Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has announced his debut solo EP Portals. The four-song instrumental EP, Portals is the first-ever solo release by an active member of Metallica and will be released via Metallica.com and selected local record stores to coincide with Record Store Day, on April 23rd.
Announcing the release, Hammett has given some insight into what we can expect from Portals.
"Initially, before I even had the idea for a solo EP, I was inspired by the need to create some sort of soundtrack music to accompany The Kirk Hammett Collection for the first 'It's Alive' exhibition at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, 2017. I wanted to conceive music to play on a loop in the background as people walked through the exhibit. I sat down one night with a progression, and before I knew it, all the parts were there for 'Maiden And The Monster'. "The initial concept for 'Portals' started with that one song. Following that, I realized I could create different soundtrack moments. These songs are what I call 'audio cinematic'; I'm creating sounds and pieces of music for the movies playing in my head. Hopefully they'll create movies in other people's heads in a similar fashion."
Portals was recorded across the globe with Hammett also serving as the EP's producer. He also worked with co-writer Edwin Outwater on High Plans Drifter and The Incantation, the last two tracks on Portals. Outwater was the conductor of the orchestra on Metallica's S&M2 live release. He contributed keyboards and led the orchestral players from the LA Philharmonic on Portals.
Other familiar contributors include Jon Theodore of Hammett's The Wedding Band, Abraham Loboriel, Greg Fidelman on bass as well as Emmy-winning arranger Blake Neely and frequent Metallica producer Bob Rock.
Watch Metallica play One live in Seattle in 1989 below. Hammett's solo rips.
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