Metallica share new version of 'Nothing Else Matters' from 'Jungle Cruise'

A brand new version of Metallica‘s ‘Nothing Else Matters’ is featured twice in new Disney film Jungle Cruise.

An official statement from the band discussing the “reimagined” 1992 classic reads: “It was an honour to work with renowned, legendary composer James Newton Howard as we reimagined the song by performing his arrangement and creating a rendition we like to think is fit for an excursion through the Amazon.

“The film stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt who take the fan favourite ride and transform it to a theatrical adventure. Not only are we big fans of Disney, but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with Howard, an eight-time Oscar nominee who has been recognised for films such as The Fugitive, Michael Clayton, and The Village.

“Our collaboration with Howard will be featured on the film’s soundtrack, available to stream or download on your favourite music platforms.”

Listen to the new orchestral version below:

Lars Ulrich first confirmed the band were working with James Newton Howard on an orchestral version of ‘Nothing Else Matters’ for the film back in September.

“It really goes back to [Disney production president] Sean Bailey, who is a lifelong rock fan, and is just all-around one of the greatest, most friendly, generous, warm, and embracing people you’ll find in the music business,” Ulrich told Collider.

“I think he’s always been a Metallica fan, and we’ve gotten to know each other well. My wife and I are big Disney fans, so there’s a great friendship there, and he’s always looked for the right match where there was a way that Metallica could contribute to some project of theirs.

Ulrich described the reimagined version of the song an “unusual morph” and added that the new arrangement was Howard’s. “We wrote the song, but he took the song and rearranged it to fit something specific in the film — and obviously, I’m not going to give any of that away — but we then kind of took on his version of it,” he explained.

Earlier today (July 30), meanwhile, Kirk Hammett discussed the upcoming Metallica album, saying he hopes it will “cut through the division” in the world.

The band have been working on their new album during the coronavirus pandemic, with James Hetfield confirming that the band wrote 10 songs together over Zoom in quarantine.