Metallica Self-Releasing Live DVD Next Month

Metallica will release a new live DVD called Quebec Magnetic on December 10th, which was filmed in Quebec City, Canada during a two-night stand in October 2009 on the Death Magnetic tour. The double DVD and single Blu-ray will both retail for the "fan-friendly" price of $15.98. Quebec Magnetic will also be the first project that Metallica releases on its own, instead of going through a record label or video distributor. Guitarist Kirk Hammett told Billboard.com, "We felt like we're really doing a disservice just sitting on this great live footage, so we decided to put it out."

The group's last studio album, 2008's Death Magnetic, completed their contract with Warner Music Group, and it's possible that Metallica could again bypass a traditional label for their next release. Drummer Lars Ulrich says that all options were on the table for how to put out their next effort: "I do believe that we are without a record contract for the next record, so we'll come around to that one. I certainly at this point cannot say anything about what's gonna happen with the next record. It's not a conversation we've had, or at least not any conversation I've been part of in the last couple of years, and it's kind of cool to have nothing but options. So we'll see how it plays out."