James Hetfield will return to the stage this year with Metallica, but the singer left open the door of what will come next for him and the band. Speaking at the Petersen Automotive Museum during a chat about his "Reclaimed Rust" exhibit, Hetfield also fielded some Metallica questions.

When asked about another studio album, Hetfield responded, "That's a great question. We don't know. Right now, I'm sitting in Petersen Museum [laughs], and I don't know what's gonna happen next. That's the beauty of this. We'll sit down and figure out what works best for us."

He continued, "Whatever is coming up, we don't know. And we kind of thrive off of the fear of the unknown — a bit — and being scared just enough to feel alive."

Metallica cut short their 2019 touring so that Hetfield could enter rehab to deal with his previous addictions. At present, the band will play a March 28 All Within My Hands benefit show in San Francisco. After that, they've booked a series of world tour dates and have plans for dual performances at five U.S. festivals. Head here for tickets and check Metallica's website for all touring information.

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