AUSTIN – Metallica fans will hear previously released material in the soundtrack to the band’s new film “Metallica: Through the Never,” but they’ll also get to hear new metal material from the foursome should they pick up the movie when it comes out on home video.
Last night (Sept. 25) at Fantastic Fest in the Texas capitol, bassist Robert Trujillo, guitarist Kirk Hammett and the film’s director Nimrod Antal took questions from the audience after screening the 3D flick, which combines a scripted feature-narrative with a concert documentary. Antal revealed that there are two additional cuts of the film, which will be available on the DVD/Blu-Ray and other formats of the release. He said one cut is just of the narrative portion to “Through the Never” — which stars Dane DeHaan as a roadie for the band — and has “a completely original,” “Goblin-esque” soundtrack made by Metallica and producer Greg Fidelman. The other version is just of the concert footage, with “three to four” bonus songs recorded during those live gigs in Vancouver and Edmonton.
Addtionally, Trujillo premiered his Metallica-centered short animated film “‘Tallica Parking Lot” last night, which also featured new music from the metal pioneers. Its soundtrack had big, energetic beats as the animations panned through 2D and 3D views of the fans that pre-game at Metallica shows. The film was a collaboration with Titmouse Animation Studio and helped by animators like Mike Judge; characters from “South Park,” “Beavis & Butthead,” “Metalocalypse” and even the cartoon visages of rockers like Lemmy make cameos.
“‘Tallica Parking Lot” and the three total versions of “Metallica: Through the Never” will be bundled together for home video, with release date TBA.
Judging from the technical aspects that went into the making “Through the Never,” Antal and the band could’ve made even a few more films from their shoot. Concert footage for “Through the Never” was captured by 30 cameras at any one time Antal said, which was — in his words — “a f*cking nightmare.” The stage was fraught with its own perils, and not just metal music wattage: some of the concert props to help tell the “Through the Never” story included Tesla coils, pyrotechnics, falling rocks, sparking light poles and jumbo video screens in the shape of coffins.
Performing was an “occupational hazard,” Hammett said. “It’s amazing we survived it.” Death magnetic, indeed.
The band said they’re planning on, at some point, taking that very epic stage concept on tour, though not mentioning when that would be. They’re still catching up to the “now.” Hammett said called the outcome of “Through the Never” and their collaboration with Antal as “unexpected.” He said that he sees old songs like “Ride the Lightning” and “Creeping Death” in a new light, now that the tracks have been married to Antal’s horror-apocalypse treatment.
“We would never have thought we’d be in this space three years ago,” Hammett said.
“Metallica: Through the Never” heads to IMAX tomorrow (Sept. 27) and into additional theaters Oct. 4.