Metallica: 'New record will be a heavier version of The Black Album'

Metallica have revealed that their upcoming album will be a heavier version of their classic set The Black Album.

The band are currently working on their tenth studio album, which is expected to be released later this year.

Speaking to Rolling Stone about what fans can expect, guitarist Kirk Hammett said: "If Death Magnetic was a logical successor to …And Justice For All, the next album will be a heavier Black Album.

"We're not going to the depths of complexity that we did for Death Magnetic. The stuff we're coming up with is more groove-oriented, a heavier version of what we were doing in the early '90s."

Drummer Lars Ulrich also said that their new material will include "shorter" songs, adding: "When people talk about the old stuff, they think Justice.

"But look at 'Harvester Of Sorrow' on that album. It's a fairly simple five-minute song. And 'Fuel' is an absolute scorcher live. Right now, I'm thinking shorter, more to-the-point."

Metallica will play their Black Album - a common name for their 1991 self-titled set - in full at this year's Download Festival.

> Metallica: 'We'll have to relearn Black Album songs for Download festival slot'

Watch Metallica perform 'Enter Sandman' live below: