Kirk Hammett believes Metallica can keep performing into their 70s.

The guitarist says that if the Rolling Stones can do it, there’s no reason the thrash icons can’t follow suit.

Hammett, 52, tells 103.3 The Edge: “We’re all getting up there, but we still have drive, we still have energy, we’re still inspired, we still have things that we wanna do. Mentally, emotionally – I think that we’re not done yet.

“And if people like Keith Richards and Mick Jagger can do it into their 70s, why can’t we? That’s my attitude. And on a personal level, I’m a musician. I wanna continue to play and perform and do what I do, which is make music. I don’t wanna stop doing this. I don’t wanna stop making music. I will always be a working musician, until I can’t be anymore.”

Metallica are working on their 10th album and Hammett says the follow-up to 2008’s Death Magnetic might not arrive until 2017.

He adds: “We’re hoping that the album will be released next year. I don’t wanna say that we’re a third into it, or two-thirds into it, or an eighth into it, because anything could happen that’ll just change that number.

“But, eventually, you will see a new Metallica album, and it will most likely be in 2016, and at the very worst, at the beginning of 2017. It’s pretty much more along the same lines as Death Magnetic — kind of like that direction.”

Earlier this month, the band posted an image of frontman James Hetfield recording rhythm guitar parts for the record.