Kirk Hammett (Metallica) reads Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Raven’ in new Halloween video
Author Staff - 28.10.2026
Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has taken a different kind of spotlight ahead of Halloween: the musician narrates part of Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic poem The Raven in a video released on October 27, 2026.
The reading brings together two long-standing Hammett interests: heavy music and the darker corners of literature, cinema and visual culture. Rather than a guitar performance, the clip places his spoken delivery at its centre. Metallica‘s 2023 song “Inamorata,” from “72 Seasons”, supplies the musical backdrop.
A horror enthusiast returns to a classic
Written in 1845, The Raven follows a grieving narrator whose encounter with a mysterious bird takes an increasingly unsettling turn. Hammett performs an excerpt of the poem, not the complete work, in the Halloween-themed video.
The guitarist’s enthusiasm for horror has been well documented over the years. In addition to collecting film props, posters and other memorabilia, he has regularly incorporated classic horror imagery into guitar designs and public appearances. The new reading is another expression of that personal fascination.
Metallica shared the video through its official channels on October 27. It follows a series of official concert clips and other band updates, but stands apart from the group’s usual live footage.
