Nancy Kaszerman/ZumaPress.com

For those about to rock, Metallica salutes you. And solicits you.

The veteran rockers are getting ready to enter the digital world on their own terms (cough, Napster, cough), launching Mission: Metallica, a new website to allow fans "fly on the wall" access to the recording of their long-awaited new album (due in September), offering exclusive content, song teasers and video of sessions.

The site, which touts a platinum level but for the time being carries no price tag, launched today with a three-minute clip of the band recording and goofing around in the studio.

Among other temptations offered on the site are contests to win a pair of backstage passes to every show of the upcoming tour, kicking off Wednesday in Los Angeles.

In a pitch to fans to sign up for the pay service, the band says, "See what it's all about...get that platinum thing we told you about and in general, bring it the f--k on!"

Sounds like some kind of monster all right...of a site.