Metallica’s upcoming ninth studio album Death Magnetic hits Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock in its entirety this Friday, the same day the album goes on sale.

Better still the Guitar Hero downloadable album will include two exclusive renditions of Suicide & Redemption with extended solos by James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett. And to wrap up the good news, Activision says the album will be fully forward compatible with Guitar Hero World Tour, which is quite a trick considering the additional instruments in the new game.

“We’ve been working very closely with Metallica and we’re extremely excited to offer Death Magnetic not only in its entirety, but also with the exclusive recordings of ‘Suicide & Redemption’ as downloadable content to Guitar Hero fans,” said Tim Riley, Vice President of Music Affairs for Activision Blizzard. “We’re proud to be setting a new precedent for our two industries, making an entire new album available in two different mediums simultaneously.”

Death Magnetic will hit the 360 for 1,440 Microsoft Points and the Playstation Network for $US 17.99 on Sept. 12.