According to Finland's Record Shop X, the Finnish release date for the new Metallica album, "Death Magnetic", is Wednesday, September 17. Although no official release date has yet been announced, it is likely that the CD will be issued in the U.S. on September 16, with most of continental Europe receiving the album on Monday, September 15 (except Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where fans will presumably be able to purchase the CD on Friday, September 12).

Metallica's ninth studio effort, "Death Magnetic" will contain either 10 or 11 tracks. No song titles have been confirmed, although "My Apocalypse" was cited as one by Rolling Stone magazine. The band did not play any new songs at the recent Bonnaroo festival, although a selected group of U.S. and U.K. journalists have had a chance to preview six tunes from the upcoming release.

"Death Magnetic" was produced by Metallica and Rick Rubin, and marks the recording debut of bassist Robert Trujillo, who joined the lineup in 2003 shortly after the last Metallica album, "St. Anger", was completed.