Robert Trujillo: new bassist for Metallica

NEW YORK (Metallica Official Website) - Metallica has named Robert Trujillo its new bassist. The band announced it on their website, and Trujillo is the first permanent bassist since the departure of Jason Newsted a few years ago.

Metallica wanted to have things in place before its new album, St. Anger, was finished. After a few jam sessions with Trujillo the band finally decided to let the former Suicidal Tendencies and Ozzy Osbourne bassist join the lineup.

"I must say Ozzy, Sharon, Zakk Wylde, Mike Bordin, all the team and family members mean the world to me," said Trujillo in a statement. "Love and respect, my family 100 percent. I am very stoked, excited, and look forward to my new journey with my Metallica brothers."

The band said in a statement: "When Rob came to San Francisco the first time and jammed with us, we all felt this incredible magic between the four of us. It was just something that we could not describe, we all just knew it." Producer Bob Rock said that "it sounded like a f--king 747 taking off!!"

The band had been trying out several bassists for close to six months, including Twiggy Ramirez, who joined A Perfect Circle.