A recently resurfaced TV commercial featuring James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich of Metallica marks a nostalgic moment as the legendary band commemorates the 34th anniversary of its iconic self-titled album, often referred to as the black album. However, the resurgence of this commercial isn’t directly linked to the anniversary celebration; rather, it highlights an intriguing collaboration with AOL.

What Are the Current Discussions Surrounding AOL and Metallica?

This week, AOL made headlines with its announcement about the discontinuation of its dial-up internet service, which has sparked renewed interest in the nostalgic collaboration with Metallica. Surprisingly, dial-up internet service continues to operate even in 2025, a fact that astonishes many.

According to a report by the Associated Press, AOL is set to terminate its dial-up service on September 30. It’s important to note that this change will not impact any other AOL services, preserving the functionality of its remaining offerings.

The marketing team behind Metallica’s 2003 album, St. Anger, certainly embraced innovative strategies to generate buzz as its release date approached, leading to the creative collaboration with AOL.

This commercial serves as an excellent time capsule, encapsulating the spirit of that era, providing a glimpse into the marketing tactics of the early 2000s.

As Metal Injection noted, “Overall it’s a pretty funny watch nearly two decades later, if only for the extremely early 2000s haircut both Ulrich and Hetfield are sporting,” highlighting the humorous aspects of this nostalgic piece.

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Experience the Unique AOL Promotion Featuring Metallica

The Metallica commercial unfolds as an AOL Instant Messenger conversation between Hetfield and Ulrich, showcasing their playful banter. Hetfield types “I’m madly in love with you” using the username James56821, while Ulrich responds with “I’m madly in lust with you,” using the handle LU9442.

This entire exchange cleverly riffs on the lyrics from the title track of St. Anger, blending humor with musical references that fans appreciate. As the conversation progresses, Hetfield suggests a call using AOL’s voice service, humorously stating, “anger works better rhythmically,” before picking up his guitar to strum the song.

Currently, Metallica is on a break from touring, with their next performance scheduled at the Stephen Talkhouse, an intimate venue with a capacity of just 250, located in Amagansett, New York, on August 25.

Fans eager to attend can only secure tickets through an online contest, a promotional strategy that coincides with the launch of the band’s Maximum Metallica channel on SiriusXM, debuting on August 29.