Cover Story

Metallica: Metal Machines

The heavy-metal kings open up about battling their demons, fighting it out in group therapy and teaming up with Rick Rubin to craft their heaviest disc yet. By David Fricke

• VIDEO: Behind the Cover Shoot
• Q&A: James Hetfield: "There's More Dedication From the Four of Us Than Ever Before"
• Q&A: Lars Ulrich: "If We Don't Get Along, Everything Else Is Irrelevant"
• Q&A: Kirk Hammett: "I Was Ready To Start Working On a Solo Album"
• Q&A: Robert Trujillo: "It's Like You're Caught Inside a Massive Set of Waves"
• ALBUM GUIDE: The Essential Metallica Album-By-Album Guide

Features

Fall Music Preview

From the Killers' electro-rock party-starter to AC/DC's hook-heavy anthems to Britney Spears' experiments with her hip-hop grooves, first looks at the biggest records of the season.

PLUS: What's up with the highly anticipated discs from Guns n' Roses, Eminem and Jay-Z?

The D&D Bonnie & Clyde

How a pair of goth outcasts from a crumbling steel town in Ohio pulled off one of the biggest heists in American history. By David Amsden

Rock & Roll

Inside Jack White and Alicia Keys' Bond Sessions

The White Stripes frontman and the R&B queen team up for one of the most unexpected James Bond theme songs ever.

INDUSTRY: Tour Biz Strong in Weak Economy

ON THE ROAD: Bruce Springsteen and the Foo Fighters rip it up at Harley-Davidson birthday bash

REPORT: Rock Daily's Coverage of Harley-Davidson Festival

PROFILE: James Taylor's Country Soul

ALBUM GUIDE: The Essential James Taylor Album-by-Album Guide

ROCK DOCS: New Film Unites Guitar Gods

PROFILE: Lindsey Buckingham's Return to Rock

ON THE ROAD: Sad 'Journey' for New Singer

Q&A : Journey's Arnel Pineda

IN THE STUDIO: Kings of Leon Craft Epic Fourth Album

Q&A: Rilo Kiley singer Jenny Lewis on dropping acid, collaborating with Elvis Costello on her new solo disc and why she likes to write songs in public bathrooms

Q&A: Jenny Lewis Tells the Smoking Section About Her Lone LSD Trip

BREAKING

Punk Rock, Via E Street

Jersey's Gaslight Anthem craft Springsteen-Style rock & roll rave-ups

WHAT'S UP WITH... Solange

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Mad Dog Palin

John McCain's running mate may be a tawdry, half-assed fraud — but that's not as scary as what her candidacy really says about America.
By Matt Taibbi

REPORT: The Truth About Sarah Palin

Reviews

TV on the Radio

Brooklyn's brainiest band explodes rock music with a new dance-funk classic.

PLUS: Jackson Browne, Jenny Lewis, Kings of Leon, James Taylor, Jack's Mannequin, Blitzen Trapper, Ben Folds, Cold War Kids, Pussycat Dolls, Brightblack Morning Light, Robin Thicke, Matthew Sweet, Kasai Allstars and Jamey Johnson

REISSUES: Creedence Clearwater Revival's Bayou Country, Green River, Willy and the Poor Boys and Cosmo's Factory; Roy Orbison; Fela Ransome-Kuti; The Jesus and Mary Chain and Lou Reed

ALL REVIEWS

KEY TRACKS: Hear the best of this issue's review section

Movies

Anne Hathaway Bares All

Oscar watch: The actress scores as a rehabbed rebel in Rachel Getting Married By Peter Travers

PLUS: Righteous Kill, Ghost Town, Lakeview Terrace and Hounddog

Also In This Issue...

Fricke's Picks

THE SINGING DETECTIVES: British pop quintet the Pigeon Detectives

HATS OFF TO HARPER: British singer-songwriter Roy Harper