Hammett told Buffalo, NY radio station 103.3 The Edge WEDG-FM, "Well, you know, we're moving forward. We're hoping that the album will be released next year. It's pretty much more along the same lines as 'Death Magnetic' - kind of like that direction. And, you know, we'll see.

"We're into it. I don't wanna say that we're a third into it, or two-thirds into it, or an eighth into it, 'cause anything could happen that'll just change that number.