Watch Metallica Play 'Enter Sandman' Backward With Surprising Accuracy

When you've been playing a song for 20+ years, it's only natural to want to spice things up. For Metallica, that meant playing "Enter Sandman" backward. YouTuber ATARAXIA recently unearthed a clip, which was reportedly filmed in 2013, of the band trying to perform their 1991 hit from end to beginning during rehearsal. Frontman James Hetfield even attempts to sing a line backward in the mic.

"Could've been different!" he says with a laugh.

The second half of the clip is their work rewound to see if it matches the original — and it's surprisingly accurate! Watch Metallica play "Enter Sandman" backward above.

The band has been working on new music since their 2020 tour dates were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview with Rolling Stone last November, drummer Lars Ulrich opened up about the writing process. “We’re three, four weeks into some pretty serious writing. And of all the s**t — pandemics, fires, politics, race problems, and just f**king looking at the state of the world — it’s so easy just to so fall into a depressive state. But writing always makes me feel enthusiastic about what’s next," he said at the time. "It’s like, ‘F**k, there’s an opportunity here to still make the best record, to still make a difference. To still do something that not even turns other people on, but turns me on.’”

Elton John also recently revealed he recorded with Metallica during quarantine, but didn't give any details about the project.

Photo: Getty Images