Metallica entered the studio this week to begin work on their next studio album. The threesome of Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield started work at a Bay Area recording studio on Monday (April23) without a bass player. 

The new album is being produced by Bob Rock, the man behind the controls of their breakthrough Metallica �Black Album�.  Whether the band will go about the task of replacing bassist, Jason Newsted before completing work on this new effort is still not known. Newsted left the group in January, naming health concerns as part of his reason for departing. According to the band�s official website, Metallica.com, the band plans to record into the summer. The as yet untitled eight-studio album is expected to hit stores towards the end of the year or early 2002. 

The band also launched a new version of their official website (Metallica.com) last week. Vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield Posted the following comments to the newly redesigned Metallica.com: "Gettin easy access to info for ya'll first and up front was the main concern. Also great places to explore special goodies without all the fancy crap ya gotta go through that everyone gets sick of the second time they hit the site. Yes. Its even easy enuff 4 a geetarist in a heavey metal band to git 'round in.!"