Metallica by Metallica

Metallica

Metallica

3.79
Rating
22369
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Album Summary

Metallica is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica. Released on August 12, 1991, by Elektra Records, it is commonly referred to as The Black Album because of its packaging design. Its recording took place at One on One Studios in Los Angeles over an eight-month span that frequently found Metallica at odds with their new producer Bob Rock. The album marked a change in the band's music from the thrash metal style of their previous four albums to a slower, heavier, and more refined sound. Metallica promoted Metallica with a series of tours. They also released five singles to promote the album: "Enter Sandman", "The Unforgiven", "Nothing Else Matters", "Wherever I May Roam", and "Sad but True", all of which have been considered to be among the band's best-known songs. The song "Don't Tread on Me" was also issued to rock radio shortly after the album's release but did not receive a commercial single release. Metallica received widespread critical acclaim and became the band's best-selling album. It debuted at number one in ten countries and spent four consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard 200, making it Metallica's first album to top the album charts. Metallica is one of the best-selling albums worldwide, and also one of the best-selling albums in the United States since Nielsen SoundScan tracking began. The album was certified 16× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2012, and has sold over sixteen million copies in the United States, being the first album in the SoundScan era to do so. Metallica played Metallica in its entirety during the 2012 European Black Album Tour. In 2020, the album was ranked number 235 on Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. In December 2019, Metallica became the fourth release in American history to enter the 550-week milestone on the Billboard 200. It also became the second longest-charting traditional title in history, and the second to spend 550 weeks on the album charts.

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Reviews

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Feb 08 2021 Author
1
This is music for people to listen to while fantasizing about bench pressing 500 pounds, throwing the game winning touchdown, Eiffel-towering Pamela Anderson, and kicking some commie ass (does "Lars Ulrich" sound suspiciously European i.e. commie?). But then they open their eyes to discover they've smashed a family bucket of KFC and crushed a 12-pack of light beer while yelling at the television and telling their fat wife to try to look pretty every once in a while. If Flavortown had a soundtrack it would be this album. A goatee-fueled bomb-dot-com explosion of repressed sexuality. Lights out delicious.
Feb 10 2021 Author
5
“Metallica” by Metallica (1991) I’m very familiar with this album, which I first listened to on the recommendation of a good friend a couple of years ago 😁. This album is top quality in texture, production values, composition, and theology. Yes, theology. Instrumentals and vocals, well-produced and mixed, deliver a powerful and dark ambience, clean distortion and overdrive. Intense lead vocal and driving rhythm guitar by James Hetfield, with robust percussion by Lars Ulrich. Exquisite lead guitar with some fine solo work by Kirk Hammett. Explosive yet steady bass by Jason Newsted. “Enter Sandman” is a nightmare-inducing thrash lullaby, expressing the disturbing irony of a father’s loving and comforting bedtime words to his young son, which are compromised by the horrors that lie behind daddy’s own feigned verities. Set in a minor key (Em—the perfect key for soulful guitar), the song reveals radical disconnect between the soothing and encouraging things parents say to their children at bedtime and the terror and dread in their own psyches. It’s further accentuated by the lyrical suggestion that the ironic disconnect is intentional. It’s as if the father is telling his young son, “I’m here to give you assurance and security, but your fears are completely justified, heh-heh.” Why do we ask our children to declare each night “If I should die before I wake . . .”? What horrible and perverse suggestion. It’s probably the most terrifying use of the subjunctive in the history of English discourse. This song is one of the few Metallica songs my real-life adult son actually likes. A voice inside me says, “What the hell does that mean?” “Don’t Tread on Me” begins with a riff from Leonard Bernstein’s “America” (mixed meter 6/8-3/4) from “West Side Story”, hinting that a jingoistic anthem is on its way. And Metallica delivers, Yankee Doodle Dandy. America—deadly, war mongering, and all at once celebrating and threatening the Spirit of ‘76 as symbolized by the Gadsden flag (“Don’t Tread on Me”). If the lyrics are read without irony, the only thing that’s missing is “God Bless America”. Popular piety at its worst, but you’d better take it seriously. On “The Unforgiven” there seems to be a good number of references to Hollywood westerns, from the obvious title (same as the 1960 film with Burt Lancaster and Audrey Hepburn) to the lyrical theme of the classic western hero. It’s interesting that Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven” was released the year after Metallica’s “The Unforgiven” (Connection?). The percussion instrumentation and guitar arpeggios echo Ennio Morricone’s scoring of “The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly” and “For a Few Dollars More”. This merits further exploration. I think Eastwood and Metallica should collaborate on a western movie. I’d wear a mask to see it. Even if it situates inner moral conflict in the context of lethal one-on-one confrontation. Prepare to meet your God as “The Unforgiven”. Setting God aside for a moment, “Nothing Else Matters” is, of course, a rock classic. Anthem status. The musical composition is brilliant, with intriguing choices (for a metal band) in the instrumentals, including acoustic guitar with reverb and orchestral background throughout. Again, in the very guitar-friendly E-minor, the arrangement provides the perfect setting for this love ballad, demonstrating an expansive creative range for a band known for “heavy metal”. Interestingly, this song only charted at #34 in the U.S. (#1 in Poland, though—that says a lot about the political and cultural scene in 1992). “Holier than Thou”, a little toxic masculinity goin’ out to all the Elmer Gantrys of the world, is a well deserved rage against the righteousness that lacks humility. This song gives expression to a sentiment that justifies the whole thrash genre. With dizzying tempo, we hear great lead solos by Kirk Hammett, and Jason Newsted keeps right up on bass guitar. Two middle fingers up. “The God that Failed” an anguished and complex musical reflection by James Hetfield on the personal experience he had with parents whose intense religious ‘faith’ (Christian Science) collided with reality. Cancer is personified, rendering mom’s misplaced faith impotent. Where was dad? And where was Dad (the ‘God’ that failed) when mom piously rejected medical treatment and suffered an agonizing death? Great backstory to this, but what Hetfield does with it is musical genius. It pulls the empathy right out of the listener’s guts. Likewise, “My Friend of Misery”, a metaphysics-embracing lament that reminds us: redemptive suffering isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. Pastoral Theology 101. The closing track, “The Struggle Within” is (obviously) introspective, but can’t even seem to find a time signature. Like my (your?) struggle within. How can drummer Lars Ulrich keep up? So much more could be said about this album, one of my personal favorites—a classic. 5/5
Jun 09 2021 Author
2
As someone who has started a mosh pit watching Metallica, I feel like I'm very qualified to judge this. It's not very good. They were also not very good live, which is why we started a mosh pit to liven it up. I think they're incredibly uncool. đŸ€ŸđŸ€˜đŸ€ŸđŸ€˜
Mar 07 2021 Author
4
After the muddled production and ultracomplicated song structures of ...And Justice for All, Metallica decided that they had taken the progressive elements of their music as far as they could and that a simplification and streamlining of their sound was in order. While the assessment made sense from a musical standpoint, it also presented an opportunity to commercialize their music, and Metallica accomplishes both goals. The best songs are more melodic and immediate, the crushing, stripped-down grooves of "Enter Sandman," "Sad but True," and "Wherever I May Roam" sticking to traditional structures and using the same main riffs throughout; the crisp, professional production by Bob Rock adds to their accessibility. "The Unforgiven" and "Nothing Else Matters" avoid the slash-and-burn guitar riffs that had always punctuated the band's ballads; the latter is a full-fledged love song complete with string section, which works much better than might be imagined. The song- and riff-writing slips here and there, a rare occurrence for Metallica, which some longtime fans interpreted as filler next to a batch of singles calculated for commercial success. The objections were often more to the idea that Metallica was doing anything explicitly commercial, but millions more disagreed. In fact, the band's popularity exploded so much that most of their back catalog found mainstream acceptance in its own right, while other progressively inclined speed metal bands copied the move toward simplification. In retrospect, Metallica is a good, but not quite great, album, one whose best moments deservedly captured the heavy metal crown, but whose approach also foreshadowed a creative decline.
Oct 01 2022 Author
5
'Ten', 'Achtung Baby', ' Dirt', 'Use Your Illusion', 'Loveless', 'Out of Time', 'Nevermind', 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik', 'Bandwagonesque', 'No More Tears'... and if that wasn't enough, this fucking blast.... Maybe those who claim 1971 was 'the year of music' should have been young 20 years later...
May 12 2022 Author
5
Whether you like Metallica or not is irrelevant when it comes to this album. Five massive singles, all of them the biggest and most enduring songs of the band’s catalogue, came out of it. You have to give some fucking respect to that no matter what your musical tastes are. And I, for the record, love Metallica. Because of this album. Jesus Christ, it’s got Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters on it. That is huge on its own, but then we also get Sad But True, The Unforgiven, AND Wherever I May Roam?!? That’s insanity! It’s just so fucking good. If you need to introduce someone to Metallica, you play this album and that’s it; they’ve been fully indoctrinated and converted to a life of badass high octane metal head banging from here on out. They’re the ones who take you there, fuck yeah! \m/
Jun 14 2021 Author
1
Saved Prior: Enter Sandman Off Rip: None Cutting Edge: Through The Never, The God That Failed Overall Notes: Me before listening to this album: :) Me after hearing Enter Sandman: :) Me after the next 4 songs: :|||||||| Me after song 8 seems to finally signal a change in the repetitive song structure: :||| Me after song 8 finishes as a sub-par song: :|||||||||||| Me after the album finally ended: :||||||||||||||||| I hated this. I have yet to give a 1 through 80 albums, this album has the incredible Enter Sandman, and I still gave this a 1. Through The Never and The God That Failed had their moments but came nowhere close to saving the immense pain sitting through this album put me through. I remember now why I always thought I hated metal. Shit like this.
Jan 20 2021 Author
2
tedious and one dimensional. Remember hearing the album when it first came out, and not being overly enthralled then. As singles certain tracks stand up well, but the continuous one tempo power chords over the whole album just get boring after a while.
Apr 23 2024 Author
3
Prefer the earlier, thrashier, proggier Metallica.
Sep 27 2021 Author
5
One of Metallica's best albums, tons of bangers on this one. Definitely the transition point where Metallica went into the more mainstream rock, they're getting older and the Thrash has faded. Kirk Hammett is such a gifted guitarist. Excellent album, a lot of these songs were what drew me to learn to read a tab and play guitar.
Apr 23 2024 Author
5
Classic album though not a frequent listen for me. I know the hardcore fans didn't love the heavily produced sound, but I think it suits their style extremely well. They are the big budget action movie of rock music.
Nov 10 2022 Author
3
dundundundundDUNUDN
Dec 31 2021 Author
2
I hate Metallica. Enter Sandman is worth two stars on it's own, though. All downhill from there as far as I am concerned, it just drones on and on and on.
Feb 08 2021 Author
2
The fact that this album is on here proves that it was made by a redditor. Definitely a foot tapper/head banger of an album, Lars Ulrich’s drums sounding like artillery abd machine gun fire, James Herfield sounding like a 6’2” cigarette butt. Gotta keep in perspective that this was 30 yrs ago and set the stage for metal. But 30 yrs later, it sounds a bit nerdy, though I bet at the time it was amazing. My complaint: this album is heavy as fuck, but it could be heavier, it’s over produced, the voice dubbing/layering, sound effects, multitrack shit. If the production was pared down to the 4 essential instruments—with their effects—I think it would sound better, harder, the over productions softens the sharp edges. Their older stuff isn’t as well produced, I’d say underproduced, but there’s a happy medium to find in there. Fun album to listen to. Metal can be so repetitive and one note I think I tuned out after about song 6. They slowed it down a couple times, but it still didn’t help, always the same equation. Lastly, there’s an egregiously long fade out on track 1.
Jun 14 2024 Author
5
Gods of rock, we are not worthy. Every single track is majestic, stellar, magnificent.
Oct 24 2023 Author
5
Enter Sandman - 5/5 Sad but True - 5/5 Holier than Thou - 5/5 The Unforgiven - 5/5 Wherever I May Roam - 5/5 Don't Tread on Me - 4/5 Through the Never - 4/5 Nothing Else Matters - 5/5
Feb 07 2021 Author
5
Legendary and it holds up
Jul 06 2021 Author
4
Vous qui frĂ©quentez ce gĂ©nĂ©rateur connaissez trĂšs bien mon ĂȘtre sous ses traits les plus intimes. Vous savez donc Ă  quel point j'aime dĂ©gueuler sur tout ce qui se rapproche du heavy metal ; style que je considĂšre comme une vĂ©ritable fausse route dans l'histoire de la musique. NĂ©anmoins cet album est trĂšs bon, il faut le reconnaĂźtre. Pour tout vous dire, Ă  la fin du projet, je portais fiĂšrement un tee-shirt tĂȘte de mort, des bottines ainsi qu'un clĂ©bard dĂ©gueulasse.
Nov 02 2023 Author
5
Man, listening to this album brought up a LOT of memories. Not all of them good. It's a really powerful metal album, one of Metallica's last good albums. But lyrically there's quite a bit here that feeds a bit of an incel mentality, and I can really only see that with some serious hindsight and separation from the material. There is a 'victim of society' mentality present here that I think can really burrow in to someone's mind, and I wonder what impact this may have had beyond the album. Whether it's giving a false sense of injustice, a need to prove oneself (in some ways as better than), or facing rejection with anger - there's a lot on display here that just isn't healthy. But musically holy shit. What a great album full of incredible tracks. Mark's absolute cruising here with insane solos and this becomes less thrash and more power metal, but you can also hear Metallica's sound evolving from here.
Apr 22 2022 Author
5
It's briliant. I found myself trying to justify not giving it 5*. But I couldn't so I did.
Mar 04 2021 Author
5
Stunning record. I know that metallica fans like to denigrate it for transitioning from a thrash sound to more of a heavy metal sound, but it worked so well. The instrumentals are timeless, the lyrics are deep and dark - I heard this album caused 3 of the band members to have divorces they worked so hard on it. Literally every song on the album is good. It ranks up there with Pink Floyd's the Wall or the Beatles Abbey Road.
Jan 19 2021 Author
5
The black album is a great album, It's fairlly increidble to have all these metallica hits in the same album.
Jan 23 2021 Author
5
The best album by Metallica by far. This was the CD with which I got to know Metallica in detail. One of the best metal albums of all time in my opinion.
Mar 15 2021 Author
5
PerfecciĂłn
Mar 20 2021 Author
5
I grew up on this album so I'm biased but crank that shit to 11
Jan 13 2021 Author
5
This is the first Metallica album I've listened to completely through and I enjoyed the music. I recognized a few songs on this album and knew the words. I could see why people become metal heads, it was an enjoyable experience and it may join my regular listening.
Apr 14 2021 Author
5
Doesn’t get much better than this. James Hatfield might be the coolest guy alive
Mar 18 2021 Author
5
Best produced album of all time in any genre. Just classic solid songwriting & playing, can't fault it in any way at all. Would have been a great time to be in your early 20s with a mullet. 5/5.
Mar 13 2023 Author
4
YUS While not my favorite Metallica album, there's a reason this is included. A huge tonal shift from their previous album "...And Justice for All." "Wherever I May Roam" is still my favorite track on this album, followed by "The Unforgiven" and "Sad But True" to round out the top three.
Jul 16 2024 Author
3
Some of the heaviest music you'll get that manages to stay fairly mainstream. The tracks are (mostly) catchy foot-tappers, and a few are compositionally great too. The main issue is the rest of the tracks. Most of the songs on "Metallica" are heavily riff- or atmosphere-based, and hardly vary in terms of structure or texture. Nothing Else Matters is the album centrepiece, the breath of fresh air, that momentarily makes you believe that songwriting is one of the band's strengths. Nah, man. Nearly all 55 remaining minutes in the album are a bit too invariable for my taste. It lacks creativity. And, especially in the latter half, it lacks punch. The instrumentation, though, is about as good as you can get. Hammett's piercing guitar tones, shredding solos, and memorable solo lines definitely make him a contender for one of the best rock guitarists of his generation. Hetfield's vocals are solid and an excellent instrument for the thrash metal genre. The drumming, performed by Ulrich, is in near-perfect sync with the guitar and bass (Newsted). The absolute tightness and synchronicity in the rhythm reminds me of Nirvana, or earlier music greats like EW&F and Tower of Power. I'll also shoutout a few tracks of interest. Enter Sandman is solid, and probably the catchiest of the simple, raw songs on the album. Holier Than Thou has a fun, memorable chorus, and I was a little surprised it hadn't been released as a single. The Unforgiven is my second-favourite track after Nothing Else Matters. It's texturally lush and musically complex - and its placing near the beginning of the album means I haven't yet tired of the relentless onslaught of guitar noise. The four tail-end tracks (Of Wolf And Man, The God That Failed, My Friend Of Misery, The Struggle Within) are indistinguishable in my memory. My conclusion: it's good, but not *that* good. Legacy is nothing without substance. 3/5 Key tracks: Enter Sandman, The Unforgiven, Nothing Else Matters, Sad But True
Jul 14 2023 Author
3
I kind of feel like this is basically a Motley Crue record, just heavier, more beefed up and sans eye shadow.
Dec 18 2023 Author
1
I hate Metallica. Their earlier albums were irritating, this is just boring one-note ponderous tedium. The singer sucks, the lyrics are amateur schoolboy crap, and the production sounds better with the '80s Phil Collins material it was developed for. Please no more from these shitheads [edit: downgraded further as the whole thing is fucking terrible. Just noticed it has the stupid Karen flag snake on the cover to warn right-thinking people away from this heap of shit]
Sep 17 2021 Author
1
Metallica's black album, right? That's what this one is referred to? I have no personal relationship with the music of this band. And, I honestly didn't know anything about them until their subsequent Load/Re-Load albums. And, from what I understand, those records are reviled by "true" Metallica fans. That's fine. I hated those records too. All that being said, this is a good record. It sounds dated. Like, in a bad way. Heavy bands just sound heavier now. I hate Lars Ulrich - not for the Napster thing. Because he's a tool that thinks he's a good drummer. Ha. Ringo could have played this shit. And his Ludwigs would have sounded like actual drums. It's hard to imagine anyone would have ever thought this kick drum sound is good. But, let's get to some positives. I really like the guitars (great use of harmonics) and the vocals are still interesting (none of that OOH! WOW! UGH! WUOAHAH! BOOM! horseshit). People I know say that "Master of Puppets" and"Kill 'em All" and the other early Metallica records are good. I hope they are, because this shit fucking sucks.
Jun 09 2021 Author
1
Oddly enough, I had a dream last night that today's album would be a thrash classic. Sadly I dreamed of Slayer - Reign In Blood not this limp lettuce of an album.
Oct 27 2025 Author
5
100%!!!!!!!
Oct 21 2025 Author
5
Okay, stay with me for this one. Is this Metallica's best album? No. Is this a great thrash metal album? No. Is this one of the best metal albums? No. Is this one of the most important albums ever? Yes. The Black Album is forever the gateway album to other things. This was the album everyone got into (thank you Enter Sandman and The Unforgiven). It was the album everyone owned and everyone had to own. For some, maybe it was the heaviest thing they'd ever own. For many, many others though from The Black Album we learned about Master of Puppets. And from Master of Puppets we learned about the Big 3 (though truth be told, it was probably just Slayer because Megadeth was just as big with Symphony of Destruction) . And from the Big 3, we learned about Flotsam and Jetsam, Anthrax, Testament, Sepultura, Overkill. This isn't Abbey Road, or The Wall, or Kind of Blue. It's musicality will surely be in question by many. But it's importance in the culture of 1991 and the metal world in general can not be understated in the ability to bond wayward youth together into something larger. And for that it earns every one of its five stars.
May 27 2025 Author
5
I didn’t have a single song that I even thought to skip on this album. One of my favorites on this journey.
Jul 18 2021 Author
5
Awesome album. The last great album from Metallica.
May 17 2021 Author
5
A cracking Friday album. Kirk seems to always table a calm lick of the guitar to set off any track. Iconic drum track
Jan 18 2021 Author
5
One of the greatest so far.
Apr 13 2021 Author
5
YUP.
May 11 2021 Author
5
Ei ehkÀ kolahda enÀÀ yhtÀ paljon kuin aikoinaan liiallisen radiosoiton takia, mutta klassikko ja ensimmÀisiÀ levyjÀ inspiroimassa omaa musiikinkuuntelua ja sillon tÀtÀ tykitettiinkin. Ilman muuta ansaitsee 5*
Sep 15 2020 Author
5
Seminal album from my teenage years
Sep 02 2025 Author
4
Metallica? like, from Fortnite? (7/10) favs: The Unforgiven, My Friend of Misery, Enter Sandman
Sep 01 2025 Author
4
Pretty awesome - the fact that a lot of these songs are all on the same album. Probably uneducated sacrilege but I still couldn't help but feel, however, that overall we could lose a couple of songs and it'd be stronger overall.
Apr 20 2024 Author
4
I detested this album when it first came out. It felt like a sell out after the first four albums, a slowed down, radio-friendly album. It didn't help that this was the first proper album that didn't have the influence of Cliff Burton on it. I stopped listening to Metallica for a decade or so after this was released, and with good reason, as they released a series of really bad albums (St Anger I'm looking at you) in this period. It wasn't until 2008 that they released something I considered worth listening to again, 20 years in the wilderness! However, any attempt to avoid this album was doomed to failure, as just about all of it would be played on the radio, in clubs, everywhere I went. I think I might have played the entire album from start to finish once before, but most of the album is on constant rotation somewhere. Hell, I even learned to play the opening of Enter Sandman on guitar when I was learning. In retrospect, it's not a bad album at all, just a disappointment after a run of exceptional early albums. I'm torn between a 3 and a 4 star rating, but I'll give it 4 because I know it's one of my daughter's favourites.
Sep 01 2025 Author
3
A classic of the genre. I just don't love the genre.
Jul 14 2025 Author
3
I have listened to this album, this is Metallica, when they were most famous. It is not their best album, not even close to "Ride the Lightning", "Master of Puppets" or even "...And Justice for All", in justice for all production is bad, but still as album it is better than Black LP. This albums is moment when they decided to become more radio friendly, the fact that their two most famous hits are on this album, Confirms that. It is good listen for metal and hard rock fans, but some tracks here are very weak and too soft for Metallica. It's like, here they lost their own self in becoming more mainstream and because they wanted to sell more records. This record needed to be for more people, so that's the reason why it is softer. "Master of Puppets" is not for everyone, and self-titled, aka Black album is more likable for music listeners.
Nov 15 2024 Author
3
Couple bangers, the rest just okay rock.
Dec 18 2023 Author
2
In Holland, I saw an array of bronzed supine beach bodies lift dumbbells in synch to Enter Sandman, the trainer at climax instructing “Enter night
 exit light
keep it slow... SUPERSLOWWW” in a Dutch accent as heavy as the riff. Wildest moment of a stag weekend in Amsterdam, so thanks for that, Metallica. Lyrically, James Hetfield minus Noel Gallagher equals Thom Yorke, so to those who deny that Metal is the conduit of the real, living Devil I say: you are fools. I wonder if James Hatfield writes down his lyrics. If he does, does he read them? I’m familiar enough with the Metallica genre to state that this is strong Metallica. The songs are short for Metallica, but long for normal mortals, so: Misery! Took me a weekend to get through this, though I’m sure I thought it was fine back when it and I were shiny. Nowadays, I cannot abide chores. Two.
Mar 09 2025 Author
1
Never understood the appeal of Metallica. This shit wouldn’t be out of place at Eurovision.
Feb 09 2025 Author
1
Reminded me of how, when I’m on a run, I’ll check the time every 20 seconds because I just want it to be over
Nov 29 2025 Author
5
Fire
Nov 28 2025 Author
5
No words needed
Nov 26 2025 Author
5
When I saw this pop up as my album for the day, I just groaned. Not because I hate the album, no, it’s the opposite. I love this album, but I do kind of hate it. Let me explain. I had tried to get into Metallica around the And Justice For All album, but I didn’t like James Hetfield’s singing voice, or more correctly, yelling voice. But I joined the Columbia House CD Club, remember those? You sign up and get like 12 CDs for a penny and then you never buy anything again, or rahter, you never send them money for any CD they send you thereafter. They eventually get tired of coming after you and besides, I was like 14 or 15. Anyway, I happened to get a remastered version of Kill ‘Em All, Metallica's debut album, and I loved it. I then got all the Metallica albums leading up to the Black Album. When the Black Album came out, I drove to Owensboro to WaxWorks and bought it. I think I put it in my CD player and it only left it to go into another CD player. I legit listened to it for forever. It got to the point where it was too much and I had to stop. Then every time I heard a song off the album, I’d cringe, especially Enter Sandman, which is one of the greatest rock songs ever written. I'd just gone too far, got burnt out. Listening to it now, it doesn’t fill me with the same excitement or even nostalgia, but the songs are undeniable, except for The Unforgiven. I never could get into that song. I have no idea why. It’s not because it’s essentially a ballad, because I love Nothing Else Matters and that is a ballad. However, after The Unforgiven, you get Wherever I May Roam, a heavy road anthem. I wanted to talk about people who think Metallica got soft with the Black Album. I don’t think they got soft. I think they got heavier. Many of the songs on the Black Album are almost sludge or doom metal. Slow-moving, heavy arse songs that groove. I mean, were people complaining about And Justice For All being a prog album? It most certainly was. You can’t listen to the title track and not tell me that isn’t a song Dream Theater would love to play. Anyway, the Black Album is great. It may be the best heavy rock record ever made. It definitely had the effect Metallica wanted, it pushed their music out not just to the metalheads but to everyone, for better or for worse. If you haven’t listened to this album, you should. If you hate, or think you hate, heavy rock and metal, this album will open your eyes. Now, my personal favorites on this album that I still love and will listen to? Sad But True, one of the heaviest songs ever; Through the Never, just relentless; The Struggle Within, one of the few songs that could have been on And Justice For All or Master of Puppets. But the whole album is great and if you haven’t heard, you should immediately.
Nov 21 2025 Author
5
Hard to rate this one. I loved this album in the 90s and for the most part it holds up. People who weren't there can't know how revolutionary this album was. It was metal that got RADIO PLAY. And yeah, some of these lyrics make me cringe right out of my skin now, but that may be more of how I've grown as a person than anything else. I can't bring myself to give it anything less than 5 stars, even though if I were being honest, it's probably only a 4 to me now.
Nov 21 2025 Author
5
What's to say about it -- it just hits.
Nov 21 2025 Author
5
Love this album. Brings me back to my childhood when I first started playing guitar. Enter sandman rips as the intro
Nov 18 2025 Author
5
Riffs are thick and tasty! Clean production, vocals melodic and controlled. Some unbelievably sick, iconic tunes. Nothing Else Matters and Enter Sandman have Godlike status. Sad But True is my favourite. Dark lyrics are not always for me but I cant imagine anything else accompanying the music. An epic journey of tasty riffs and wild, piercing solos. 9/10
Nov 18 2025 Author
5
Awesome slab of brooding rock from start to finish Bolder, rounded and polished sound compared to previous albums
Nov 17 2025 Author
5
Amazing!
Nov 15 2025 Author
5
Banger
Nov 14 2025 Author
5
The metal album that is Practically Perfect in every way. Damn, those songs are fire.
Nov 11 2025 Author
5
nawet 6!
Nov 10 2025 Author
5
AGRRGHJJHHHH GOTTA LOVE SOME METALLLICAA!!! i dont like this album as much in comparison to the first 4 albums, but you gotta admit it still is pretty solid album. no skips for me.
Nov 10 2025 Author
5
Solid đŸȘš
Nov 08 2025 Author
5
Estifi que j’ai Ă©coutĂ© cet album (et quelques autres de Metallica et des Beastie Boys) avant des parties quand je jouais au hockey Pee-Wee, Bantam et Midget,
Nov 08 2025 Author
5
Ça sonne comme de la tonne de briques, du Metallica Ă  son meilleur, avec les hallucinations auditives (nous pondons des oeufs et coui coui ils sont doux), des riffs avec des gammes orientales, des solo avec wah wah. Alice trouvait que c'Ă©tait trop stimulant (ses mots) par contre, j'ai dĂ» interrompre l'album au milieu pour le reprendre plus tard
Nov 07 2025 Author
5
One of their best albums. I already own this.
Nov 06 2025 Author
5
This is one of, if not the first album from this list that I have listened to many times, so no surprise that is it maybe my favorite album so far. No groundbreaking observations this time around, except I have really grown to appreciate more "rock" style drums in metal. The drummer can still provide plenty of drive, while also reinforcing melodies and giving more character to the song than a lot of metal drumming. 5/5.
Nov 05 2025 Author
5
Another game changing album. This is the record that introduced me to Metallica when I was a kid. I’ve never been a huge fan but as the years go by the more I dig these dudes. This album is top notch.
Nov 05 2025 Author
5
This album rules.
Nov 04 2025 Author
5
amazing
Nov 04 2025 Author
5
An absolute classic.
Nov 03 2025 Author
5
đŸ€˜đŸ» - it's five ⭐’s!
Nov 03 2025 Author
5
There aren't enough stars in the universe to properly rate this album.
Nov 03 2025 Author
5
An album which you can go through without skipping any song, and sing along, is a good one! A heavy metal milestone!!!
Nov 03 2025 Author
5
Exit light, motherfucker. Top album of Metallica, dude.
Nov 01 2025 Author
5
Always a great listen!
Oct 30 2025 Author
5
Absolute classic
Oct 28 2025 Author
5
There is a fine line between majestic and ludicrous. This triggered memories of listening to’Nothing Else Matters on repeat. Much like another reviewer on here I have been trying to find excuses not to give this a 5. I can’t
Oct 28 2025 Author
5
I’m not often in the mood for this genre, but this is the album to turn to if I am. Some songs are lifted by the strength of several great songs, which is the reason for the perfect rating. The Grammy was deserved.
Oct 27 2025 Author
5
Going to see them next year but this is the 1st time i have listened to a full album of them. Good album.
Oct 27 2025 Author
5
I don't even like Metallica that much but after some crappy Bee Gees album, I am so ready to rock. Turns out, one's opinion of Metallica shouldn't matter much...this is a 5-star album by all metrics. First of all, similar to an album like Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, the sheer amount of songs on this that saw significant radio play is insane. Secondly, the guitar work, drums, and vocals are all top notch and work incredibly well together. There is a cohesive sound throughout but unlike many bands with a signature sound, the songs don't get too repetitive. The last couple of songs weren't as strong as the rest, but I don't think there was a bad song on the album. Metallica, I take back most of the bad things I've said about you--you have not only at least one great album in you, you have a masterpiece.
Oct 27 2025 Author
5
An album ive listened to a bunch, really enjoyex rediscovering it.
Oct 25 2025 Author
5
This album is a classic; no notes.
Oct 23 2025 Author
5
Oh yeah. Oh fuck yeah. Hey, I get it. It's not their best album. But it's the first album of theirs that I heard and while I'd rather listen to the stuff that came before it, this is an album that cannot be ignored. It's rare that I pull this one out when I want to listen to Metallica, but when I do I'm transported back to being 12 years old and getting this album.
Oct 21 2025 Author
5
I'm not the biggest Metallica fan in the world, but I've always appreciated them. And this album is just full of bangers. I'd probably give it a 4.5, but it's gotta be rounded up.
Oct 21 2025 Author
5
Sehr gut, aber nichts fĂŒr schwache Ohren.
Oct 21 2025 Author
5
a classic!
Oct 19 2025 Author
5
Really good. First entire metal album and loved it it
Oct 18 2025 Author
5
Absolute legends. Banger from start to finish.
Oct 15 2025 Author
5
Top
Oct 15 2025 Author
5
Jo, geil
Oct 14 2025 Author
5
Absolute cinema. El mejor ĂĄlbum de metal de la historia bajo mi punto de vista, un absoluto 10.
Oct 13 2025 Author
5
Not a single bad track
Oct 13 2025 Author
5
Every song is top notch! An outrageous amount of hooks that make metal accessible
Oct 13 2025 Author
5
Yes! 😍 Saturday morning. Coffee. This album. NB. Hmmm, this review was from those weeks ago, when this album was available during the weekend. Well, nothing has changed. Still have my coffee this morning and still this album is a yes! :)
Oct 11 2025 Author
5
One of the best metal bands of all time and this album proves it. Listen to it frequently and never bored.
Oct 07 2025 Author
5
Hard