Metallica's drummer is headed for his homeland next year. Does this mean he's leaving the band? 

Lars Ulrich is headed to Denmark next year with the rest of Metallica to play a gig there for the first time in three years.

Lars says he's looking forward to returning to the country where he was born and he's "as excited as a little kid." For him, he says it's a chance to "go back to the fatherland". In an interview with The Cophenagen Post he says he's looking forward to seeing their "Danish friends" again, as well as "inaugurating a new concert venue and doing a stint in jail."

The jail remark is referring to where Metallica will play. It's called The Prison and it really is an old prison that has been converted into a concert space. The group will play The Black Album in its entirety at The Prison June 6, 2012.

Stateside, the group is celebrating their 30th anniversary with a week long party at The Fillmore in San Francisco. The shenanigans kicked off  on Monday with guests from Metal Church (whose guitarist John Marshall took over for singer/guitarist James Hetfield after an on stage accident left him severely burned), Kid Rock and The Scorpions. Late bassist Cliff Burton's father even turned up to remember Cliff and tell stories from Cliff's time in the band. Metallica will play the second of four shows tonight.

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