=== ''Death Magnetic'', ''Lulu'' and ''Beyond Magnetic'' (2006–2011) ===
[[Fil:Kirkhemmettwien07.JPG|left|220px|thumb|Hammett optræder live i 2007]]
I 2006 bekendtgjorde Metallica på deres officielle hjemmeside, at producer [[Bob Rock]] efter 15 år ikke ville komme til at producere deres næste studiealbum. Valget faldt i stedet på [[Rick Rubin]], der havde produceret med bands som [[Danzig (band)|Danzig]], Slayer, [[System of a Down]], og Slipknot.<ref>{{cite news | title = Metallica Studio Update | publisher = Metallica | date=  2006-02-16 | url = http://www.metallica.com/index.asp?item=14828 | access-date = 2006-12-23}}</ref> Metallica offentliggjorde en unavngivet sang ved navn "The New Song" den [[6. juni]]<ref name="METALLICA: Better Audio Recording Of New Song Available">{{cite web
|title=Metallica: Better audio recording of "New Song" available
|publisher=Blabbermouth.net
|date=2006-06-07
|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=53367
|access-date=2007-12-05
|archive-date=22. april 2008
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422012712/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=53367
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> og en anden med tilnavnet "The Other New Song" den [[12. august]].<ref name="METALLICA: Video Of 'The Other New Song' Featuring Soundboard Audio Posted Online">{{cite web
|title=Metallica: Video of "The Other New Song" featuring soundboard audio posted online
|publisher=Blabbermouth.net
|date=2006-08-22
|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=56868
|access-date=2007-12-05
|archive-date=24. juni 2008
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624235751/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=56868
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> Alligevel udtalte Trujillo i et interview med det [[Grækenland|græske]] ''Rock Hard'' Magazine i 2007, "at de sange ikke ville komme med på albummet i hvert fald ikke i den form."<ref name="METALLICA Bassist TRUJILLO: New Album Is Dynamic, Heavy And Groovin'">{{cite web
|title=Metallica bassist Trujillo: New album is 'dynamic, heavy and groovin'
|publisher=Blabbermouth.net
|date=2007-06-04
|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=73895
|access-date=2007-12-05
|archive-date= 7. juli 2007
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070707164006/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=73895
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>
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