Metallica cancelled an interview with a Swedish publication after one of their journalist's admitted to illegally downloading the band's new album.
In a review of 'Death Magnetic', which is currently number one in the UK, Jonn Jeppsson confessed to downloading a different version of the record – and said he preferred it to the official one.
It's understood that the songs had been edited by a Metallica fan, who then uploaded them onto the internet.
In a statement Per Sundin, president of Universal Music Sweden, called Jepssonn's review for Sydsvenskan “totally unacceptable”.
"The reviewer is referring to a BitTorrent where someone has altered the original songs. The reviewer explains exactly where one should go in order to download the file that totally infringes on a copyright,” he told Blabbermouth.
"It's not only an illegal file, but an altered file. The reviewer also writes that this is how the album should have sounded.
"File-sharing of music is illegal. Period. There's nothing to discuss. That fact - that Sydsvenskan has a writer that has downloaded this music illegally and then makes mention of an illegal site in his review.”
As previously reported on Gigwise, Metallica will perform their new album at the O2 Arena in London tonight.


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Can Metallica suck ever more? I’m sure given a few years, they’’ll be featured with Brtiney Spears and introduced by Bob Saget. Here’’s to you guys sucking/selling out. ^
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- **** Metallica. they havent put a good record out in 22 years. why do people still give a shit about these old guys?
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- This new album kicks so much a*$ it’s ridiculous. It’’s just like their old stuff for the most part. It’’s the best project they’’ve done in 20 years, and I’’d buy it again and again (and I DID buy it. so should’’ve this Swedish guy)
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- Some of the BEST, and most original bands out today actually PROMOTE sharing/downloading of music because it’s the fastest and best way to reach their listeners. The fact is, that most music today sucks...horribly. We should have every right to preview an album and then make an informed decision whether or not to pay our hard earned money on the CD.

- The fact that some 14 y/o swedish kid downloaded a Metalica album and actually made it sound good makes me laugh like a little boy who wiped a booger on someone’s shoulder.

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