Metallica has just announced the name and release date for their 12th studio album, titled 72 seasons. It will be available on April 14, 2023 via the band’s own Blackened Recordings. This will be the first album from Metallica since 2016’s Hardwired…To Self-Destruct.
Frontman James Hetfield had this to say about the concept of the album title:
“72 seasons. The first 18 years of our lives that form our true or false selves. The concept that we were told ‘who we are’ by our parents. A possible pigeonholing around what kind of personality we are. I think the most interesting part of this is the continued study of those core beliefs and how it affects our perception of the world today. Much of our adult experience is reenactment or reaction to these childhood experiences. Prisoners of childhood or breaking free of those bondages we carry.”
This announcement comes with the release of the album’s first single, Lux Æterna, along with a video clip which is already available here.
In addition, the band has announced their upcoming world tour, beginning in Europe at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam on April 27, 2023. It will end on September 29, 2024 in Mexico City. Sadly, Belgium will not be part of this tour. Here is the list of all dates and locations:
METALLICA M72 WORLD TOUR 2023-2024
Thursday, April 27 2023 – Amsterdam NL – Johan Cruijff Arena
Saturday, April 29 2023 – Amsterdam NL – Johan Cruijff Arena
Wednesday, May 17 2023 – Paris FR – Stade de France*
Friday, May 19 2023 – Paris FR – Stade de France
Friday, May 26 2023 – Hamburg DE – Volksparkstadion
Sunday, May 28 2023 – Hamburg DE – Volksparkstadion
Friday, June 16 2023 – Gothenburg SE – Ullevi Stadium**
Sunday, June 18 2023 – Gothenburg SE – Ullevi Stadium
Friday, August 4 2023 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
Sunday, August 6 2023 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
Friday, August 11 2023 – Montreal, QC – Stade Olympique
Sunday, August 13 2023 – Montreal, QC – Stade Olympique
Friday, August 18 2023 – Arlington, TX – AT&T Stadium
Sunday, August 20 2023 – Arlington, TX – AT&T Stadium
Friday, August 25 2023 – Inglewood, CA – SoFi Stadium
Sunday, August 27 2023 – Inglewood, CA – SoFi Stadium
Friday, September 1 2023 – Glendale, AZ – State Farm Stadium
Sunday, September 3, 2023 – Glendale, AZ – State Farm Stadium
Friday, November 3, 2023 – St. Louis, MO – The Dome at America’s Center
Sunday, November 5, 2023 – St. Louis, MO – The Dome at America’s Center
Friday, November 10, 2023 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field
Sunday, November 12, 2023 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field
Friday, May 24 2024 – Munich DE – Olympiastadion
Sunday, May 26 2024 – Munich DE – Olympiastadion
Friday, June 7 2024 – Helsinki FI – Olympic Stadium
Sunday, June 9 2024 – Helsinki FI – Olympic Stadium
Friday, June 14 2024 – Copenhagen DK – Parken Stadium
Sunday, June 16 2024 – Copenhagen DK – Parken Stadium
Friday, July 5 2024 – Warsaw PL – PGE Narodowy
Sunday, July 7 2024 – Warsaw PL – PGE Narodowy
Friday, July 12 2024 – Madrid ES – Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano
Sunday, July 14 2024 – Madrid ES – Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano
Friday, August 2 2024 – Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium
Sunday, August 4 2024 – Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium
Friday, August 9 2024 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field
Sunday, August 11 2024 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field
Friday, August 16 2024 – Minneapolis, MN – US Bank Stadium
Sunday, August 18 2024 – Minneapolis, MN – US Bank Stadium
Friday, August 23 2024 – Edmonton, AB – Commonwealth Stadium
Sunday, August 25 2024 – Edmonton, AB – Commonwealth Stadium
Friday, August 30 2024 – Seattle, WA – Lumen Field
Sunday, September 1 2024 – Seattle, WA – Lumen Field
Friday, September 20 2024 – Mexico City MX – Foro Sol
Sunday, September 22 2024 – Mexico City MX – Foro Sol
Friday, September 27 2024 – Mexico City MX – Foro Sol
Sunday, September 29 2024 – Mexico City MX – Foro Sol
Show 1 Support Europe: Architects & Mammoth WVH
Show 2 Support Europe: Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills
*Five Finger Death Punch/Ice Nine Kills play show 1 in Paris, Architects & Mammoth WVH play show 2 in Paris Volbeat replaces Architects on show 1 in Gothenburg
Show 1 Support North America: Pantera & Mammoth WVH
Show 2 Support North America: Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills Greta Van Fleet replaces Pantera on show 1 both weekends in Mexico City