Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett is "getting ideas together" for his debut solo album.

The 62-year-old musician says his new record will be a "fusion of all sorts of styles" after he penned some "heavy" and funk riffs, as well as classical progressions.

He told Rolling Stone magazine: "I guess the best way to describe it is it's gonna be a fusion of all sorts of styles.

"All of a sudden I'm writing classical progressions, and all of a sudden I'm writing more heavy stuff and all of a sudden I'm writing like a funk thing."

Kirk also admitted he needs a singer to add vocals to his tunes, but he's not yet hired anyone.

He added: "There will be vocals because the songs that I wrote scream for vocals this time around.

"So I'm like, OK, who's gonna be doing the vocals? I don't know.

"I hope I'm not - I already have too much to do on stage ... I have an instrumental piece that to me sounds like it's 2000 years old called 'The Mysterion'.

"It's based on all this stuff that I've been reading, the ancient Greek texts, and it's amazing to me because I wouldn't have had this instrumental if I didn't start reading these ancient texts."

Last year, Kirk told how he used to get so "frustrated" with writer's block he would want to "smash his guitar" to pieces.

Asked how he deals with writer's block, he told Total Guitar magazine: "Don't think about the past or what has been done.

"Don't think about the future and what you need to do. Just see what you can grab in the moment.

"That's how I write music, and it has turned me into a more prolific composer because I don't get stuck like I used to.

"I used to get writing blocks for months and months and months, and not write a riff for months, and get frustrated about it, and think about smashing my guitar. That doesn't happen anymore."