Every time a new Metallica album drops, the inevitable question must be asked… what does former lead guitarist Dave Mustaine think of it?
Metal Hammer holds the answer in a new article with the Megadeth frontman - here's what he had to say…
"I've always been able to appreciate the talent in Metallica. Every band has its strengths and its weaknesses. Personally, from everything I've heard so far, I think the new album is a good one.
"I hear that a lot of people have been making comments about Kirk Hammett and Rob Trujillo not writing anything on it. But sometimes that's just unavoidable.
Hardwired is definitely a different sounding record than, for example, St. Anger, and it sounds pretty good to me
"I guess I would've loved more writing from both those guys, because I loved [Rob Trujillo's former bands] Infectious Grooves and Suicidal Tendencies and I always loved the lines Kirk wrote with Exodus, but that's the way the cookie crumbles when you're in the studio. The best songs make the cut. Everyone wants to pick the best things.
"Hardwired is definitely a different sounding record than, for example, St. Anger, and it sounds pretty good to me. I know it took 'em eight years to make this record so I'm glad for them that people are digging it. It's a small community, you know?
In the article, Mustaine also expressed a desire to reunite the Big Four (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax) for new tour dates - consider us excited…
"To have all of the Big Four releasing great new records within 12 months or so, that's really cool. Now the big question is whether or not the powers-that-be are gonna allow for the four of us to go and do some more Big Four dates.
"We've got a lot of great stuff going on and we've got some stuff we're setting up for Asia and the United States for next year, but if Big Four stuff presented itself we'd probably yield to that because it's a lot more fun and it's such an event that it takes precedence over just another tour, so to speak.
"When fans get to have four of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time on the same stage, that's something you can tell your grandkids about."
In other Metallica news, the band recently performed Enter Sandman on kids' instruments with The Roots and Jimmy Fallon.
For more Metallica and guitar talk from Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield, check out Total Guitar issue 287, on sale now.
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“There’s three of us playing guitar in Foo Fighters… A lot of tone details can get lost, which is what drew me to the Cleaver – that P-90 cut”: Chris Shiflett on how he found his weapon of choice with his Fender Cleaver Telecaster Deluxe
“Notes dance rhythmically, almost creating a reverb diffusion. Those notes are held together with tape-style effects”: Keeley Electronics and Andy Timmons unveil the Halo Core – same modulated dual echo magic, simplified controls
