Metallica (album)
Fifth studio album by Metallica, released August 12, 1991.
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Metallica (commonly known as The Black Album) is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. Released on August 12, 1991, by Elektra Records, it marked a shift from the band's thrash metal style to a slower, heavier, and more refined sound. The album became the band's best-selling release, debuting at number one in ten countries and spending four consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200.
Background
Recording sessions took place at One on One Recording Studios in Los Angeles over eight months, frequently finding Metallica at odds with producer Bob Rock. The album's songs were written mainly by frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, with contributions from lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Jason Newsted. Four demos were recorded on August 13, 1990, including "Enter Sandman," "The Unforgiven," "Nothing Else Matters," and "Wherever I May Roam." The album cost US$1 million to produce, and the troubled production coincided with divorces among Ulrich, Hammett, and Newsted.
The album's lyrics, written by Hetfield, were more personal and introspective than previous works, addressing topics such as nightmares, the death of Hetfield's mother from cancer, and a love song for an ex-girlfriend. Instruments not usually used by heavy metal bands, such as cellos and an orchestra, were added at Rock's insistence. The album's cover features the band's logo angled against the upper left corner.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enter Sandman | Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett | 5:31 |
| 2 | Sad but True | Hetfield, Ulrich | 5:24 |
| 3 | Holier than Thou | Hetfield, Ulrich | 3:47 |
| 4 | The Unforgiven | Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett | 6:27 |
| 5 | Wherever I May Roam | Hetfield, Ulrich | 6:44 |
| 6 | Don't Tread on Me | Hetfield, Ulrich | 4:00 |
| 7 | Through the Never | Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett | 4:04 |
| 8 | Nothing Else Matters | Hetfield, Ulrich | 6:28 |
| 9 | Of Wolf and Man | Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett | 4:16 |
| 10 | The God That Failed | Hetfield, Ulrich | 5:08 |
| 11 | My Friend of Misery | Hetfield, Ulrich, Jason Newsted | 6:49 |
| 12 | The Struggle Within | Hetfield, Ulrich | 3:53 |
| Total length | 62:31 | ||
Track listing from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The album was originally given the working title 'Married to Metal' as a running joke due to divorces among band members.
- The song 'Don't Tread on Me' was issued to rock radio but did not receive a commercial single release.
- The band played the album in reverse order during the 2012 European Black Album Tour.
- The album became the second-longest charting traditional title in Billboard 200 history behind Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Metallica (album) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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