METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett is now streaming the animated music video for his new solo single “High Plains Drifter.” The single is off Hammett’s instrumental EP Portals which is set to arrive on Record Store Day, April 23.
Two of the four songs on the EP were co-written by S&M2 conductor Edwin Outwater. “Portals” also features drummers Jon Theodore (Kirk’s fellow Wedding Band member) and Abraham Laboriel, Greg Fidelman on bass, Emmy-winning arranger Blake Neely, and Bob Rock.
“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,” said Hammett. “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.”
Check out the official video for “High Plains Drifter” below.