Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has described the band's collaboration with the video game Guitar Hero as the “perfect marriage”.

Ulrich said it had taken the rock group “12 seconds” to agree to make the game, which is due to be released next April.

As with other editions of Guitar Hero, gamers will be able to play in venues around the world as the band's members using either the single instrument or full band mode.

Ulrich told the BBC: "Guitar Hero - that's about guitar and about riffs and banging your head. There's a few people that say the same thing about Metallica - I think Metallica and Guitar Hero is the perfect marriage.

"28 years into a career, to still be able to do things that are somewhat new and unknown to you and still cutting edge - it's a great opportunity."

Ulrich said he was first introduced to the video game last year by his children – and how it “was actually a great way for them to be exposed to music."

Asked about the band's involvement in the game's production, Ulrich said they had been “very hands on” with “song selection, in terms of graphics, in terms of storylines”.

He added: "I sat down and approached it like a show - a set list. There's a few songs that you would probably be tarred and feathered if you didn't play and weren't in the game - the so called hits.

"Then obviously some deeper album tracks and some cover songs - catering to the Guitar Hero shredder phenomenon. [There's] every different facet of Metallica's career."

Earlier this year, Metallica became the first band to simultaneously release an album via the video game and traditional formats.

Guitar Hero, which allows gamers to play instruments interactively, has become a massive hit since it was first released in autumn 2005.

The three standard editions of the game have so far sold 14million copies - earning publishers RedOctane $1billion.

(by Jason Gregory)