From correspondents in London, England, 01:01 PM IST

Metallica lead singer James Hetfield promises they will once again be at the top with their new album 'Death Magnetic'.

The group has gone through some tremendous ups and downs but are happy with their new album 'Death Magnetic', which they are releasing next month, reports thesun.co.uk. The songs takes the band back to the essence of what made them great, with a more recognisable Metallica sound than on 'St. Anger', an album which fans and critics panned when it was released in 2003.

Hetfield said: 'St. Anger was the low point of the roller-coaster, but we're back at the top now.'

Talking about his tempestuous relationship with drummer Lars Ulrich, Hetfield said: 'Our relationship is part of what makes Metallica special. If everything goes smooth all the time then something is wrong. You have to have friction as it creates energy, brainstorms, pro-activity and we go forward.'

Metallica's legacy speaks for itself. They've sold 100 million records and achieved Gold or Platinum album status in 40 countries and won seven Grammys.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)