Metallica's James Hetfield Unveils Spoken Word Rendition of Holiday Classic: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'

This is not your usual piece of Metallica news: far from heavy metal, the band's legendary frontman James Hetfield has released a theatrical spoken-word rendition of the holiday staple 'A Visit From St. Nicholas', widely known as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'. The performance debuted on the band’s dedicated Maximum Metallica SiriusXM channel. This holiday contribution comes as Hetfield continues to guide Metallica away from the "legacy band" label, emphasizing a desire to innovate rather than strictly relying on past hits, Consequence.net reports.

The rendition has been praised for Hetfield’s signature vocal delivery, which brings what Consequence's Chris Coplan describes as a gruffy edge and a sense of darkness to the 19th-century poem. While some critics have historically debated Hetfield’s melodic singing, his bass-heavy, raspy speaking voice tackles this classic at a different, creative angle. The band accompanied the release with a call for fans to "grab your cocoa and settle in by the fire", marking a rare, lighthearted moment for a group typically associated with high-octane thrash metal.

A Legacy of Innovation and Influence

James Hetfield, who co-founded Metallica in October 1981 alongside drummer Lars Ulrich, has spent over four decades serving as the band's primary songwriter, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist. Born in Downey, California, in 1963, Hetfield's upbringing and personal struggles have famously fueled the lyrical depth of Metallica’s catalog. His intricate rhythm playing and powerful vocal presence helped propel the band to global stardom with seminal albums such as Master of Puppets (1986) and the self-titled “Black Album” (1991).

Throughout his career, Hetfield has been recognized for his ability to blend aggression with clarity. His vocal evolution—from the raw, high-pitched energy of Kill 'Em All to the refined, baritone grit of recent releases like 72 Seasons (2023)—is considered a hallmark of the genre. Despite facing significant hurdles, including a severe pyrotechnics injury in 1992 and well-documented battles with addiction, Hetfield remains one of the most respected figures in rock history.

The release of this holiday recording serves as a festive bridge between Metallica's highly successful 2025 North American tour dates and their upcoming 2026 European leg of the M72 World Tour. The trek, which has already seen the band perform for over three million fans, continues their "No Repeat Weekend" tradition, where the group plays two nights in every city with entirely different setlists.

If you're a fan of Rock music, enjoy our very own curated "Rock Classics / Best Rock Music with Lyrics 2025" playlist, courtesy of one of our biggest lyrics channels on YouTube, 7clouds Rock, which is ending 2025 with just over 2.5 million subscribers.

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