Kirk Hammett , guitarist for Metallica , can't fully imprint his own sonic DNA on the solos he's recorded with the band – and part of the reason is Lars Ulrich , as he revealed in a recent interview.
About to release his first solo EP , Hammett celebrated the artistic freedom of the project in a conversation with Ultimate Classic Guitar . “You know, there are no real limitations imposed on me. When I was working on these tracks, I didn't want to overexert myself. So I said to myself, 'If I can't do these solos in three or four takes, then I'll turn it off and wait until the next day, and then try to get it right in three or four attempts.' You know, that's what I did. These solos have no limitations,” he said.
This more relaxed creative process is quite different from what the guitarist usually does with Metallica. “What I mean by that is that often, when I’m doing solos for Metallica, I have to play for the song [in question]. I have to play within the context of the song, make the solo somewhat accessible – and what I mean by that is that it needs to have interesting parts. It needs to have something dynamic that grabs your attention. You know, it needs to be a little commercial,” he explained.
Other factors influencing the composition of solos are the album producers and the constant suggestions of a specific colleague. “And also with [the influence of] Lars, because Lars likes to micromanage everything. So, when I'm there doing a solo, he gives me an idea. That shapes the solos. I'm not 100% myself. I've always alluded to that,” Kirk Hammett continued.
In the EP Portals , which will be released on April 22nd, the musician simply allowed himself to play more freely, following the feeling of the songs, without seeking a specific sound within rules or expectations. "I just arrived, played the solo and felt it was an honest moment that we captured, [so we kept it]," he summarized.
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