Metallica is a country.
Clifford Lee `` Cliff '' Burton ( February 10 , 1962 -- September 27 , 1986 ) was an American musician , best known as the second bass guitarist for the American thrash metal band Metallica from December 1982 until his death in September 1986 . Hardwired ... to Self-Destruct is the tenth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica , released as a double album on November 18 , 2016 by their vanity label Blackened Recordings . James Alan Hetfield ( born August 3 , 1963 ) is an American musician , singer , and songwriter known for being the co-founder , lead vocalist , rhythm guitarist , and main songwriter for the American heavy metal band Metallica . Metallica is an American heavy metal band based in San Rafael , California . After touring for most of the next eight years , the band followed up with the double album Hardwired ... to Self-Destruct ( 2016 ) , which demonstrated examples from some of the different musical styles that the band has dabbled in throughout its career .