METALLICA Representative Addresses Complaints Over 'The Day' Sound Quality

A representative for METALLICA's Mission: Metallica web site — the online experience related to the group's forthcoming album, "Death Magnetic" — has sent out an e-mail message to the site's registered members regarding the sound quality of the new METALLICA single, "The Day That Never Comes". According to one METALLICA fan, "there have been reports of loud distortion, as well as clipping in the song. At first it wasn't a big deal until the version being played on radio as well as the one on iTunes had the same problem. I, along with many others, wrote e-mails to Mission: Metallica as they have a history of providing great tech support. Well, they have responded and sent an e-mail to the fans who wrote them."

The Mission: Metallica e-mail reads as follows:

"METALLICA fans,

"My name is Benjamin. I work in fan support for Mission: Metallica.

"I am sorry for the bulk e-mail, but we've heard from quite a few of you regarding the sound quality on the single release of 'The Day That Never Comes'.

"The source of the problem, as you might imagine, goes all the way back to the creation of the track from master — but this is not how it will sound on the album.

"We've identified the source of the problem to prevent it in any subsequent singles released in advance of September 12.

"If we can have another one put together and sent out prior to that date, there may be a higher-quality release of 'The Day That Never Comes' made available, but I can't guarantee it at this time."

It should be noted that "The Day That Never Comes" is no longer being made available for streaming on METALLICA's official MySpace page, although it's not clear if this is related to the sound-quality issues described above.

METALLICA delivered "The Day That Never Comes" on Thursday (August 21) to radio stations nationwide. The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Death Magnetic", and clocks in at a hefty seven minutes and 56 seconds. Drummer Lars Ulrich told The Pulse of Radio that the rest of the tunes on the CD don't get much shorter than that. "This is not three-, four-minute little ditties. These are, pretty much all of them are, quote, 'epics.' Most of them are seven, eight minutes, I think there's one at six, you know, but it's that type of stuff. When I think of those (METALLICA) records from the '80s, I think of the songs being journeys that take you to all these different places and different musical landscapes and all that type of stuff, and this is kind of what these songs do."

"Death Magnetic" arrives in stores worldwide on September 12 in a variety of digital and physical configurations, ranging from a straight download to a deluxe "coffin box" edition.

METALLICA will play two shows in Europe to celebrate the CD's release, both of them with low ticket prices. The group will perform in Berlin on September 12 to open the new O2 arena there, with tickets going for $14. Next the quartet will head to London for a September 15 show at that city's O2 arena, with tickets costing around $9. Both shows are open to fan club members only. Proceeds from both gigs will go to local charities.

The band will kick off its first indoor North American tour on October 21 in Glendale, Arizona, with shows booked through the end of January.

"The Day That Never Comes" audio (entire song):