Don't be surprised if the new songs on "Death Magnetic," the newly released album from Metallica [ tickets ], sound different from the material the band has churned out over the last decade and-a-half. The thrash-metal icons enlisted the skills of super-producer Rick Rubin of Slayer/Red Hot Chili Peppers fame to produce their new set, marking this the first time the band has used someone other than Bob Rock in the studio since the early '90s.

Obviously stoked by the new material, the band is embarking on a mega tour to show off the tunes for audiences across the US and Western Canada from October through February.

LiveDaily's Tim Mosenfelder attended this May's KROQ Weenie Roast Y Fiesta in Irvine, CA, and took photos of Metallica in action.