Rick Ruben + Metallica

So, Ruben is producing Metallica's next record.

This is pretty interesting and cool news to me. I haven't cared about a Metallica release since ...And Justice For All, and with good reason. And I put an equal amount of blame for Metallica's bland sound on Bob Rock, the producer of the records I could give a crap about. (That Metallica also just quit doing interesting things shares blame)

Now. I don't think I would've thought of Ruben. Terry Date, who worked with Soundgarden and Pantera, yes. Dave Jerden, who did Anthrax's sublime Sound of White Noise-that would be cool. Ross Robinson, who did At The Drive In's Relationship of Command, Blood Brother's Burn Piano Island Burn, and Slipknot's stuff. That might be interesting, although word is Robinson is trying to move away from strict metal.

Lord knows, Metallica defines metal in many, many ways. But Ruben has done so much interesting work, I'll confess; I'll be approaching the next Metallica album with a much more open mind than in the past. I hope I'm rewarded.