METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich and bassist Robert Trujillo have uploaded an exclusive "Holiday Wishes" video for members of their official fan club (MetClub). Watch it online in two parts at YouTube: Part#1, Part#2.

Launch Radio Networks reported two weeks ago that METALLICA has written about 25 songs for its ninth studio effort and is now concentrating on trimming that list to one album's worth of material, which it will begin recording in January. Ulrich told Launch on December 5 that the band's summer European tour, on which METALLICA played its classic 1986 album "Master of Puppets" in its entirety, paved the way for the sound of the new album. "What I hear sounds very lively, very spunky, got a lot of energy," he said. "I think that the shows we played over the summer, we were definitely leaner and kind of in better shape than we've been in a long time. I mean, having to deliver 'Master of Puppets' for three months this summer definitely revitalized some of that stuff in us, and it's been kind of fun having that in the back of our mind as we've been going through this process. I don't know what else to say. It's a little early to put it into a one-sentence soundbite on Blabbermouth, if you know what I mean."

Referring to the controversial, low-fi production on 2003's "St. Anger", Ulrich said that he's "taken the drums out of the cardboard boxes" this time, and that lead guitarist Kirk Hammett will lay down guitar solos on this record.

The new disc will be produced by Rick Rubin and is expected out by late 2007.