Hammett tells GulfNews.com that work on the follow-up to 2008′s Death Magnetic has been pencilled in for completion next year: "That's what we're hoping would happen. Whether that's a reality, we'll see. We're recording stuff here and there but it's a pretty slow process.

"Metallica Through The Never is taking precedence over anything else at the moment, We want to make sure the movie gets our full attention and it turns out the way we want it to turn out."