Record Noise Levels Expected at Minnesota Vikings' New Stadium

— -- The Minnesota Vikings will kick off its first pre-season game this weekend at a brand new stadium that is already raising questions about its noise level.

The U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, where the Vikings will face the San Diego Chargers Sunday, hosted a Metallica concert last week that left many of the 50,000 attendees complaining about the noise levels.

"I think I've suffered long-term hearing damage," one concertgoer said on Twitter. "My ears are still ringing," another tweeted.

The stadium claims to have the “largest, transparent ethylene-tetraflouroethylene (ETFE) roof in the nation,” according to its website.

According to the stadium, which is owned and operated by the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, the ETFE roof “should make the stadium louder.” ETFE is described as a “more acoustically reflective material.”

Minneapolis-based audiology specialist Dr. David Geddes told ABC News that noise levels can reach up to 105 decibels inside the U.S. Bank Stadium, a level 10 times louder than other NFL football stadiums.

Geddes says any loud noise over 85 decibels could be potentially harmful if a person is exposed to it for a long period of time.

"The thing to remember with noise exposure is it's cumulative," Geddes explained. "So after several decades of attending concerts, football games, you can wind up with a permanent, noise-induced hearing loss."

Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium boasts the world record for the loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium with 142.2 decibels. To put that number into perspective, it is just over two decibels louder than a jet engine at takeoff.

The Vikings plan to distribute free earplugs at Sunday's game.