The dramatic version of the 1823 poem first debuted on the group's SiriusXM channel, “Maximum Metallica”.
If you've ever dreamed that James Hetfield read you a bedtime story, consider this an early Christmas present. The leader of Metallica released a spoken version of Clement Clarke Moore's 1823 classic, “'Twas the Night Before Christmas” (originally known as “A Visit from St. Nicholas”), proving that all nostalgic poems sometimes deserve a new interpretation.
Hetfield shared his passionate rendition on the group's SiriusXM channel, Maximum Metallicalast week, before uploading it to the group's YouTube channel. “Grab your hot chocolate and settle in by the fire before your long winter nap for a reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Papa Het'notes the caption.
In the clip, Hetfield goes all out, telling the story of Santa's visit with serious dramatic flair. It's possible that no one ever said “His eyes, how they sparkled” with such a threatening intonation. The reading is accompanied by an animated fireplace where four socks hang — one for each member of Metallica — and what appears to be a reindeer skull.
The M72 tour continues in 2026
Metallica will resume their M72 world tour in May in Europe and the United Kingdom. The journey took the band around the world in support of their 12th album 72 Seasonsreleased in 2023. The tour saw the musicians debut “Inamorata”, a piece of 72 Seasons and the longest original track in their catalog. WECB had highlighted the song in our review of the album, calling it “master class of melancholy” and of “sprawling 11-minute jam that unfolds slowly with sludgy, snarling riffs”.
Earlier this year, Metallica performed its smallest concert in a decade, playing to a crowd of 500 people in a tent outside the Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, New York. The 95-minute set of greatest hits was meant to celebrate the group's new SiriusXM channel, which launched August 29. The channel sports the slogan “The Most Metallica Anywhere” and features the band's hits, rare tracks, concerts, unreleased recordings and exclusive interviews. And, apparently, Christmas stories.
