Metallica Will Shift Focus Back to New Album in 2014

Metallica are busy. So busy, in fact, that promoting their 3D film 'Metallica Through the Never' and touring has caused them to push their new album and follow up to 2008's 'Death Magnetic' to the backburner. Bassist Robert Trujilio has stated that the focus will shift back to the album in 2014 because it has to!

Trujilio told Classic Rock that the band simply got sidetracked from the task of recording. He said, "Before all the film stuff, we were jamming these ideas and having a lot of fun. But we got sidetracked. In 2014, it'll be all about getting new music -- without any interruptions, hopefully."

He also told Pulse of Radio that the mission was critical for the band in the new year to get to the album. "Obviously for next year, our priority has to be making a new record," he explained. "We've been detoured from that through the course of the year. We had about six weeks or so where we were really focusing on a new album and writing and then, you know, somehow we ended up hitting the road. And then at the same time we've got to promote this film. We get sidetracked by great things -- it's a blessing and a curse."

He also shared that riffs have been stockpiled, but full songs have not been formed … yet! He also told Classic Rock that the new stuff "feels like 'Death Magnetic' was the launch pad -- it's the introduction to what we have now . . . that's one thing I'm excited about: there's the thrash element back in the mix. It's kind of been missing in the past." Trujillo said that fans will "get their album in the next year or so."