Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich says frontman James Hetfield re-entering rehab is just a "bump in the road."
In a recent interview with USA Today, Ulrich was asked how Hetfield was doing.
"He's doing what he needs to; he's in the process of healing himself. I feel bad for everybody down in Australia and New Zealand, but we're excited to get back to full force and come back stronger and healthier than ever," Ulrich replied.
He continued, "Along the way, there's obviously an occasional bump in the road. But it's been an incredible ride, and we're looking forward to getting back down there, hopefully next year."
Ulrich also added that the band received positive feedback from fans, friends and peers alike.
"It's very heartwarming, and it's just blown our minds how much love and appreciation and support we've gotten in the last week since we had to postpone this. It's an incredible thing," Ulrich said.
Last month, Metallica informed fans that the band is postponing its upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand as Hetfield had to re-enter a treatment program to recover from drug addiction.
The Metallica lead singer and guitarist has been struggling with addiction on and off for many years.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Entertainment News
May 22, 2026 14:46 ET Minutes of the latest Fed policy session was the highlight of the week along with survey data on the U.S. housing market. In Europe, survey data signaled the trends in the euro area private sector. Further, consumer price inflation data from the U.K. was in focus. In Asia, various economic indicators from China drew attention to the health of the economy.