72 Seasons

Metallica's 12th studio album, "72 Seasons," is set to be released on April 14, 2023, through the band's own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman alongside Hetfield & Ulrich, this album spans over 77 minutes and consists of 12 tracks. "72 Seasons" marks Metallica's first full-length collection of new material since 2016's "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct." The album is introduced by the lead single "Lux Æterna," a concise yet powerful track that encapsulates 40 years of Metallica's essence in just three and a half minutes. James Hetfield elaborated on the album's title concept, stating: "72 seasons. The first 18 years of our lives that shape our authentic or false selves. The notion that our parents defined 'who we are' to us. It could lead to being typecast into a certain personality. What intrigues me the most is the ongoing exploration of these fundamental beliefs and how they influence our present-day worldview. A significant portion of our adult lives involves either reliving or reacting to these childhood encounters. We are either confined by our childhood experiences or liberating ourselves from the shackles we carry."