Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has urged the military minds who use his group's music as a torture device to check out Norwegian death metal.

He insists the dark music of Scandinavian rockers is far more likely to extract information from terrorists and the like, who pose a threat to America.

He says, "It all seems so bizarre and so strange that Metallica's music, which generally sort of facilitates bringing people together, is used in these bizarre circumstances. It's certainly not something that we in any way advocate or condone.

"If there are people that are dumb enough to use Metallica to interrogate prisoners, you're forgetting about all the music that's to the left of us. I can name, you know, 30 Norwegian death metal bands that would make Metallica sound like Simon and Garfunkel."

But Ulrich is thrilled the band's music helps boost morale among America's troops as they go into battle: "There is a lot of Metallica music that's helping a lot of scared 18, 19 and 20-year-old kids out there who are out on the front lines and who are doing a hell of a job on behalf of you and me and the rest of us."

(by Daniel Melia)