Which Metallica song was released as the lead single from Death Magnetic?

The Metallica song released as the lead single from Death Magnetic was “The Day That Never Comes.”

Released on August 21, 2008, “The Day That Never Comes” introduced Metallica’s ninth studio album, Death Magnetic. It was the band’s first single to feature bassist Robert Trujillo, who had joined Metallica in 2003. The song begins with clean guitar textures and restrained verses before building into heavier choruses, accelerating transitions, harmonized guitars, and an extended Kirk Hammett solo.

The lyrics deal with resentment, forgiveness, and a damaged father-son relationship. The music video uses a separate military-conflict storyline: American Marines encounter civilians in a tense situation, but the confrontation ultimately turns toward compassion rather than violence. That difference between the song’s personal emotional theme and the video’s wartime setting is a frequent point of discussion.

The single became a strong rock-radio success. It reached number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart. Death Magnetic followed on September 12, 2008, and became a major commercial comeback after the criticism surrounding 2003’s St. Anger. “Cyanide” was performed publicly before the album’s release, but it was not the lead single.