Sources close to the former couple tell the tabloid site James filed for divorce from Francesca Hetfield in their home state of Colorado earlier this year.

 

Hetfield met Francesca in 1992 and they have been married since 1997. The two are said to still be in touch as they co-parent their daughters Cali, 20, and Marcella, 16, and son Castor, 18.

 

This past May, Hetfield got emotional during a METALLICA concert in Brazil, admitting to the audience that he was "feeling a little bit insecure" prior to taking the stage.

 

James has been open about his battles with addiction, anxiety and low self-esteem in the past, most recently last fall while discussing the transformation he had to undergo in order to successfully front METALLICA during the touring cycle for the band's 1991 self-titled album, which stands as one of the top-selling records of all time.