Metallica Unveil Punishing New ‘Hardwired’ Song ‘Atlas, Rise!’

Metallica unveiled their blistering new track “Atlas, Rise!” Monday as a Halloween surprise for fans. The six-minute Hardwired ”¦ to Self-Destruct cut finds James Hetfield bellowing over vintage guitar harmonies and Lars Ulrich’s propulsive, nimble drumming.

The metal legends showcased the recording sessions with a behind-the-scenes, in-studio clip, highlighted by Ulrich’s intense air-drumming, guitarist Kirk Hammett blaring through multiple guitar solos and Robert Trujillo unleashing some gnarly bass faces.

The double-LP Hardwired ”¦ to Self-Destruct, the band’s 10th studio album, is out November 18th. The record features over 77 minutes of music, with a bonus third disc comprising cover versions (Deep Purple’s “When a Blind Man Cries,” Iron Maiden’s “Remember Tomorrow”) and live performances, along with their 2014 Black Friday single “Lords of Summer.”

The band recently performed an all-acoustic set for the annual Bridge School Benefit, with Neil Young joining in on their version of Buffalo Springfield’s “Mr. Soul.” The metal legends also covered the Clash’s “Clampdown,” reconfigured new album track “Hardwired,” dusted off Load‘s “Hero of the Day” for the first time since 1999 and performed versions of “Whiskey in a Jar,” “Seek & Destroy” and “Bleeding Me.”