METALLICA TO DEBUT NEW SONG AND LET FANS PICK SETLISTS ON 2014 EUROPEAN TOUR

Spencer Kaufman, Loudwire

Metallica will head to Europe next summer for a string of concerts, and ticket holders will have the opportunity to vote for songs that the band will play during each show. Metallica will let fans pick 17 of the 18 songs they play. The 18th will be a brand new track, as the band declares they are “ready to make another album.”

The way it works is that those who purchase tickets online for the European dates will get to vote on the set list Metallica will play at that show. It could be a difficult decision, with more than 30 years of material and 140 plus recorded songs to choose from. Results of the voting will be posted on Metallica.com.

In a post on their official website, the band writes the following:

After spending the better part of the last couple of years making our film Through The Never, we are so ready to make another album… it’s been far too long! And when we’re locked away in the studio, history has dictated that we always need that inspirational break to soak up all the great live Metalli-energy that you guys bring to the gigs. So as we may have done once or twice before (!!), we will be hitting the road this summer, but not just for another “European vacation”… we’ve added a twist – YOU PICK THE SET LIST!!

As we embark on two short treks through Europe, we’re going to give you, the ticket holders, the chance to vote on what songs you would like to hear at the show(s) that you attend. It will be pretty simple… pick up your ticket(s) online and you’ll receive an e-mail shortly after with a code and a link to a site on which you may cast your ballot. We normally play around 18 songs a night, and since we didn’t want to be left out of the fun, the band also gets to vote . . . and we vote for a NEW SONG! That leaves the other 17 slots for you to choose, so vote for all your favorites from the close to 140 songs we’ve recorded in our career and to make it more fun along the way, you’ll be able to follow what you and your fellow fans are selecting by watching the site for continuous results.

In a press release, drummer Lars Ulrich adds, “We are once again psyched to break free of the four walls in the studio to get energized by our devoted European friends for a couple of weeks next May and June,. On top of that, the fact that all our nutty fans will pick the songs we play should be some next level fun and take a big load off my shoulders as the guy who usually writes the set list!”

More European shows will be announced next week, but the initial date revealed will be Sonisphere on June 4 in Hamburg, Germany. Metallica will also be playing the Rock am Ring (June 5-8) and Rock im Park (June 6-9) festivals in Germany. Other artists set to play the 2014 Rock am Ring and Rock in Park festivals includeIron Maiden, Linkin Park and Kings of Leon, with more acts to be revealed.

Metallica’s latest release is the soundtrack from their ‘Through the Never’ movie. The film will be released on DVD, Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, digitally, and V.O.D. (Video On Demand) Jan. 28, 2014.