Metallica may still be packing stadiums and delivering marathon performances on their ongoing M72 World Tour, but even dudes that spent their lives playing their own music have their limits. Frontman James Hetfield recently opened up about the physical challenges of performing certain songs, revealing that a few staples of the band’s catalog remain especially demanding to play live.
The M72 World Tour sees Metallica performing two nights in each city with completely different setlists, a format that pushes endurance as much as creativity. While the band continues to prove its staying power after more than 40 years, Hetfield acknowledged that some songs still make him pause before stepping onstage.
Speaking on The Metallica ReportHetfield singled out two tracks in particular: “We all have our own certain songs that are a little difficult. ‘Moth Into Flame,’ ‘Master of Puppets,’ those are two that are, ‘Wow,’ those are a little difficult. I’m sure Lars has his list; we all have our list. But we push through, and we help each other with it.”
The admission underscores how physically intense Metallica’s music remains, even decades into their career. Songs like “Master of Puppets,” with its relentless downpicking and tempo, have long been notorious among guitarists — and Hetfield’s comments show that the challenge hasn’t diminished with time.
Despite those hurdles, Hetfield says the band’s current setup helps balance the strain. The circular, in-the-round stage used on the M72 tour places the band at the center of the stadium, bringing them closer to fans and enhancing the sense of connection.
Reflecting on the realities of aging as a performer, Hetfield added: “I guess it’s a testament of being human and aging, as you’re supposed to and having some sense of, ‘My body can take this, but it can’t take this.'”
Speaking of Metallica live, you can catch the band at one of their many 2026 tour dates below. Get your tickets here.
5/9 Athens, Greece Olympic Stadium
5/13 Bucharest, Romania National Arena
5/19 Chorzów, Poland Śląski Stadium
5/22 Frankfurt, Germany Deutsche Bank Park
5/24 Frankfurt, Germany Deutsche Bank Park
5/27 Zurich, Switzerland Stadium Letzigrund
5/30 Berlin, Germany Olympic Stadium
6/3 Bologna, Italy Renato Dall’Ara Stadium
6/11 Budapest, Hungary Puskás Arena
6/13 Budapest, Hungary Puskás Arena
6/19 Dublin, Ireland Aviva Stadium
6/21 Dublin, Ireland Aviva Stadium
6/25 Glasgow, Scotland Hampden Park
6/28 Cardiff, Wales Principality Stadium
7/3 London, England London Stadium
7/5 London, England London Stadium
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