Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich says he still can't understand why no other metal band has overtaken the group's popularity.

The group, who have been together for over twenty years, have sold over 100 million albums worldwide since they formed.

Speaking to the Guardian, Ulrich said: "I was thinking the other day about how everyone expects us to continue to release albums that define the genre, to 'save' metal. And that's a lot of fucking pressure, really.

“Why hasn't anyone dethroned us yet? We support all the great new metal bands, take them under our wing, but people still want us to carry the whole genre on our backs."

Talking during the band's appearance at last month's Reading and Leeds festivals, Ulrich also admitted that he found it hard to live up to the band's hedonistic past.

"I'm 44 years old, I've got three kids, I flew in a helicopter on Friday,” he said.

“It's a little difficult to revisit the vibe of 20 years ago when you're living in a two-bedroom suite at Claridge's. I live a very different life to how I lived then."

(by Jason Gregory)