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''Portals'' is the debut solo EP of
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
guitarist
Kirk Hammett Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist of heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Prior to joining Metallica, he co-formed the thrash metal band Exodus in 1979. In 2023, Hammett, along ...
, released on April 23, 2022, through
Blackened Recordings Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrumen ...
. The
instrumental rock Instrumental rock is rock music that emphasizes instrumental performance and features very little or no singing. Examples of instrumental music in rock can be found in practically every subgenre of the style. Instrumental rock was most popular f ...
EP was released digitally as well as on CD and an exclusive ocean blue vinyl pressing for
Record Store Day Record Store Day is a semi-annual event established in 2008 to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". Held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November, the day brings together f ...
. It consists of four instrumental tracks, described in a release as "a collection of gateways to myriad musical and psychic destinations." The songs were recorded between 2017 and 2020 in multiple locales ranging from Los Angeles to Paris to Oahu. Hammett added: "This music was created with what I describe as an Audio-Cinematic approach. They're soundtracks to the movies in your mind." A single for the EP's third track "
High Plains Drifter ''High Plains Drifter'' is a 1973 American Western film directed by Clint Eastwood, written by Ernest Tidyman, and produced by Robert Daley for The Malpaso Company and Universal Pictures. The film stars Eastwood as a mysterious stranger who ...
" was released on April 15, 2022, with an animated music video following April 22.


Style and reception

''
Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles ''Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles'' (''BW&BK'') is a Canadian heavy metal website and former magazine. Although based in Toronto, Canada, ''BW&BK'' features writers from the US, Germany and the UK, allowing the magazine to represent metal music f ...
''s Nick Balazs calls the EP "more musically interesting than what his main band has done on their recent studio efforts", noting that on Metallica's records "Hammett's solos have been a point of criticism" but here "those criticisms will be put to bed as ''Portals'' shows a talented guitarist utilizing different effects and inspired sounds to create a diverse EP with much replay value." The songs "play out like mini-movies, or soundtracks to a theatrical film", showcasing Hammett's love of horror films and
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...
with "almost a '70s progressive bent". Balazs closes by calling the EP "a much pleasant surprise" and "a scarily good listen". Joe Daly of ''
Metal Hammer ''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions published by different companies available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' featu ...
'' notes Hammett "flex nghis prog and soundtrack-influenced muscles" and "synthesis nghis biggest influences: metal, horror movies, classical music and the works of composer
Ennio Morricone Ennio Morricone ( , ; 10 November 19286 July 2020) was an Italian composer, Orchestration, orchestrator, conductor, trumpeter, and pianist who wrote music in a wide range of styles. With more than 400 film score, scores for cinema and televisi ...
". "None of the tracks sound like unused Metallica demos, nor do they bleed together in a brain-melting patchwork of sweep picking and speed runs", instead "showcas ngthe compositional and technical strengths of one of heavy metal's most influential and visionary guitarists." ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
''s Jason P. Woodbury says the EP "reveals Hammett's aspirations to be a film composer, layering crescendoing horns,
flamenco Flamenco () is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the Gitanos, gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and Region of Murcia, ...
interludes, swelling strings—and, naturally, oversized riffs and unhinged shredding—into compositions that could accompany zombie westerns,
gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, a Germanic people **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Gothic alphabet, an alphabet used to write the Gothic language ** Gothic ( ...
giallo In Italian cinema, (; : ; from , ) is a genre that often contains Slasher film, slasher, thriller (genre), thriller, psychological horror, psychological thriller, Sexploitation film, sexploitation, and, less frequently, supernatural, supernat ...
thrillers, or apocalyptic sci-fi". On the project, Hammett "often eschews ambiance and scene setting in favor of fully present rock outs", though it "doesn't matter that the territory is more
Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. The band initially consisted of bass guitarist, lead vocalist and principal songwriter Phil Lynott, drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Eric Bell and organist Eric Wrixon although Wr ...
than
Hans Zimmer Hans Florian Zimmer (; born 12 September 1957) is a German film score composer and music producer. He has won two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, five Grammy Awards, and has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmy Awards and a Tony ...
" because "it's a thrill to hear Hammett playing so unabashed." Though Hammett is "often viewed as the soft spoken counterpoint to
Ulrich Ulrich () is a Germanic given name derived from Old High German ''Uodalrich'', ''Odalric''. It is composed of the elements ''Othala rune, uodal-'' meaning "heritage" and ''-rih'' meaning "king, ruler". Attested from the 8th century as the name of Al ...
and Hetfield", he "relishes this star turn, and his sense of freedom in exploring beyond the confines of Metallica is palpable", bringing out music which "smartly devote plenty of real estate to Hammett's familiar metalhead strengths" but also "reveal ngcompositional breadth and dramatic flair." ''Wall of Sound'' suggests that the EP is "well worth checking out" for those who enjoy
instrumental An instrumental or instrumental song is music without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through Semantic change, semantic widening, a broader sense of the word s ...
albums, and while it "probably won't hold the attention of most Metallica fans, it is a rewarding sonic experience that I will be returning to when the mood strikes."


Accolades


Track listing


Personnel

Musicians *
Kirk Hammett Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist of heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Prior to joining Metallica, he co-formed the thrash metal band Exodus in 1979. In 2023, Hammett, along ...
 – guitar *
Blake Neely Blake Neely (born April 28, 1969) is an American composer, conductor, and orchestrator. He has been nominated for seven Emmy Awards for his work on '' Everwood'', '' The Pacific'', ''Pan Am'', '' Pamela, a Love Story'', '' Good Night Oppy'' and ...
 – string arrangements (track 1) *Marcel Feldmar – drums (track 1) *
Mathilde Sternat Mathilde Sternat is a French cellist and arranger. Life Sternat studied the cello and chamber music, notably with Étienne Péclard, at the Conservatoire de Paris and won her prize in 1995. Since then, she has been playing chamber music in sma ...
 –
cello The violoncello ( , ), commonly abbreviated as cello ( ), is a middle pitched bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), tuned i ...
(tracks 1, 2) *
Greg Fidelman Greg Fidelman (born September 4, 1965) is an American record mixer, engineer and record producer. He is a frequent collaborator of producer Rick Rubin, and has worked with many bands in various genres, including Metallica, Black Sabbath, Slipkno ...
 – bass (track 1) *Philippe Bussonnet – bass (track 2) *Julien Charlet – percussion (track 2) *
Abraham Laboriel Abraham Laboriel López (born July 17, 1947) is a Mexican-American bassist who has played on over 4,000 recordings and soundtracks. ''Guitar Player'' magazine called him "the most widely used session bassist of our time". Laboriel is the fathe ...
 – drums (track 2) *
Edwin Outwater Edwin Maurice Outwater (born 12 April 1971) is an American conductor. Biography Outwater is a graduate of Harvard University, graduating ''cum laude'' in 1993 with a degree in English literature. While at Harvard, he was music director of the Bac ...
 – keyboards, orchestra leader (tracks 3, 4) *
Emmanuel Ceysson Emmanuel Ceysson is a French harpist and academic. He is principal harpist in the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Formerly, he was principal harpist in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Opéra National de Paris (2005–2015). In ...
 –
harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orchestras or ...
(tracks 3, 4) *Ben Lash – cello (tracks 3, 4) * Andrew Bain –
horn Horn may refer to: Common uses * Horn (acoustic), a tapered sound guide ** Horn antenna ** Horn loudspeaker ** Vehicle horn ** Train horn *Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various animals * Horn (instrument), a family ...
(tracks 3, 4) *
Nadia Sirota Nadia Sirota (born in New York City, New York) is an American viola player. Her father is Robert Sirota, a composer and Conducting, conductor. Life and career Sirota is best known for her singular sound and expressive execution, coaxing solo ...
 –
viola The viola ( , () ) is a string instrument of the violin family, and is usually bowed when played. Violas are slightly larger than violins, and have a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the ...
(tracks 3, 4) *Nathan Cole –
violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...
(tracks 3, 4) *Akiko Turamoto – violin (tracks 3, 4) *Eliza Bagg – vocals (tracks 3, 4) *
Jon Theodore Jon Philip Theodore (born December 30, 1973) is an American drummer. He has been the current drummer for Queens of the Stone Age since 2013, and is also known for being the drummer for the Mars Volta from 2001 to 2006. Known for his explosive, ...
 – drums (tracks 3, 4) *Brad Cummings – bass (tracks 3, 4) Technical * Kirk Hammett –
production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stat ...
, mixing *
Bob Rock Robert Jens Rock (born April 19, 1954) is a Canadian record producer, recording engineer and musician. In 1976, Rock joined Little Mountain Sound Studios, starting out as a recording engineer and sound mixer. During his time there, he coll ...
 – mixing *
Emily Lazar Emily B. Lazar is an American mastering engineer. She is the founder, president, and chief mastering engineer of The Lodge, an audio mastering facility that has operated in New York City's Greenwich Village since 1997. She won a Grammy Award for ...
 – mastering * Chris Allgood – mastering * Mike Gillies –
engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...
(tracks 1, 2) * Greg Fidelman – additional engineering, recording (track 1) * Tim Harkins – engineering (tracks 3, 4) * Angel Hammett – photos * Alex Tenta – design, layout


Charts


References

{{Authority control 2022 debut EPs Kirk Hammett albums Progressive rock EPs Heavy metal EPs Classical music EPs Instrumental rock EPs Record Store Day releases Metallica