Only Heavy Metal

Eight song EP release in celebration!

We're getting psyched up for our return to Australia and New Zealand next week . . . it's been six long years since we've visited and we're ready to throw down! The nice people at Universal Music were so darn excited that they actually suggested that we release something special to commemorate this last run of World Magnetic tour dates, so . . . ta-da . . . we present the "Six Feet Down Under" limited edition EP! Coming to Trans-Tasman record stores and right here at the Metallica.com Store on September 20.

Here's the story . . . the collective brain trust came up with what we thought might be a kinda fun idea . . . how about some live recordings from each time we have been lucky enough to visit the area? It was all well and good until we realized that we did not start making multi-track recordings of every show until 2004 . . . oops! But you guys, the fans, came to our rescue with some pretty decent bootleg options and we trimmed those down to two songs from each tour in 1989, 1993, 1998, and 2004. In digging a little deeper, it occurred to us that we had tracks that had never before been released as "live b-sides" (we're not counting the bonus songs on i-Tunes, okay?) and that that added to the adventure of pulling it all together.

Be gentle with us . . . a few of these songs are, well, we'll say "rough," which may be an understatement!! They do, however, capture the live moments and hopefully you'll have as much fun listening as we did playing on those nights.

Are you sick of us yet? We sure are!! However, we're here again to tell you about one more release, this one supporting our continued beating of the drums for independent record stores across the country with an exclusive EP available only through the network of approximately 700 U.S. retailers who support Record Store Day. We were honored to be part of the first ever annual event celebrating independently owned records stores, aka Record Store Day, with an in-store at Rasputin Music in Mountain View, CA on April 19, 2008 and we're very proud to be a part of another special event with our friends at independent retail.

The EP includes the nine songs we played the afternoon of June 12, 2008 in the basement at one of the coolest record stores in the nation, Grimey's in Nashville, TN, and is part of the series of "Live At Grimey's" releases. How did this show come about? In late Spring of 2008 while we were finishing up "Death Magnetic," we were also having fun playing a few shows including the Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, TN. As fans of classic old school record stores, we knew we just had to visit Grimey's and they were kind enough to invite us to play in their "basement" club for Metallica Fan Club members and a few friends. As we always do, we recorded the show... and now it comes to you on CD and 10" vinyl in a gatefold jacket on "Black Friday," November 26.

Support your local record store... there's a complete list of stores who will be carrying "Live At Grimey's" here: MyMetalClub.com. The EP will also be available on Metallica.com and MetClub.com.