METALLICA’s Kirk Hammett To Release Solo EP

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Metallica’s Kirk Hammett is set to release Portals, a solo EP, on Record Store Day (Saturday, April 23, 2022). This will mark the first-ever time in Metallica history that a band member publishes any kind of side project or solo work (without getting fired pushed out, that is), and it promises to be… well, we don’t know!

From the muso’s mouth:

“Initially, before I even had the idea for a solo EP, I was inspired by the need to create some sort of soundtrack music to accompany The Kirk Hammett Collection for the first “It’s Alive” exhibition at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, 2017. I wanted to conceive music to play on a loop in the background as people walked through the exhibit. I sat down one night with a progression, and before I knew it, all the parts were there for “Maiden and the Monster.”

The initial concept for Portals started with that one song. Following that, I realized I could create different soundtrack moments. These songs are what I call ‘Audio Cinematic;’ I’m creating sounds and pieces of music for the movies playing in my head. Hopefully they’ll create movies in other people’s heads in a similar fashion.”

So it’ll probably be inspired by Hammett’s love of horror, and he even mentions Ennio Morricone in the press release, so hopefully it’ll be awesomely atmospheric! There’s far more detail on something that could be positively intriguing (by contrast to, say, a nightmarish Hammett live solo…) here.

The EP will comprise four tracks – “Maiden And The Monster”, “The Jinn”, “High Plains Drifter”, and “The Incantation” and, along with being co-composed with S&M2 conductor Edwin Outwater, it was produced by Hammett himself, features a host of Hammett side-hustle luminaries – and was mixed by Bob Rock (which WILL IMPROVE IT VASTLY).

Now of course, evil tongues may wag – and bear with us a second – this may simply be the latest in a long line of increasingly refined excuses from (notorious control freaks) Papa Het and Uncle Larz to not include Kirk’s riffs, ideas, or solos on a ‘tallica release proper, ranging from:

• The infamous “Kirk & Jason – Day Off” production notes on the sleeves of practically all of Metallica’s ‘90’s singles

• The lack of any solos whatsoever on St. Anger

• Kirk’s riff ideas mysteriously disappearing during Hardwired… To Self-Destruct’s pre-production…

Could it be that this is simply the ultimate diplomatic way of saying: “Kirk, we love you man, but these aren’t right for ‘tallica… (again)”?

Or, it may just be that it’s 45 minutes’ worth of this in a loop:

Bring it on, Hammett. We know it’ll be good.

Kirk Hammett’s Portals will be available on April 23, 2022 from metallica.com and select record stores.