Metallica join Guitar Hero for album launch

Here at MusicRadar, we're starting to glaze over at the predictable song lists being trotted out by the makers of Guitar Hero and Rock Band, but occasionally something truly noteworthy, and dare we say, groundbreaking, comes along.

Metallica have now announced that they're teaming up with Guitar Hero III and Guitar Hero: World Tour for the release of their new album Death Magnetic, and how. The metal legends have posted this statement at the official Metallica website:

"It's a first in both music and gaming… the same day that Death Magnetic hits the streets, you'll be able to download every song from the album for Guitar Hero III! We are so psyched that we'll be the first out of the gate with this simultaneous release… who knows, maybe a few years from now this will be the norm when your favorite band's new record comes out.

"And for those of you who are anxiously awaiting the next Guitar Hero, World Tour, we're ready for that too . . . you will be able to experience Death Magnetic for drums, vocals, and guitar when that game emerges this Fall."

For a group derided as technophobes in the Napster court case of the early noughties, Metallica are certainly proving open to new technology and ways of promotion these days. And fair play to them.

But wouldn't it be exciting, though, if an interactive tuition DVD / songbook came out on the same day as the album? And on the disc, the guitars or drums could again be mixed out so you could learn and play along to the album's songs from the day of release? You know, play for real?

Of equal interest to musician fans of Metallica is that Death Magnetic is being hailed as a strong return to form.