Metallica calls off tour as James Hetfield returns to rehab

Legendary heavy metal band Metallica has decided to postpone its upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand as frontman James Hetfield returns to rehab.

The band shared the news on its official website.

"As most of you probably know, our brother James has been struggling with addiction on and off for many years. He has now, unfortunately, had to re-enter a treatment program to work on his recovery again," band members Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo said in a statement.

"We fully intend to make our way to your part of the world as soon as health and schedule permit. We'll let you know as soon as we can. Once again, we are devastated that we have inconvenienced so many of you, especially our most loyal fans who often travel great distances to experience our shows. We appreciate your understanding and support for James and, as always, thank you for being a part of our Metallica family," the statement further read.

The group has decided to refund all tickets purchased for the WorldWired leg, which was set to begin on October 17 in Perth, Australia and end on November 2 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Hetfield's addiction issues were first detailed in 2004 in documentary "Some Kind of Monster". After that the singer-guitarist entered a rehab facility.

In a 2017 interview with free audio and video podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, Hetfield revealed that he had remained sober for 15 years.