Seven years after Hardwired… to Self-Destruct, Metallica is back in the saddle with 72 Seasons, an album that draws inspiration from the legendary metal band. A few days before the official launch of the disc and four months before the passage of the quartet at the Olympic Stadium, La Presse took stock with the bassist of the group, Robert Trujillo.
It was the recording of the acoustic version of Blackened in May 2020 that set things on fire. “It was the start of the creative process, even though it was an old song,” Trujillo tells us of the new iteration of the song from …And Justice for All. “You could say that was the spark that ignited the flame, that made us realize that we felt like being creative again. »
Pandemic obliges, the song was made in spare parts in the home studios of each musician. Early sketches of 72 Seasons were recorded the same way.
“I had to dust off my own equipment, but we quickly asked our producer Greg Fidelman to come and update our equipment, recalls the bassist. Lars [Ulrich] and James [Hetfield] thus began to work on a few ideas that had been left hanging. »
Some sketches laid during the previous tour have been refined, as well as some brand new riffs.
In short, having been isolated from each other for so long has given 72 Seasons a breath that can be heard.
From the pure thrash metal of Lux Æterna to the complex chords of Crown of Barbed Wire via the accessible Sleepwalk My Life Away – a sort of grunge nod to Enter Sandman – the album casts a wide net and draws inspiration from the band’s extensive repertoire.
But above all we remember the atmosphere portrayed by the leader James Hetfield, who takes a sometimes heavy look at the first 72 seasons of life, 18 crucial years that define the adult in the making, for better and for worse.
“James’ lyrics can always be interpreted in different ways,” says Robert Trujillo. But what I can say is that he always tends to look forward, he is constantly trying to become a better person. Of course, when we look back, we sometimes see our mistakes. We can remember the good times, but we can also remember the difficulties encountered. But it’s certainly a powerful way to approach it, and it’s a great way to channel the energy of the songs. »
Trujillo maintains that the whole group was carried by the concept proposed by Hetfield, especially since the creative process proved to be more collaborative.
“It’s an album that is special to me, the spirit that was in us was very intense,” reveals the 58-year-old musician, who joined Metallica 20 years ago.
The presence of the musician is precisely felt on several pieces, his instrument appearing advantageously in the sound balance which historically favors guitars and drums at Metallica. “Our producer Greg Fidelman is a lover of all instruments, especially bass and drums,” says Trujillo.
It is therefore pumped up that the group prepares for the launch of the album, but especially for the tour which must begin on April 27 in Amsterdam, with two stops in August in Montreal. “We’re currently rehearsing at HQ [the band’s studio, in the suburbs of San Francisco] and we must have up to 45 songs to rehearse,” Robert Trujillo tells us. We won’t keep them all – Lars is in the process of concocting the programs for our concerts – but one thing is certain, each of the two shows presented in each city will be entirely different. There will also be nuances depending on the places visited. »
As for the shows presented at the Olympic Stadium on August 11 and 13, the bassist maintains that the group is already hard at work in order to find a suitable sound to thwart the notorious acoustics of the stadium. “We have the best team of sound engineers, they are present at our rehearsals to find the most dynamic sound possible for our shows, he says. We really want our sound to be up to par, it’s important to us. »
How important it is to come and play in Montreal. “This region has always been amazing for us, not just from a Canadian perspective, but from a North American perspective,” Trujillo said. People are crazier and more passionate there than elsewhere and we feed on that, that’s for sure. In fact, North America is often for us either a home run or a strikeout; with you, we literally go to the next level. »
