Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy recently conducted an interview with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich for the January issue of the U.K.'s Rhythm magazine, and Ulrich says that Metallica's new material will have a more organic, live vibe this time around. The band's new album is expected via Warner Bros. Records sometime in 2007.

"When I look back on St. Anger now, it was an experiment, a reaction to 20 years of doing things one way, and it was like, 'Let's sit down, the four of us, and come up with some ideas in the moment and record them,'" Ulrich explained to Portnoy. "I think there was great energy there. The backside of that is that we ended up using ProTools a lot. The new songs are definitely a little longer and more intricate. It's more organic in that we're playing together, Kirk [Hammett] is playing guitar solos again... The snare is back on the snare drum. In the '90s we were getting freaked out that our stuff was getting so sterile and it was missing that live spark. We had to see if we could find that with St. Anger so we recorded all these moments but then we ended up putting those moments together in the computer, so it became artificial in a different way. This time we're definitely going to record more like we used to."

Ulrich also says that Metallica is done writing material for the next CD and they are ready to narrow down the ideas and start recording. He noted that producer Rick Rubin has "forced us to work and sweat a little more and push ourselves."

Ulrich also spoke about bassist Rob Trujillo and the chemistry they have as a rhythm section. "He tends to look to the drums first rather than to James [Hetfield's] guitar, and I think that what he and I are coming up with now is really exciting and when people hear this, they'll trip on it," Ulrich said. "He's always there with the bass drum, locking into that. Live, he just holds it together. Rob is the perfect fit. I don't think Metallica have ever been happier or gotten along better, and that is in no way a diss on what Jason [Newsted] or Cliff [Burton] brought to us, but there's a serenity in the band, without sounding too corny. Everybody's getting along and having a good time. It feels balanced."

Meanwhile, the group has posted some new live performances in the "Vault" section of LiveMetallica.com. Fans can now purchase all the shows from the 2006 Escape From The Studio tour.

I will be first in line for the new Metallica

woot!!!

can't wait
St Anger is my song!!!!
got it round my neck, really i got the necklace

aw cool!!

i love Metallica!!!!!

cool

i am so impatient and want it now
lol

KING OF NOTHING!!! YAY!

Gimme Fuel
Gimme Fire
Gimme That Which I Desire

bumpin tha thread for my boyz!

see above

good deal,....still is one of my favorite bands, seen them ten times or more through the years, excellent addition with rob to the band, seen rob with suicidal many times. maybe this upcoming album will be back to the "heavier" riffs of the early albums.

COOL DEAL ....yes i agree w/ LARS ...that Rob is a very "tight" heavy bassist...hes awesome. ...

i do like Rob, but i still miss Jason