Spit Out the Bone

"Spit Out the Bone"
Single by Metallica
from the album Hardwired... to Self-Destruct
ReleasedNovember 14, 2017
RecordedJune 2015 – February 2016
StudioMetallica's HQ (San Rafael, California)
GenreThrash metal
Length
  • 7:09 (album version)
  • 4:37 (radio edit)
LabelBlackened
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)James Hetfield
Producer(s)Greg Fidelman
Metallica singles chronology
"Now That We're Dead"
(2017)
"Spit Out the Bone"
(2017)
"Lux Æterna"
(2022)

"Spit Out the Bone" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica from their tenth studio album, Hardwired... to Self-Destruct (2016). It was released as the album's fifth and final single on November 14, 2017. Composed by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich with lyrics primarily written by the former, it is a thrash metal song centered around the idea of a machine-led takeover and genocide of humanity. The song was produced by Greg Fidelman alongside Hetfield and Ulrich.

The song was positively received from critics and fans, with many deeming it as one of the best tracks from Hardwired... to Self-Destruct as well as one of the best in the band's discography; some considered it to be the best Metallica song released in the 21st century. It charted on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, and the UK Rock & Metal chart. A music video directed by Phil Mucci was also released.