METALLICA played an abbreviated set on Friday in Glendale, apparently due to Hetfield‘s “vocal issues”.

According to Ed Masley of the Arizona Republic, METALLICA‘s 14-song set at State Farm Stadium was two tracks shorter than every other opening night since the “M72” tour hit the States, with all previous shows featuring a set-closing “Master Of Puppets” after “Seek & Destroy”. METALLICA also appeared to roll tape on the intro to “The Day That Never Comes” before switching to “Hardwired” as the twelfth song of the set.

Masley wrote in his review of the concert: “Hetfield did appear to relinquish his lead-singing duties to the audience more often as the night wore on, but I thought it was just to make the crowd feel more like part of the performance.”

According to Setlist.fm, METALLICA cut “The Day That Never Comes” and “Master Of Puppets” from the set due to James‘s vocal problems.

YouTube user Stadia Vlogs shared video of the “Seek & Destroy” performance from last night’s concert and he included the following message: “METALLICA played ‘Seek & Destroy’ as their last song for their Friday show in Glendale Arizona at State Farm Stadium. They were supposed to play ‘Master Of Puppets’ last, but James started losing his voice. Hopefully it returns by Sunday.”

The “M72” tour features a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage.

METALLICA is visiting a total of 22 different cities around the world and playing two nights in each city.

METALLICA‘s new album “72 Seasons” sold 146,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marks the band’s 12th Top 10-charting album, of which eight have reached the top two.

“72 Seasons” had the biggest week for any rock or hard rock album since TOOL‘s “Fear Inoculum” arrived in September 2019 with 270,000 equivalent album units.

“72 Seasons” was released on April 14 via METALLICA‘s own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, it is METALLICA‘s first full-length collection of new material since “Hardwired…To Self-Destruct”.

In the seven years since the arrival of “Hardwired… To Self-Destruct”, METALLICA has reissued some of its classic albums, released a second live album with the San Francisco Symphony, commissioned a covers album featuring the likes of GHOST, VOLBEAT, WEEZER, Corey Taylor and THE HU, and landed on the Billboard songs chart with “Master Of Puppets” after a prominent placement in the hit Netflix show “Stranger Things”.

METALLICA‘s “M72” world tour launched in late April in Amsterdam. The trek sees the band playing two nights in every city it visits — with each “No Repeat Weekend” featuring two completely different setlists and support lineups. The “M72” tour features a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage, as well as the “I Disappear” full-tour pass and the debut of discounted tickets for fans under 16 years of age.

Opening acts include Floor Jansen, EPICA, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ICE NINE KILLS, MAMMOTH WVH, PANTERA, ARCHITECTS, GRETA VAN FLEET and VOLBEAT.

METALLICA promises fans who purchase a two-day ticket that they won’t see the same song twice for a total of over 30 songs spanning the band’s 40-plus-year career.