August 30-2002 New Metallica Demos Like Meshuggah?

Kirk Hammett (08/29/2002 3:52:00 PM)
"So we came in today and we were working on the song Du Jour when [webmaster] Niclas walked in with the new MESHUGGAH CD. We decided to stop what we were doing and throw it on because every motherfucker at Ozzfest kept on telling us how kick-ass they were. When we heard it, we were shocked to find out how similar it was to our new material, even the 8 radio songs we have. I love MESHUGGAH! Right now the entire HQ smells like spray paint because James is graffitting our roll up door with the scary guy. We have a four-day weekend coming up and for me it is all about surfing, riding horses and playing guitar. Oh, by the way, I was just kidding about the 8 radio songs..."

Lars Ulrich (08/29/2002 5:26:00 PM)
"Hey, it's Lars checking in on the way out. We had a nice ugly day in the studio. Lots of nastiness and misery. I'm psyched! BTW, I think Kirk's MESHUGGAH comparison is a little limiting. I hear shades of HATEBREED and ENTOMBED in there also. It is really starting to come together, man. The couple 2-3 things we've been working on this week, we've taken a few steps further than the earlier stuff, and it feels a bit good. We are gonna chill for a long weekend, so we will catch up on the sick shit and despair on Tuesday again. Y'all be good, c-ya in a bit, THE ELF (aka Lars)"

Source: Metallica.com & the Gauntlet

11 February 2003 : Voivod - Newsted speaks.

...Newsted has snubbed his former band's stadium tour which starts off on July 4, dubbed the 'Summer Sanitarium Tour 2003'

"It's a joke I think Metallica are just a joke, I don't think they have any idea. I am fan of Metallica again, I did my thing in there and felt good and I'm proud of that shit and I am more proud than sour. But that's the integrity down the fucking tube! Why can't they take out Strapping Young Lad, why can't they take out In Flames? What they are doing now is such an obvious cash thing and has nothing to do with the music that we're supposed to be fighting for.

"Kirk got quoted about their new record sounding like Entombed, how can it sound like Entombed, how? Who is playing bass to make it sound like Entombed, James is a good bass player but c'mon dude! Lars - he hasn't practised enough drums over the years ­ he let his art fall away from him, he doesn't have the same finesse as he used to have, so how is it going to sound like Entombed and have that energy? And anyway if they are speaking like that how come they are not talking Entombed out on tour? Or Meshuggah -how came they are not staying true to their words? That's what really bother me."