Metallica Make Their New Mission Clear on Thematic ’72 Seasons’ Title Track

Metallica have now released their song "72 Seasons," the title track from the band's 72 Seasons album that arrives April 14. The tune, the album's opening number, emerged Thursday (March 30) after Metallica had shared increasingly longer teasers for it.

The day prior (March 29), Metallica issued an excerpt of "72 Seasons" that was 55 seconds long. A March 28 clip was around 30 seconds. The first "72 Seasons" teaser from March 27 clocked in at 15 seconds. Now, Metallica fans can hear the whole tune.

Listen down toward the bottom of this post.

It's "72 Seasons" From Metallica

"72 Seasons" underlines Metallica's renewed mission with its thematic take on our formative years. Indeed, the 72 Seasons of Metallica refer to the first 18 years of a person's life, according to singer-guitarist James Hetfield. (Four seasons in a year: 4 × 18 = 72.)

READ MORE: Metallica's James Hetfield Has Written a New Book About His Guitar Collection

"Is there a special meaning to the title?” the rocker said when the album was first announced. "72 seasons. The first 18 years of our lives that form our true or false selves. The concept that we were told 'who we are' by our parents. A possible pigeonholing around what kind of personality we are."

Before now, us ardent Metallica fans had already been privy to the 72 Seasons songs "Lux Æterna," "Screaming Suicide" and "If Darkness Had a Son."

Meanwhile, Metallica's extensive "M72 World Tour" starts in April. You can get tickets here. You can pre-order the 72 Seasons album here.

Read the lyrics for "72 Seasons" below. Watch the official music video underneath. Find Metallica's upcoming tour dates below that.

READ MORE: All We Know About '72 Seasons' Album

And since "72 Seasons" is the opening track on 72 Seasons, why not read Loudwire's ranking of Metallica album openers? It's under the tour dates.

Get Loudwire's newsletter and download Loudwire's app for your rock and metal news.

Metallica, "72 Seasons" Lyrics

Feeding on the wrath of man
Shot down
Traumatic
Time haunted by the past
Long gone
Dogmatic
Although the die is cast

Shot down
Volcanic
But what is done is done and done
Look back
Psychotic
No chance before this life began

Staring into black light
Dominating birthright

Wrath of man
Leaching through
Split in two

Wrath of man
Crash into
Point of view

Wrath of man
Violence
Inheritance

Wrath of man
Thrive upon
Feeding on
72 seasons gone

Feeding on the wrath of man
Shoot back
Erratic
Mad seasons take their toll
New mask
Chaotic
Completely lost control

Shoot back
Fanatic
Wither under looming shadow cast
Slip back
Narcotic
Blinded by the ashes of the past

Staring into black light
Choking on the stage fright

Wrath of man
Leaching through
Split in two

Wrath of man
Crash into
Point of view

Wrath of man
Violence
Inheritance

Wrath of man
Thrive upon
Feeding on
72 seasons gone

Piercing through
Cut in two
Polarize

Point of view
Crash into
Paralyze

Feeding on the wrath of man
Man down
Barbaric
Quick fire machine gun thoughts
Deep seed
Stigmatic
Some have and some have not

Man down
Demonic
No mercy from the ghost within
Turn back
Hypnotic
There’s breathing out but not back in

Staring into black light
Permanently midnight

Wrath of man
Leaching through
Split in two

Wrath of man
Crash into
Point of view

Wrath of man
Violence
Inheritance

Wrath of man
Thrive upon
Feeding on
72 seasons gone

Feeding on the wrath of man

Metallica, "72 Seasons" (Music Video)

Metallica, "72 Seasons" Single

Metallica 2023 World Tour Dates

April 27 – Amsterdam NL @ Cruijff Arena
April 29 – Amsterdam NL @ Cruijff Arena
May 17 – Paris FR @ Stade de France
May 19 – Paris FR @ Stade de France
May 26 – Hamburg DE @ Volksparkstadion
May 28 – Hamburg DE @ Volksparkstadion
June 16 – Gothenburg SE @ Ullevi Stadium
June 18 – Gothenburg SE @ Ullevi Stadium
Aug. 4 – East Rutherford, N.J. @ MetLife Stadium
Aug. 6 – East Rutherford, N.J. @ MetLife Stadium
Aug. 11 – Montreal, Quebec @ Stade Olympique
Aug. 13 – Montreal, Quebec @ Stade Olympique
Aug. 18 – Arlington, Texas @ AT&T Stadium
Aug. 20 – Arlington, Texas @ AT&T Stadium
Aug. 25 – Inglewood, Calif. @ SoFi Stadium
Aug. 27 – Inglewood, Calif. @ SoFi Stadium
Sept. 1 – Glendale, Ariz. @ State Farm Stadium
Sept. 3 – Glendale, Ariz. @ State Farm Stadium
Nov. 3 – St. Louis, Mo. @ The Dome
Nov. 5 – St. Louis, Mo. @ The Dome
Nov. 10 – Detroit, Mich. @ Ford Field
Nov. 12 – Detroit, Mich. @ Ford Field
May 24, 2024 – Munich DE @ Olympiastadion
May 26, 2024 – Munich DE @ Olympiastadion
June 7, 2024 – Helsinki FI @ Olympic Stadium
June 9, 2024 – Helsinki FI @ Olympic Stadium
June 14, 2024 – Copenhagen DK @ Parken Stadium
June 16, 2024 – Copenhagen DK @ Parken Stadium
July 5, 2024 – Warsaw PL @ PGE Narodowy
July 7, 2024 – Warsaw PL @ PGE Narodowy
July 12, 2024 – Madrid ES @ Estadio Cívitas
July 14, 2024 – Madrid ES @ Estadio Cívitas
Aug. 2, 2024 – Foxborough, Mass. @ Gillette Stadium
Aug. 4, 2024 – Foxborough, Mass. @ Gillette Stadium
Aug. 9, 2024 – Chicago, Ill. @ Soldier Field
Aug. 11, 2024 – Chicago, Ill. @ Soldier Field
Aug. 16, 2024 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ US Bank Stadium
Aug. 18, 2024 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ US Bank Stadium
Aug. 23, 2024 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Commonwealth
Aug. 25, 2024 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Commonwealth
Aug. 30, 2024 – Seattle, Wash. @ Lumen Field
Sept. 1, 2024 – Seattle, Wash. @ Lumen Field
Sept. 20, 2024 – Mexico City, Mexico @ Foro Sol
Sept. 22, 2024 – Mexico City, Mexico @ Foro Sol
Sept. 27, 2024 – Mexico City, Mexico @ Foro Sol
Sept. 29, 2024 – Mexico City, Mexico @ Foro Sol