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Metallica surprised fans with a festive — and unmistakably metal — holiday gift this week. Frontman James Hetfield has recorded a spoken-word version of the classic Christmas poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” better known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
The narration made its debut on Friday (Dec. 19) via Metallica’s Maximum Metallica channel on SiriusXM, giving subscribers the first chance to hear Hetfield put his signature grit on the familiar holiday tale.
Soon after the radio premiere, the band shared a video version on YouTube. The clip features a cozy, animated fireplace scene — stockings hung on the mantle, flames flickering — while Hetfield delivers the poem in a dramatic tone that leans more dark and theatrical than traditional. Fans may recognize shades of his Enter Sandman storytelling style woven into the reading.
Hetfield also adds his own subtle flair throughout the narration, from emphasized phrasing to a distinctly Metallica-style delivery of the closing line: “Merry Christmas to all… and to all a good night.”
The holiday release arrives as Metallica wraps up its 2025 touring schedule. While the band is currently off the road for the holidays, they’re set to return to live shows in 2026, kicking off a European and U.K. run beginning May 9 in Athens, Greece, with dates scheduled through early July.
SOURCE: Loudwire