Though Metallica is immersed in a couple of video projects at the moment, the group is also starting to think about its next album, a follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic."

In fact, guitarist Kirk Hammett tells us that he expects the band to be at work on new material in the not too distant future:

"We have tons of ideas, and that really is never a problem. We never have a lack of ideas -- if anything the problem is we have too many ideas. Yeah...It's something we're gonna start thinking pretty seriously about here. In about a couple months or so we're gonna seriously start working it out."

Metallica recently announced the December 10 release of "Quebec Magnetic," a two-disc DVD/Blu-ray set filmed during a two-night stand during October of 2009 in Quebec City; it will be the group's first self-released project.

Metallica is also finishing work on a 3D film that's due out next summer, which will mix live footage from Vancouver this year with a narrative story featuring professional actors.

Hammett, meanwhile, recently published "Too Much Horror Business -- The Kirk Hammett Collection", documenting his horror memorabilia, and is launching a line of horror toys.

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