Metallica has named former Suicidal Tendencies/Ozzy Osbourne band member Rob Trujillo as its new bassist. Trujillo replaces Jason Newsted, who departed in early 2001, and will appear on the quartet's upcoming studio album, "St. Anger," due June 10 from Elektra. Longtime producer Bob Rock has played bass at sporadic concert experiences and in the studio with Metallica since Newsted's departure, and the group had been vague as to whether or not it was seeking a full-time fourth member.

Earlier this month, Metallica announced its North American Summer Sanitarium tour with Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park, but evaded questions on the open bass position. The band's connection to Trujillo stretches back to 1993, when Suicidal Tendencies toured with Metallica, and a post on the band's Web site implies that Trujillo was present for much of the new album's recording sessions.

"When Rob came to San Francisco the first time and jammed with us, we all felt this incredible magic between the four of us," the band writes. "It was just something we could not describe, we all just knew it."

Additionally, drummer Lars Ulrich writes, "The last two years of just being the three of us have taught me soo [sic] much about myself, about James and Kirk and about Metallica. To welcome Rob into Metallica in 2003 after all the growth and soul searching we've been through for the last two years, feels ... awesome. Being at full strength again is at this moment indescribable."

Meanwhile, the band has confirmed 16 dates for the Summer Sanitarium tour, including a July 26 performance at the Hawthorne Racetrack in Chicago and an Aug. 9 date at the Coliseum in Los Angeles. Among the cities still awaiting dates and venues are New York, San Francisco, and Toronto. Updates will be posted on Metallica's Web site.

Metallica will embark on a brief tour of the European festival circuit before its North American outing, and continue to sprinkle in overseas dates throughout the summer. The group is pegged to play dates June 6 at the Rock Im Park festival in Nuremberg, Germany, and will travel between continents until a pair of gigs Aug. 22 and 24 at the U.K.'s Reading and Leeds festivals.

As for Newsted, the bassist has become a official member of veteran metal act Voivod. He also produced the band's upcoming self-titled album, which is due March 4 via Newsted's Surfdog imprint Chophouse Records.

-- Todd Martens, L.A.

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES have lined up several European festival appearances in June. The dates are as follows:

June 22 - With Full Force Festival, Leipzig, GER

June 23 - Graspop Metal Meeting, Dessel, BEL

June 25 – Kulturfabrik, Esh-Alzette, LUX

June 27 - La Cooperative De Mai, Clermont-Ferrand, FRA

June 28 - La Laiterie, Strasbourg, FRA

June 30 - Waldrock Festival, Burgum, NETH