Metallica cancel upcoming tour as James Hetfield enters rehab

Metallica have cancelled their forthcoming tour of Australia, which was set to kick off next month. The band have issued a statement, revealing that frontman James Hetfield has entered an addiction treatment program and will need to focus on his recovery rather than complete the tour. Read the full statement below:

“We are truly sorry to inform our fans and friends that we must postpone our upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand. As most of you probably know, our brother James has been struggling with addiction on and off for many years. He has now, unfortunately, had to re-enter a treatment program to work on his recovery again. We fully intend to make our way to your part of the world as soon as health and schedule permit. We’ll let you know as soon as we can. Once again, we are devastated that we have inconvenienced so many of you, especially our most loyal fans who often travel great distances to experience our shows. We appreciate your understanding and support for James and, as always, thank you for being a part of our Metallica family.”