different three years for us. Difficult. Awkward. It's been a ride that's taken us to places inside ourselves, inside the band, inside the potential of human beings and the music and everything else we could not imagine existed. But if you asked me then, I would say for the first time in my life with Metallica, I was starting to prepare myself that maybe the ride was over". If it sounds like the tenets of a Herculean struggle, who else but Metallica to apply for the job. The result of the 'ride' Lars refers to can indeed be found in the blood, sweat and blood and grooves of 'St. Anger'. From the album's crushing title songs and its burnished heaps of magnified guitar and drums, to the colossal time and tempo changes of 'Frantic', to the chugging slabs and staccato exchanges of the exalting confessional 'My World', Metallica has once again, in the boldest strokes imaginable, made music its most viable currency.

"I think the great thing about Metallica is that we can we can pretty much chart where we want to chart. Playing other people's material (like on 'Garage Inc') was something we talked about for years. It was the music the band was basically founded on. With the Symphony stuff we got a call from Michael Kamen who wanted to do it and the band was excited by the challenge - something that Metallica has always embraced. But now that we are back to playing the stuff that people think is the purest, it is the most natural, it is the most effortless. The other thing I think we're challenging here is that most people have the perception that in order for things to be really, really energetic that they can only come from negative energy. Metallica was fueled by negative energy for twenty years. Now we've spent a lot of time working on ourselves and on our relationships and we've turned that around. Metallica is fueled by positive energy that has manifested itself so it sounds like the album we've made"

Une video promo contenant un extrait du clip de la chanson St-Anger (à confirmer) circule depuis hier (Une station de radio de Detroit en a diffusé le son). Vous pouvez Downloader la vid ici.

Voici la review d'une listenning party australienne :
"Metallica are about to deliver an album that will scare the crap out of every commercial radio programmer on the planet. 'St Anger' is totally uncompromising in sound harking back to the pre-Black days.
As most Metallica fans own a couple of 'Black', we'll throw you a reference point in 'Holier Than Thou'. Use that as a guide to were the sound lies but be warned, on 'St Anger' that would be one of the tamer tracks. Earlier fans should reference 'Creeping Death' (1984) and 'Master of Puppets' (1986) as the sound of where the band is coming from on 'St Anger'.
I have never heard Metallica rock so hard. There isn't even a hint of 'Unforgiven' or 'Nothing Else Matters'. There is certainly nothing as melodic as 'Enter Sandman' or 'Until It Sleeps'. In fact you'll be hard pressed to find one hook on 'St Anger'. 'St Anger' is the sound of Metallica juggling to recapture the past and capture the future.
The album opens with the single 'Frantic' and immediatly we are greeted with thrash drumming harking back to the early albums. "My lifestyle determines my deathstyle" screams James Hetfield through the song. What was interesting is the prevalence of the bass under the hand of producer Bob Rock. As the album moves on it is something that becomes more and more obvious. Has producer Bob wound up his own work deliberately in the mix or is this just a big finger to the departed Jason Newsted?
The title track 'St Anger' is next. It is more brutal rock with speed drumming at the start and a racing drum break in the middle. Once again Bob appears to have a starring bass role. I can't help but think while Metallica are trying to regenerate that old sound at the same time they are also trying to modernise to compete with the nu-punk of bands line Blink 182. One thing is for sure, what may be strategic to them has made it interesting for the listener.
'Some Kind of Monster' hints at a bluesy beginning, nodding to their early influences maybe, and this is just about confirmed on the next track 'Dirty Window'. Keep in mind this is being written from a first impression but I've got Kiss's 'Detroit Rock City' meets AC/DC's 'Baby Please Don't Go' in my head for this one. It is more mayhem with a sound dating back to the rhythm and blues rock origins of Acca Dacca but then it sidetracks to occasional Kiss glam. "Protector, rejector, infector, defector" goes the lyric. "I'm jury and executioner too" it concludes.
Let me stick my neck on the block right now with 'Invisible Kid'. This one is going to out them as closet Kiss fans for sure. It is grubby.
'My World' is the most retro of all the songs. "It's my world now", "It's my time, look out mutha fuckers". More speed riffs, more Bob bass and a definite 50's rock influence. (Well, hey maybe they've been studying the classics).
'Shoot Me Again' is once again totally frantic with driving vocals and then the wildcard 'Sweet Amber' lays the first mellow moment on us … but don't fret. It only lasts seconds before the chaos rules again.
'Untamed Feeling' with the line 'It takes me away" is penetrating. Lars drumming is the star of 'Purify' with more guitar attack as backup and then finally 'All Within My Hand' ends the album as hectic as it began.
I do stress I have written this after just one preview listen. 'St Anger' is a powerful rock epic and much heavier than you would anticipate following their "Superstar" years.
Metallica are currently at a crossroads with their career. One wrong move and they will be labelled dinosaurs. Then again the right could move them into legends category. They are currently neither but this album will be the breaker. The category they fall into will be decided by time and the fans. You should have the answer to that question 12 months from now.
The listening party in Melbourne tonight was the first held outside Europe. Mercury UK poobah Sian Thomas played the album to media after flying halfway around the world with it chained to her … well let's not go there.
She did however confirm that Metallica are considering an Australian tour for January / February 2004. That fits in nicely with the rumours that the band will headline next years Big Day Out. That rumour was also strongly fuelled with the attendance of BDO boss Vivian Lees at the function for his first listen to the album as well."

Une fois de plus les franciliens seront privilégiés. En effet, les places restantes pour les concerts du 11 juin ne seront mises en vente que dans 3 FNAC de la région parisienne. Les provinciaux ne méritent-ils donc pas d'avoir des places?? Personnellement, je dénonce ce genre de pratiques totalement inéquitables... Merci la Fnac.

Jason s'est exprimé quant au choix de Metallica de laisser Bob Rock enregistrer la basse du nouvel opus. Selon lui, c'est ce que le groupe avait de mieux à faire même si Bob n'est pas capable de jouer avec l'énergie nécessaire à Metallica.
Au sujet de Rob, le hurleur Newsted semble très enthousiaste :
"Metallica n'aurait pas pû mieux choisir! Robert est solide et doué, il connaît son job et son jeu est très puissant. C'est aussi quelqu'un de robuste, tant physiquement que mentalement. (...) Toutes ces choses sont nécessaires pour pénétrer au sein d'une entité aussi gigantesque que "Metallica" et il les possède. Je suis vraiment excité à l'idée de les voir live maintenant! En qualité de fan, je n'étais pas certain que Metallica puisse encore être capable de revenir comme la référence du genre, mais maintenant qu'ils ont Robert, je pense qu'ils le seront de nouveau."

Les billets pour le Metallibash 2003 seront en vente à compter du 15 Mai. Il se tiendra cette année au Great American Music Hall de San Francisco le 16 Août. Pour ceux qui ne connaissent pas cet évènement mondial, rendez-vous sur ma page So-what ici

Les horsemen ont annoncé que le clip de ST-Anger sera diffusé dans les semaines qui suivent... L'album sortant dans un mois, on s'en doutait un peu...

Une deuxieme version de la "damage Inc statue" est en projet.

Le Whipping Dancerz est à l'origine d'une excellente initiative : Le Maytallica. Vous pouvez donc retrouver sur le site des tonnes de mp3 à télécharger (les mets donnant leurs avis, Rob dans le groupe, Bob, etc...)

Lars répond aux questions du FHM magazine :
"Q: St. Anger, the new Metallica album, is angry. What does it look like when Lars gets angry?
LARS: Like a diminutive Dane cursing and throwing his clogs around. The great thing about having a mother tongue spoken by only 5 million people is that the chance is slim you'llbe next to someone who understands it when you unleash words associated with female genitalia. But it backfires. One time, my hotel name was Mr. Fisse which is Danish for cunt. We were in Omaha, NE or someplace like that checking into a hotel in the early hours after the show, when this charming girl at reception said "Here you are, Mr. Fisse" and proceeded to talk to me in perfect Danish.
Q: Will long time fans be happier with St. Anger than with some of the other recent Metallica records?
LARS: From the heart, I've givin up on who's coming and who's going. When you talk about aggression, energy and speed, the first reaction is, "You guys are going back to the earlier stuff". But we're not going back, we're going foward. It just so happens that we are bringing certain elements from the past with us.
Q: This is FHM'S fitness issue. How can one get as fit as Lars.
LARS: I've been a religious runner for years. It's mentally therapeutic too: It's 45 minutes in which a cell phone doesn't go off and people aren't nagging you. I'm blessed with having a good sense of balance from growing up playing tennis. My dad, my uncles and their father's were all tennis champs in Denmark. I come from a physically capable family, with fairly good legs and all that shit. Is drumming in Metallica a good workout? Of course. It's also a good cure for a hangover sweating it all out.
Q: Do you get bad swamp ass when you play for two hours?
LARS: You'll have to ask the other three gentlemen in the band when we have our communal after show showers.
Q: And what would they say?
LARS: I've been hearing about my horrible smell from James for 20 years. When I came here from Europe when I was 16, I couldn't understand the American compulsion for showering five times a day.
Q: Bands these days always complain about rigors of touring. Do you have any advice for them?
LARS: We grew up in an environment where the road was our only friend. These younger guys start complaining about playing 30 shows. We used to play 150 across America. Nobody plays Huntsville, AL, or La Crosse, WI, anymore. We've been there and done those shows. You have to get on with it and shut the fuck up.
Q: Are the heavy metal devil horns an international language?
LARS: It seems to be a universal thing because they've seen Dio do it. If you throw one out, you get one back, but that works with my 3 year old. What does that say?
Q: That your kid rocks. Are there any hardcore groupies who have been trying to get backstage for the past 22 years?
LARS: Groupies are generally more interested in younger bands. The most debaucherous outrageous fun we had was in the mid 80's when we were playing clubs and opening for bands in arenas. When your headlining and isolated in your Fort Knox like dressing rooms, a lot of the stuff gets left to the support acts. Back then though, you'd just walk out into the audience and take care of business yourself."

Metallica.com l'a annoncé, le mois de mai ne sera plus seulement un mot de 3 lettres... Car cette année c'est le mois de" Maytallica". Le groupe s'est en effet associé à de nombreuses radios américaines pour la promotion de l'album tant attendu (et encore davantage depuis ces derniers jours). De nombreux lots sont à gagner (goodies, voyage "at the Fillmore").

Le magazine français Rock hard consacre son nouveau numéro à Metallica. Les journalistes ont visiblement une dent contre l'album St-Anger qu'ils n'ont entendu qu'une fois. Ils y dénigrent l'absence de solos, de ballades, le son trop live et le mix qui priviligierait outrageusement la batterie. Pour résumer la situation, ce mag tente une fois plus de faire parler de lui en allant volontairement à contre-courant du reste de la presse MONDIALE. Dire qu'ils critiquaient l'aspect commercial de Load & REload.... Pour maintenant se plaindre du manque de ballades... Chacun se fera son opinion le 11 juin.

Attendez vous à une tournée de promotion mondiale dans les semaines à venir. Le groupe va se "fragmenter" et les membres iront participer à de nombreux évènements en Europe, Amérique & Asie. En Allemagne, le groupe "tribute" NutellicA devrait se produire pour l'occasion.

Le journal norvégien "adresseavisa" a publié l'article suivant. J'espère que vous êtes bons en Anglais!! :-)
ANGER CAN BE A STRENGTH
"Good wasn't good enough." This is what Hetfield says about the recording of their first album in nearly ten years.
After a switch of bandmembers, rehab, and an argument with Napster, Metallica is back with "St.Anger", and they know it has to be good. -"One of the local papers had a "where are they now"-thing a little while ago, and of course, they had to mention us" Hetfield smiles. He seems very healthy and happy with his new lifestyle. -" We weren't done until each and every song was so full of ideas and energy as possible", he adds.
In the fortress of Metallica
We are settled in Metallica's headquarter in Marin Country north of San Francisco. In the middle of the liberal Volvo-owners who dominate San Rafael, is Metallica's fortress, which contains management, fanclub, merchandise, reheasal rooms, and studio - All of this under one roof. And if we think about the chosen examples we've heard, there is no doubt that "St.Anger" will lay the world in front of the band's feet - one more time. Metallica hasn't sounded like this since the eighties. -"You weren't really supposed to notice that", a proud Hetfield laughs. -"In the beginning it was Lars (Ulrich, drummer in Metallica and the brain that match Hetfields heart) who played around with some double bass-figures at the end of a song, just like the old times. But it put us back on the track of our old riffs, combined with a brand new energy from all we've been through the last years. So that became the template of the album. There is some softer parts here and there, but I challenge anyone to hear a single somewhere", Hetfield laughs. Metallica's ability to make hit singles out of thrash metal, made them one of the nineties biggest bands, and qualified them to become "MTV-icons". We'll never know if this success was one of the reasons James got alcohol-problems, or if this is why Jason Newsted left the band. -"Personally, I've always had a need to prove I was worth the same as everybody else", Hetfield says.
New bassplayer
-"Of course it was a big loss for us when Jason left the band. It was like a divorce. And the three of us had to sit down and figure out what went wrong, and if some of it was our fault. We had to try to find our own strength, and get to know each other in a new level which was new to us all, I think. Then Lars got into this Napster-thing, and I had things to take care of to become a part of my family again. It was a painful process, but nessecary - and giving, although. It made us capable of finding a new bass player, in a case where we really knew what we wanted, not in a case where we just needed a bass player, or just to cover our feelings." In the end, Metallica made a list with four names, where ex-Suicidal Tendencies Robert Trujillo was on top. - "It was awsome playing with him, but we didn't have a clue if it was him, or just the feeling of playing the old songs again. In the end it was about having someone to talk to. About what we want, and what we fear. Personality got more important than talent. And Rob has a lot of both - he has raised us to a level we haven't even been close to before." The new headquarters is also a part of this process. With all the aspects of Metallica under one roof, the band can come and go when they want to - and also have a control over all these things, which not a lot of bands have got, and few bands put higher than Metallica. Before, the fanclub was in Tennessee, the webmaster in Sweden, the T-shirts in Hawaii, and so on..
Not angry teenagers
-"It's like having your own clubhouse. When you get in, you think about the clock all the time, and I saw that situation as a war. Everyday I put on an armour, ready to fight. Every economical advisor would say that we shouldn't own our own studio, but they don't see the emotional parts. And, um, things seem to have a weird tendency to break while we're in the studio", Hetfield laughs. That leads the conversation back to "St.Anger" and Metallica's relationship to anger and aggression, which seems to be the band's religion. How hard is it for middle aged millionaires to keep their rage where it should be? - "I still have a lot of dirt from my childhood", James admits. - "I'm not an angry teenager anymore, that's true, but I still try to learn how I can express my own anger and aggression without hurting myself or others. Anger can be a strength...we are still an experiment under developement, but I can't think of a better way to express my anger than Metallica!"

Metallica va entâmer une tournée mondiale visant à promouvoir l'album. Jaymz et Kirk seront en Pologne le 4 juin.

Dans la foulée, les Horsemen iront se produire en Amérique du Sud, en Asie, en Australie & Nouvelle Zélande puis, début 2004, reviendront sur notre bon vieux continent pour une série de show en salles.

Un CD promo au label blanc a été envoyé aux maisons de disques de par le monde...

Il n'y aura pas un CD + un DVD dans le St-Anger. Le DVD sera pressé sur l'autre face du CD. Vous avez dit "dommage"???

Comme vous le savez tous, St-Anger sera décliné en 4 versions collectors de couleurs différentes, à la grande joie des collectionneurs et à la grande tristesse de leurs banquiers. Sachez qu'une édition spéciale (elle même dispo en 4 coloris) sera mise en vente en Corée avec un sticker et un "poignet" estampillé du logo.

Sem Hadland, webmaster du célèbre encycmet.com vient juste de rentrer de son voyage aux USA où il avait été invité par MetallicA à assister au MTV Icon. Voici sa review :
"GIG REPORT - LA 3 May 2003
The review below is based on the actual recording of the MTV show and not the TV version. Metallica was kind enough to give me free tickets to the show. They even paid my hotel and the flight from Norway, and yes, they really made my day!
We, me, my wife and other clubbers, where asked to come to the Hard Rock Cafe on Universal City Walk, near Universal Studios where the taping would happen. Good food, a nice talk to the club and then we went to the studio where Metallica would have their debut with Rob on bass.
A lot of famous VIP guests were there, I saw Kelly Osbourne and David Lee Roth among others in the crowd. many stars on stage as well, Lisa Marie Presley, Rob Zombie, Sean Penn and even Beavis and Butthead. Nice, but why Miss Presley and Penn? Lisa was probably there to get some free promotion for her own new album, and Penn, he was way to drunk and fucked. He had a hard time reading his manuscript on the screen.
Sum 41 was the first band playing a Metallica song. They did a medley of Bellz, Sandman and Puppets. Aaron Lewis and Mike Mushok of Staind did an acoustic version of "Nothing Else Matters". They had to do it twice, but fucked it up both times. Korn and Limp Bizkit both did some killer versions, while Avril Lavigne was about average. Snoop Dogg did a very alternative version of "Sad but true", making it sound like it was one of his own.
Then at the end it was time for what we really waited for, Metallica. My wife and me got a really good place in front of the stage. It started with a blast, right into "Hit The Lights" and the medley continued with "Enter Sandman". Halfway through something happened and they had to start all over again.
"We are icons, there should not be any needs for a second take" James said, and they started all over again.
"Hit the Lights", "Enter Sandman", "Blackend", "Creeping Death" and "Battery". The whole medley was aggressive and tight. Rob did a killer performance on bass. He really has his own style. The new song "Frantic" was next, a killer piece of tempo changes, aggression, killer riffs and a typical Hetfield vocal. The crowd loved it and no one complained that they did it twice in a row."

JE M'ETAIS JURE de ne pas écouter de St-Anger avant les lives du 11 juin et la sortie de l'album... J'ai menti... La prestation des Mets lors du MTV Icon est dispo en mp3 et "Frantic" est ENORME! LA double pédale monstrueuse!!!!. Les articles parus un peu partout et rédigés par ceux qui ont eu la chance d'entendre l'album dans son entier ne mentaient pas. Si je n'avais pas été assis, j'aurais sans doute dû le faire sous peine de "tombage dans les pommes" arf arf...
Comme je vous sens impatient, voici le lien. Vous arriverez alors sur le forum de whipping dancerz. Le MP3 est là!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Les tabs sont déjà en ligne!!!! cliquez ici

LE DVD "LATER LOUDER" est sorti hier. Il s'agit d'une compilation regroupant 30 groupes ou artistes s'étant produits lors du show anglais "Later..with Jools Holland". Les Mets figurent sur la liste pour le titre "Wasting My Hate" interprété en Novembre 96. 2 minutes d'interview sont également au programme. Pour la petite histoire, les horsemen avaient également joué "King Nothing" et "Mama said" ce jour là. (Jaymz seul pour Mama).

Cet article tout frais a été posté sur MTV.COM. Les "artistes" présents le soir du MTV Icon y donnent leurs impressions et leurs sentiments sur la prestation des Mets et l'ensemble de leur carrière :
"Seemingly unlikely fans like Michelle Branch, Fuel and Lisa Marie Presley descended upon the Universal Studios lot Saturday alongside more predictable faces like Rob Zombie, Kelly Osbourne, Puddle of Mudd, ex-Guns N' Roses members Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum and Linkin Park's Chester Bennington for the taping of "mtvICON: Metallica." The show included performances by the even more surprisingly enthusiastic Bay Area thrash metal fans Avril Lavigne and Snoop Dogg, along with Sum 41, Korn, Limp Bizkit, two members of Staind and Metallica — with new bassist Robert Trujillo — in tow.
In fitting tribute to the frequently black-clad band that released 1991's highly successful self-titled "black album," at this year's "ICON" — an annual event where celebrity fans pay homage to a legendary act — guests and performers alike arrived on a black rather than red carpet, all of them eager to talk about one of the biggest and most important rock and roll bands of all time.
"They did exactly what we did now in this time back when they first started," said a vintage ... And Justice For All T-shirt wearing Jonathan Davis, who arrived with the rest of the members of Korn, along with their respective ladies. "We have always looked up to them in the sense that they have paved the way ... We are just here to pay respect tonight."
"I grew up on Metallica," said Travis Barker, who flew in from the current tour with his side-project, the Transplants, to attend. "Metallica is the sh--. I grew up, like, 13 years old, learning every album. [I] looked up to [drummer] Lars [Ulrich]."
Bennington, who turned out to introduce Korn's performance and talk about the band during the show with Barker, shared many of the Mohawk-sporting blink-182 drummer's sentiments. "I was invited to come down and do something tonight and I just jumped at the chance to show my appreciation for the band," he said. "To try to do my little thing and say thank you for all the music."
"They've been around forever and I think it's hard to stick around in a world with such a short attention span," offered Fred Durst, who together with his Limp Bizkit bandmates — which now includes guitarist Mike Smith — will join Metallica for the Summer Sanitarium Tour. "They are the originals, man," chimed in Limp's DJ Lethal. "The original metal." Poppy punk stars Sum 41 have never shied away from a chance to show their appreciation for all things metallic, and the "ICON" taping — where they performed a medley of Metallica tunes — was no exception.
" We have covered Metallica before," explained bassist Cone.
"Actually, even when we don't even do Metallica, kids come up and are like, 'hey, when you played Metallica tonight, that was amazing,'' ' joked the other half of the band's rhythm section, drummer Dave Baksh.
Papa Roach drummer Dave Buckner brought his young cousin along for a glimpse of the action. "What's not to love about Metallica?" he asked. "I mean, dude, [they're] just kick-ass heavy metal. They kick your ass with every song. What more do you want?"
While the influence Metallica has had on bands like Papa Roach, Korn and even Sum 41 is obvious, it might seem strange that Snoop — or Avril, for that matter — are fans. But it's true.
"I like the Red Hot Chili Peppers [and] I like Aerosmith," explained Snoop who, like Davis, was sporting a Metallica T-shirt. "I like some of everybody. If they make good music, I am with it."
"I've just started getting into [Metallica] in the last couple of years," Lavigne admitted. "I really didn't like, grow up listening to it or anything like that. But it's great and I am really happy to be here."
From the fans like Avril who discovered the band post-Load to the head-banging underground disciples who religiously copied the band's No Life Til Leather demo and mailed it to their friends, Metallica has influenced two decades of fans and musicians.
"I think it has everything to do with the quality of our music," offered Kirk Hammett, who replaced lead guitarist Dave Mustaine 20 years ago on the eve of recording Metallica's Kill 'Em All debut. "The music speaks for itself and to me, I think our music stands the test of time. I mean, when I hear a lot of our earlier stuff, it still sounds fresh to me and I think it must sound fresh to a lot of people, who are hearing it for the 50 millionth time."

LE MTV ICON est à peine dans la boîte que les compte-rendus de la soirée fusent déjà sur le net (avec des pix à profusion!). En attendant celui de Sem Hadland qui était sur place, je vous poste celui-ci :

-Sum 41 commence les hostilités par un medley de plusieurs titres :
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Enter Sandman (instrumental)
Master Of Puppets

-Metallica fait son entrée pendant Enter Sandman. Lisa Marie Presley présente alors le -premier film avec Beavis & Butthead. Jason Newsted laisse également quelques mots -par le biais d'un enregistrement video
-2 membres de Staind interprètent une version acoustique de "Nothing Else Matters".
-2eme film. Il relate les problèmes de Jaymz avec l'alcool, sa cure de désintox...
-Avril Lavigne massacre "Fuel".
-Snoop Dog vomit une version rock rap de "Sad But True" et se trompe dans les paroles.
-3eme film. Une rétrospective de la carrière des Horsemen
-Korn monte sur scène pour une version simplifiée de "One".
-4eme film
-les "Fan club members" viennent également parler du quatuor.
-Limp Bizkit joue "Welcome Home".
-5eme film
-Clou de la soirée, Metallica met le feu à l'assemblée... En exclusivité, Frantic sort de l'ombre pour la première fois. Voici la liste des chansons :

Hit the Lights+Enter Sandman+Blackend+Creeping Death+Battery Medley
Frantic

Aux dires de ceux qui ont assisté à l'évènement, Frantic est un morceau TRES TRES heavy...
Le groupe l'interprète une seconde fois pour conclure à la soirée

Une fois de plus, je vous laisse apprécier un article issu du magazine Allemand EMP. La première partie est une ITW de Jaymz et la seconde exprime le point de vue du mag après l'écoute de la bête que nous attendons tous.

"EMP: St. Anger is definately a 'back to the roots' - how come? Aren't you a little too old and maybe too successful for that?
JH: (laughs) Not really. As soon as we start digging deeper in our heads, still a lot of crap appears. Things from our past, problems with each other and just pure rage. You know, there were times when I really was afraid I could kill someone. I screamed at Lars standing 5 cm away from him. That just happened - I had blackouts. [...]
EMP: At the same time, you're presenting new bandmember Rob Trujillo. A permanet replacement for Jason?
JH: He is. And man, that was one of the worst things since a long time - choosing a new bass-player. It was a totally different situation with Ron (Mcgovney). We knew from the start that he was the wrong guy. Then we saw Cliff, and we knew: He fits. When he had died, Jason came - like a new girl-friend you just hold on to because it hurts so much to forget the old one. And I'm not saying this just to bash Jason. We just gave him a hard time, and he never really recovered from that.
EMP: But Jason is striking back now: He calls you a sell-out and says the album is an Entombed-Ripoff.
JH: I think that's sad. But probably he just spent the last few months waiting for that one call of us asking him to come back. But it had been a clear decision after he had left: We did not want to chosse a new bassist immediatly, and do the new album with Bob. Because that took so long there were rumuors of Jason coming back, but that never was the plan. By now he should know himself that his needs are totally different than ours. He is more the guy that wants to make lots of different music with lots of different people. And because that is not our thing, I think he never was really happy in Metallica.
EMP: How about a tour for this album?
JH: We're rehearsing right at the moment. And it feels fucking good. It's a work.out programm, because the songs are so intensive. When I play them, I'm totally done afterwards. Maybe that's because I'm a little out of training - and actually we're not getting younger (laughs). I'd love to play them all. But as soon as we go on stage, we play Master and Bells - things the people want to hear, because it wouldn't be a Metallica-Concert for them without these songs. You see the excitement on the faces and you know why you play them.
EMP: If the new songs are so physical, isn't it a scary idea to go on tour with them for two years?
JH: Sure it is. And there's no reason to do a two years non-stop tour. [...] And also we don't have to do five shows in a row anymore - we could just aswell play only three shows in a week, but then really let loose. [...]
EMP: How long have you been carrying your alcohol addiction with you, and when did you decide to do something about it?
JH: When I reached the absolute nadir (finally an occasion to use that word, thx shortest straw!) - that's why it did something about it. My family was about to fall apart, and nothing worked anymore. I was something you call a pesistant drinker - I didn't get completely drunk, I just needed a certain level and drank constantly."

EMP on St. Anger:
"Hetfield & Co get out the hammer! After the bluesy Load and ReLoad, the symphonic S&M and the cover-versions on Garage INC. now comes a return to the uncompromising sound of the 80s. St. Anger continues there, were AJFA finished - monstrous thrash- and speed-orgies that last up to ten minutes and impress with many changes of tempo and style and sound so hard and non-commercial, as if the million-copy Black Album never existed. St. Anger is pure cudgel - more than an hour of compensated rage and hatered, that obviously comforts the Hetfield-Ulrich-Hammet-trio and brings back the original spirit of the Bay-Area-rockers. With pounding double-bass, razorblade riffs, Hetfield's roaring vocals and lines like "kill, kill, kill". Uncompromising brutally brought to the point noisework. Even star-producer Bob Rock, who acted as mixer and bass player, can change much about that - he actually puts the crown on the whole thing.
A big surprise!"

Quelques commentaires de "stars" soit-disant fans de Metallica... Linkin Park donne des réponses intelligentes, ce qui est loin d'être le cas de la "guimauvesque" fille du roi des ténèbres : Kelly Osbourne! (propos recueillis sur MTV.Com)
Kelly Osbourne : Memories about the band
"I've known them since I was a baby. I think it's a great thing... I don't know, I think they're a little bit of a touchy subject right now with that whole Robert thing. It's weird because we have their old bass player and they have ours. It's very strange. It's weird. But it's going to be a very interesting show."<br>
"It's weird because bands like Metallica and Motley Crue and all that stuff, I've known them since I was a baby. Like they've been in my life. My dad gave Metallica their first big tour and Motley Crue their first big tour, so it's weird. For some reason I always remember Lars talking he never shuts up, he's always talking always, always talking. And he never really makes sense but he's always talking. Always. I will never forget the sound of his voice from when I was a kid. Always talking."
"I loved their music video for the one with the swing that goes around. You know which one? I thought that was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. Was it for "Enter Sandman"? It was the coolest video I'd ever seen and to this day I still think it's the best video."
"But I'm not really a big Metallica fan, no offense. Don't really know much about them. Cause when you're a kid and you've been brought up around that you kind of take it for granted."

Godsmack : S. Erna on how he sounds like James Hetfield
"I don't intentionally try to rip off James Hetfield. If people say I sound like the guy from Metallica, it's not cause I'm forcing my voice to sound that way. My vocal chords is what I was born with. God gave me these and that's the way I sing. It's aggressive and it's distorted when I want to push a little more agression - and it just happens to resemble him, but it's not a blatant rip off."

Ja Rule : Metallica collaboration on Biker Boyz soundtrack
"The track kind of took a lot of metamorphoses stages, it started out me and James doing the thing. Just screaming match at first. Me and James to see who could be louder. We kind of sketched out how we were gonna do the record. Formulated how we were gonna do it. Swizz he was always a part of it cause it was his project. And I think after me and James laid our vocals, I think Swizz and Bob they went in and did what they did with the record and made it was it is. It's hot. We had fun creating it. We were creating it and was like this is very different. I always feel like that record could be a big like stadium record. For the games, you know. When I first heard it, I thought we need to take this straight to the stadiums to hell with radio, this is a stadium record. And that's how I am with music. That record is definitely a stadium record. I can hear fans singing that!"

Linkin Park : Best Metallica memory
"Hey this is Phoenix from Linkin Park and my favorite Metallica memory was when they came around doing the Monster of Rock tour with Guns ‘N Roses. At that point in my life that was probably the best thing that ever happened to me, it was a great tour everything about it."
"This is Chester from Linkin Park. I think my best Metallica moment was the first time I had ever heard Metallica's music. It was Ride the Lightning and that's probably my favorite song that they do, and that kind of opened me up to the whole style of music and kind of made me understand the cliché of heavy metal for being wastoids and idiots at least in my school it was uncool to be one of the heavy metal guys. And I couldn't understand it because Metallica was writing such great music with such great lyrics and it was so intricate and complicated and smart. And I think that was one of the pivotal moments for me when I decided I had to put my preconceptions down and be open minded to all different kinds of things."

METALLICA a bel et bien offert un show d'une heure aux joyeux matons de la prison de St-Quentin. Pas de nouveautés dans le set cependant :
Creeping Death
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Seek and Destroy
Fade To Black
Fuel
Sad But True
Master Of Puppets
One
Enter Sandman
Battery

Mais depuis hier, j'ai eu de nombreux links vers des titres et démos de ST-Anger. Il semble que certains soient TRES sérieux. Je ne balance rien pour le moment mais surveillez!! Quoiqu'il en soit, si j'estime que l'un des titres que je DL s'avère être un VRAI, j'arrête l'écoute des autres... et oui! Je veux les entendre pour la première fois LIVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! (en attendant, je checke pour vous)

Juste après le premier "concert" de la formation Hetfield/Ulrich/Hammett/Trujillo, les Horsemen ont bondi dans l'avion qui doit les emmener à Los Angeles pour les préparatifs du MTV Icon qui sera enregistré demain.

Metallica est en train de tourner son clip (contrairement à ce que je vous disais hier). Pour remercier les matons de la prison de St Quentin, un gig d'une heure est prévu... On ne peut pas dire qu'ils soient veinards d'y être mais presque... En bonus, quelques photos du tournage.

Encore une interview!!!
Source : Inferno Mag(en Anglais, spécialement pour les râleurs :-)
"This new album of one of the greatest metalbands ever has been a well-kept secret. We've heard some rumours along the spring, the band itself said the music reminds Meshuggah and the reporters who had the opportunity to listen to it had talked about a return to the past, ultraheaviness and a commercial suicide. Finally, in the end of April, a small group of Finnish reporters had a chance to hear one of the two carefully guarded discs. The expectations ranged from excitement and prepairing for the worse to the faith that the rumours of the new album would actually be true.
Everyone was holding their breath when the first notes of this 75-minute soundcollage hit the air. After them short moment of confusion I felt the waves strike my spine. The album really differs from anything released after Load. We haven't heard so tight snaresound and fast playing from the band since …And Justice for All. Just when the smile of relief is reaching my ears and my head starts to bang along the music the song is suddenly stopped. Just when you thought the heavy riff would be joined by massive drums. And this slowed-down part is not the second part of the song, it gives just a moment to catch your breath before the new explosion. This same pattern is used many times after this. The chorus repeating ”Frantic-tac-tic-tic-tac-tic” sounds strange when heard the first time, but after five minutes you get at least a bit on the tracks. Or then again totally fall off from them. At that point, you don't know what to expect from the rest of the album, or even what to expect from the rest of the song. This is the new Metallica. You can get some taste of it by looking at the new logo. When they did Load, the logo lost it's sharp ends. Now the stings are pointing at every direction. An interesting point is the fact, that the titlesong is again the second track. But in any other eay the song cannot be compaired to anything from the band's past. It crushes, it's stopped, it explodes again and suddenly turns itself in a totally new direction. At this point you finally realize that you can't judge this album at the first listen. Not even after the second spin. This album takes time. At the same time you're too eager to hear the next track.
Don't wait any traditional hits from this album. The seven-minute epics are full of riffs and tempo-changes. The production is far away from clinical. Everything else is faster except the vocals. This contrast is one of the most interesting and confusing aspects of this album. Every time the music begins to remind a little of the old Metallica, it changes completely in a way or another. And they haven't saved any of their creativeness this time. The album is like musical stripping. It shows a little piece of something and then covers it again with something else. The clothes fall off painfully slow. You'd want to rip them all off at once, but the band is not giving it away too easily.
After 75 minutes you sit on the chair and wonder what the hell you've been just listening to. You are so confused and want to hear it all over and over again. The three tracks Dirty Window, My World, Purify sounded like future classics at the first listen, but it's very hard to say anything of the rest of the songs. You try desperately to compaire this album to something. Dozens of bands come to mind but none of them could quite describe this. After all you think, who wants to buy this album? If your waiting for new Load or Master of Puppets or anything they've done, you're gonna be disappointed. This album was a total surprise. Everyone's smiling, no-one says a word. A commercial suicide."

Sick'n destroyed_All rights reserved_Greg-2002-2011