Metallica's ninth studio album, Death Magnetic, will be available in its entirety as a Guitar Hero III download this Friday, September 12 - the same day the album is released in more conventional formats. In addition to including every track on the album, the Guitar Hero III version will include two exclusive renditions of the single "Suicide & Redemption," with extended solos by vocalist and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield and lead guitarist Kirk Hammett. Critics are praising the new album as Metallica's best work in years. "Death Magnetic is the musical equivalent of Russia's invasion of Georgia," according to Rolling Stone magazine's Brian Hiatt, "a sudden act of aggression from a sleeping giant."

"We've been working very closely with Metallica," said Tim Riley, vice president of music affairs for Activision Blizzard, "and we're extremely excited to offer Death Magnetic not only in its entirety, but also with the exclusive recordings of 'Suicide & Redemption' as downloadable content to Guitar Hero fans."

The new Metallica content will also be compatible with Guitar Hero World Tour when that title ships in October. The Guitar Hero tunes won't be cheap, however: Xbox 360 users will be able to download the content from the Xbox Live Marketplace at a cost of 1,440 Microsoft Points. PlayStation 3 owners can acquire it from the PlayStation Store at a cost of $17.99. Meanwhile, the actual CD for Death Magnetic is priced at $8.99 on Amazon.com and approximately $14 at other major retailers.