Kirk Hammett Says New Metallica Album Will ‘Happen When It Happens’

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett says that the band is thinking about a new album, but that the process hasn't even begun yet.

"We haven’t really started yet," Hammett told Gibson when asked about a new album. "We’re thinking about it, though. There’s just a bunch of other things that we’re doing right now. We keep telling ourselves that we’re going to get around to start writing songs, but you know, something comes up … and then the album gets put on the back burner for a bit. But I think personally, the new album will just happen when it happens."

However, Hammett is dishing on the band's Big 4 shows with Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. He says his favorite group on the bill, other than Metallica, of course, is Slayer. "What can I say -- they’re evil, they’re heavy and they don’t really compromise," explains Hammett. "Slayer just rules!"

The Metallica axe-man also recalls being taught guitar by Joe Satriani way back in the day. "I went to this music store called Secondhand Guitars in Berkeley and I walk in and in the back I can hear someone playing guitar, crazy guitar, like no other guitar playing I’d ever heard," recalls Hammett. "I went back there and there was Joe sitting on a chair and he says, 'Hi, are you my new student?' I said, 'Yeah' and so we sat down and Joe just started playing."

The Big 4 show with Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax hits Yankee Stadium on Sept. 14. Metallica were just named the most influential band of the past 30 years by Kerrang! magazine and garnered a stellar review from us for their new 'Live Metallica' app.

Watch Metallica and Friends Perform at the Big 4 Show in Indio, Calif.