Metallica
Metallica
1991
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 16Ă 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.
WikipediaThis 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.
âMetallicaâ by Metallica (1991) Iâm very familiar with this album, which I first listened to on the recommendation of a good friend a couple of years ago đ. 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. âEnter Sandmanâ is a nightmare-inducing thrash lullaby, expressing the disturbing irony of a fatherâs loving and comforting bedtime words to his young son, which are compromised by the horrors that lie behind daddyâs own feigned verities. Set in a minor key (Emâthe 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. Itâs further accentuated by the lyrical suggestion that the ironic disconnect is intentional. Itâs as if the father is telling his young son, âIâm here to give you assurance and security, but your fears are completely justified, heh-heh.â Why do we ask our children to declare each night âIf I should die before I wake . . .â? What horrible and perverse suggestion. Itâs 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, âWhat the hell does that mean?â âDonât Tread on Meâ begins with a riff from Leonard Bernsteinâs âAmericaâ (mixed meter 6/8-3/4) from âWest Side Storyâ, hinting that a jingoistic anthem is on its way. And Metallica delivers, Yankee Doodle Dandy. Americaâdeadly, war mongering, and all at once celebrating and threatening the Spirit of â76 as symbolized by the Gadsden flag (âDonât Tread on Meâ). If the lyrics are read without irony, the only thing thatâs missing is âGod Bless Americaâ. Popular piety at its worst, but youâd better take it seriously. On âThe Unforgivenâ 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. Itâs interesting that Clint Eastwoodâs âUnforgivenâ was released the year after Metallicaâs âThe Unforgivenâ (Connection?). The percussion instrumentation and guitar arpeggios echo Ennio Morriconeâs scoring of âThe Good, The Bad, and the Uglyâ and âFor a Few Dollars Moreâ. This merits further exploration. I think Eastwood and Metallica should collaborate on a western movie. Iâd 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 âThe Unforgivenâ. Setting God aside for a moment, âNothing Else Mattersâ 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 âheavy metalâ. Interestingly, this song only charted at #34 in the U.S. (#1 in Poland, thoughâthat says a lot about the political and cultural scene in 1992). âHolier than Thouâ, a little toxic masculinity goinâ 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. âThe God that Failedâ an anguished and complex musical reflection by James Hetfield on the personal experience he had with parents whose intense religious âfaithâ (Christian Science) collided with reality. Cancer is personified, rendering momâs misplaced faith impotent. Where was dad? And where was Dad (the âGodâ 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 listenerâs guts. Likewise, âMy Friend of Miseryâ, a metaphysics-embracing lament that reminds us: redemptive suffering isnât always what itâs cracked up to be. Pastoral Theology 101. The closing track, âThe Struggle Withinâ is (obviously) introspective, but canât 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 favoritesâa classic. 5/5
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.
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.
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. đ€đ€đ€đ€
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.
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.
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 Ulrichâs drums sounding like artillery abd machine gun fire, James Herfield sounding like a 6â2â 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, itâs over produced, the voice dubbing/layering, sound effects, multitrack shit. If the production was pared down to the 4 essential instrumentsâwith their effectsâI think it would sound better, harder, the over productions softens the sharp edges. Their older stuff isnât as well produced, Iâd say underproduced, but thereâs 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 didnât help, always the same equation. Lastly, thereâs an egregiously long fade out on track 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.
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.
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.
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*
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.
The best songwriting of Metallicaâs career and the album they are best known for. While not the most âMetallicaâ of their discography given the change in sound, but a great rock album.
A cracking Friday album. Kirk seems to always table a calm lick of the guitar to set off any track. Iconic drum track
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.
The black album is a great album, It's fairlly increidble to have all these metallica hits in the same album.
One of my favorites when I was younger. Much more mainstream than their other work, but still damn good
Classic! Wat een wereldplaat! Zag gister nog de docu Some Kind of Monster en daarna de plaat toevallig al geluisterd. Hetfield rules!
Het feit dat ik minstens de helft van het album kan meebrullen is al voldoende om het een 5/5 te geven
Sarah used to listen to this album in the 1990s it prompted a request to see more baby pics. Sarah doesnât have them but does have her early gymnastâs certificate when she was extremely white. :-)
Was always a huge fan of Metallica, but started to fall out of love with them after Master of Puppets and never listened to the whole of this album. Glad I have now, very good :)
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.
Metallica make a turn for the commercial side of metal and came out of it very well off. The songs have lost their aggressive thrash edge to them, however this is made up by having harder riffs.
What more can be said of such a well-known and loved album? It's packed full of heavy riffs with a fine balance between melody and slabs of metal guitar. An instant classic, synonymous with the middle period of the band's career as they went through the gears to transform into the metal behemoth the world knows today. Favourite songs obviously include Enter Sandman, Sad But True and the Unforgiven but honourable mention go without doubt to Of Wold And Man for a change up in rythmn
Landmark album in a career full of great records. So many great songs, with outstanding production by Bob Rock. Rockâs focus was to polish up the bandâs sound, while also tightening up the songs. He and the band accomplished both tasks with flying colors. A must hear from one of the greatest bands of all time.
Itâs an easy five star - a band taking their sound in a new direction , an album where the bass player has been given room to play, one of a handful albums where I still remember where I was the first time I heard it, an album where I know at three minutes into sad but true thereâs gonna be that two second pause before it goes off. A pure fucking joy of a metal album where I just have to sing NOMAD VAGABOND CALL ME WHAT YOU WILLLLLLLLLLLL no matter where Iâm listening (just now in the gym) âïžâïžâïžâïžâïž
I heard this at a friend's house as an early teen and it blew me away. Still had fragments of the songs going around in my head days later. This was the album that prompted me to start seeking out music proactively and build up a collection of cassettes, rather than just passively listen to whatever the TV or radio offered. So yeah, 5 stars for personal significance alone. Fave track - "Sad But True", let's say, but I have a lot of faves on this album even today...
I'll equate this album with Revolver by the Beatles (previously reviewed) in the sense that they're both examples of bands who defined their respective genres really hitting their strides and delivering, perhaps, their best collective works and inspiring decades worth of other music. And, in both cases, it's ALL them - written, performed, and produced by. No real outside influence. Specific to Metallica, they prove that Heavy Metal doesn't have to be yelling over something loud and sloppy. It can be perfected. It can be clean, thoughtful, nuanced, and still make you feel like you got punched in the gut.
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.
A classic - not my normal listening but very good when you need something a bit loud! I liked The Unforgiven, and Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters of course
Excellent metal album. Definitely their most popular and for good reason. From start to finish this album brings it hard and does metal to the point where itâs enjoyable for a wider audience. This is a must listen and is one of the best metal albums. 8.8/10
This was my first proper introduction to Metallica (yes, I was late to the party) and really liked it at the time. Listening to it again after who knows how many years was a disappointment initially. However, around the half-way point I started to get more into it, and upon a second listen I was really enjoying it. It is not Master of Puppets of course, but nevertheless a well-produced album with solid songs that are compact and catchy.
This is an easy 5 for me as I've listened to this album since it came out in 1991. While I like the older Metallica albums, this is just more accessible and I really enjoy it. Hits that sweet spot for still being metal and driving but doesn't drive my wife out of the room!
Anspruch und Wirkung auf Kulturgeschichte seien dahingestellt. Aber das ist ein 5-Sterne Album Hörgenuss
The hits are amazing, the rest of the album is really good. The biggest problem is NOT ENOUGH BASS. It's better than "...And Justice for All" which basically has no bass, but damn this album needs more bottom end. Even the bass drum is too treble-y. Is that a word? Favorite tracks - mostly the hits: Sad But True (extremely cool song then and now), Wherever I May Roam, Enter Sandman (so overplayed at Guitar Center), Nothing Else Matters (also overplayed at Guitar Center). I like The Unforgiven but it was sooo overplayed on MTV in the 90s. Favorite non-hits: Through the Never, The God That Failed. I'd call it a 4.5, but I'll round it to a 5.
Almost forgot how Metallica was part of the 1991 music revolution. Whereas Soundgarden turned their metal into grunge, Metallica turned metal into something new - less frantic, more dense (the sound just fills your head). Like Sabbath set the standard for the 70's going forward, these guys set the standard for the 90's and beyond. This is a true masterclass. Still a ton of great guitarwork and pounding drums, but the melody attached to the intensity is amazing. After all these years I still say wow listening to it.
Never has a crossover album felt so good. Thirty years later and it still hits home. An absolute joy to listen to. Life is hard and no one understands me.
Legendary album that changed the history of metal forever. A lot of people don't like it because that's when Metallica turned to mainstream, but you can't deny the huge importance and impact this record had (and still have!). I believe it should be a must-listen for everyone at least once in life. Favorite tracks: * Through The Never * Holier Than Thou * The God That Failed
Wow, knew about this album most of my life but disregarded it as generic. Really loved the listen and how deep many of these songs meanings are. Dang, the instrumentals were killer also, mostly by the riffs and bass lines.
Discazo de autĂ©ntico thrash-rock de los chicos de San Francisco. AutĂ©nticos temazos y sin bajar el listĂłn en ningĂșn momento
I worshipped this album when I was a kid and still belt this album out whenever I hit play or when it rarely plays enter sandman on the radio.
Perhaps the most consequential album in the metal genre in the past thirty years and for Metallica. While not every song hits the mark, for the most part it is a solid, neverending barrage of peak Metallica; the everlasting hour in which the band took the reins and dominated the landscape for all eternity. As always, an essential listen. Favorites: Enter Sandman, Holier Than Thou, The Unforgiven, Wherever I May Roam, Through the Never, Nothing Else Matters, Of Wolf and Man, My Friend of Misery.
This is an excellent album with lots of great songs from start to finish and goes hard AF. Excellent instrumentals. 9/10.
As a fan of hard rock music in general, this album is basically flawless. Enter Sandman is on the list of greatest album openers ever. What more can say beyond this is simply one of the all-time great albums?
It's briliant. I found myself trying to justify not giving it 5*. But I couldn't so I did.
Voor mij jeugdsentiment en het album dat Metallica ook echt bekend maakte bij het grote publiek. Het klinkt stoer maar heeft ondertussen erg leuke melodietjes. Mijn favorieten: "Enter Sandman", "Sad But True", "The Unforgiven" and "Don't Tread On Me". *****
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 bandâs 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, itâs 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?!? Thatâs insanity! Itâs just so fucking good. If you need to introduce someone to Metallica, you play this album and thatâs it; theyâve been fully indoctrinated and converted to a life of badass high octane metal head banging from here on out. Theyâre the ones who take you there, fuck yeah! \m/
Confirmou o meu ingresso no mundo do metal. Especialmente na dedicação de se escutar um ålbum completo.
One of my favourite albums in my youth. Up there with the best metal albums and helped inspire more mainstream metal.
Really liked this. Knew a few of the tracks from covers but never knew they were Metallica. Good stuff.
While many insist this album was when Metallica "sold out," few will point out that they were sellouts from the start. Keep in mind they changed the name of their debut album from the daring, bold, somewhat profound "Metal Up Your Ass" to the downright wimpy "Kill 'Em All". Corporate hacks!
Eh now we are talking! 6 out of 5 stars because this album contains so many eternal melodies!
Not much convincing needed. Metallica makes me wish I owned over the ear headphones. The guitar is beautiful - so eerie/sad/descriptive. Vocals are undeniably on point. Also, did they coin #sadbuttrue ??? THE UNFORGIVEN is an INSANELY good song! Hon mention to nothing really matters. Only neg is it's not my favourite Metallica album, perhaps more of them will appear?
I LOVED this album when I was introduced to it (around age 12 or 13 maybe?) as it was a change for Metallica going from the thrash raw metal to a more polished catchy heavy metal sound. (For the record, I love thrash Metallica and post-thrash Metallica completely equally, but the change was refreshing) "Enter Sandman" is one of the best metal songs ever. Probably a top 5 track that people think of when they think of "heavy metal". The lead guitar is an evolution for Kirk Hammett, where he introduces a super wah-wah heavy and pentatonic guided shredfest that matches this change in Metallica's sound away from the blistering thrashy solos that came before and into a more melody driven one. "Nothing Else Matters" is another incredible track. While Metallica has a very ~serious~ sort of sound, this one comes across as even more serious, and a bit sullen. It's so dynamic in the guitar playing and composition and really captures this period of Metallica well- with these huge, epic pieces that still somehow retain catchy repeatable melodies. It's a masterpiece in how to write good metal music. The one downside of this album is that it isn't jam packed with bangers, and a few of the tracks are a little forgettable. Still a 5/5 for me though.
Hell yeah - these songs sound massive! I love the energy and drama of this album. Ridiculous guitar solos too! I had this on in the background so I wasnât paying close enough attention to have favorite tracks yet but I enjoyed the ride. Looking forward to diving deeper.
Start of the decline, maybe it would have gotten stale but more thrash Metallica wouldâve been dope
Probably my favourite Metallica album but also their foray into the mainstream. Some classic songs
It really holds up. Maybe because itâs 30 years later but it doesnât sound so innovative today
Kyseisen soitinyhtyeen varmasti paras levy. Kuuntelee helposti muutaman kerran putkeen ja yksittÀiset biisit toimii aina, mutta ei silti ihan viiden * leiskautus.
A great album with some huge hits. Unfortunately the other songs cannot hold the high quality of the hits which keeps this album from reaching 5 stars
3.9 never used to like Metallica (couldâve been the Napster thing), but theyâre growing on me.
Enjoyable metal, have heard several of the songs before. Overall I would go back to this album sometime in the future
Very smooth transitions and excellent musicianship. Some of the songs blend together and sound a bit repetitive, but that could be my inexperience with metal. Super solid!
Kende m al, oud goud natuurlijk. Best hard, maar niet binnen mijn huidige smaak (jan 2021)
Massive album. Extremely well produced and written. Sooo much groove and swing in the rhythm section. Down picking riff master Hetfield outdid himself on this one. All the riffs are classics at this point. They have punch, power and they hook you instantly. Solos are melodic and well thought out never too much and always complement the songs. Ver very well put together piece of music. Some filler (eg Holier than thou or The struggle within), but even that doesn't detract from the overall quality.
this album continues to be classic metal, and inspiration for countless bands, and one of my favorite albums (despite thinking Lars Ulrich is a huge piece of shit).
Enter Sandman" Released: July 29, 1991[1] "The Unforgiven" Released: October 28, 1991[2] "Nothing Else Matters" Released: April 20, 1992[3] "Wherever I May Roam" Released: October 19, 1992[4] "Sad but True" Released: February 8, 1993[5]
I always enjoyed this album. Wasn't much of a metalhead at 14, but this is pretty much my access point for appreciation of it.
IMO this was when Metallica took the turn to become more mainstream (if that is the right term) ~ This is NOT the "Kill 'em All", "Ride the LIghtning" or "Master of Puppets" Metallica of my youth. A lot of my friends and fans called them sell outs when this album came out. Say what you want, this album, on the back of "And Justice For All" made Metallica the biggest heavy metal band in the world. and I fucking LOVED this album back in the day..... I wore that casette tape out! LOL
Ik ben geen grote Metallica fan, maar dit album vind ik geweldig! Een van de eerste hardrock albums die ik als tiener kocht en grijsgedraaid heb.
Even as a non-metal fan this is just a great album. The Unforgiven - Wherever I May Roam - Don't Tread on Me is an underappreciated trio.
O Black ĂĄlbum era melhor na minha memĂłria, as mĂșsicas mais famosas jĂĄ cansam, mesmo sendo boas, as mĂșsicas mais desconhecidas sĂŁo sĂł chatas. No geral Ă© um bom ĂĄlbum mas nĂŁo tao bom como tinha na minha memĂłria. Nota 7/10
Je comprends désormais un peu mieux tous les geeks trentenaires aux cheveux gras, qui utilisent le smiley ":3" pour communiquer avec de jeunes filles. Cette description s'applique d'ailleurs a la moité des utilisateurs de ce generateur, ces gens qui vomissent la musique commerciale pour se la jouer marginale, et qui ont par conséquent descendu la muse Mariah Carey. Je n'oublierai pas.
A classic to start off with. Havenât really listened to much Metallica outside their most popular songs so it was nice to hear some of their other stuff. âThe Struggle Withinâsâ guitar solo was a particular highlight.
It's a great album. But it's carried by three absolutely insane epic tracks, and the rest is like I guess... OK metal? Idk, it's why I'm hesitant to give it 5 stars
Metallica's most famous album, and the album that ushered in the 90's Grunge era, as well as elevating Heavy Metal to a mainstay genre in the public eye. A lot of Metallica's most famous songs also exist on this album. All around, this is an amazing album and a must listen-to for any fan of music - especially Heavy Metal or Rock genre enthusiasts.
Album Ranking: Enter Sandman Through the Never Of Wolf and Man The Struggle Within Nothing Else Matters Wherever I May Roam The God That Failed My Friend of Misery The Unforgiven Holier Than Thou Sad But True Don't Tread on Me
Si me gustara el metal, esto me encantarĂa. Pero como no me gusta, las canciones son muy largas y algunas muy raras
Brilliant album. Brings back a lot of memories from my teenage years. 'Enter Sandman', 'Unforgiven' both are songs that are etched in the collective memory of me and my friends
I have a confession to make. Before reviewing this album, the only version of "Enter Sandman" I had ever heard was the cover by...wait for it...Pat Boone. You haven't lived until you've heard Pat Boone cover heavy metal tunes. Anyway, suffice it to say that I'm completely unfamiliar with Metallica's catalogue. Before I get into my opinion of Metallica's "Black Album," let's get a few things out of the way. There's no disputing the musicianship on display here. This is not simplistic three chord metal headbanging by ham-handed clods. The arrangements are intricate. The playing is pretty much flawless across the board. Some of the songs are catchy, certainly Enter Sandman. James Hetfield's vocals don't move me, but technically, he's an excellent singer--the way I see it, it's my problem and my loss. The guitar playing on the other hand is a minor revelation. Kirk Hammett may not be my favorite metal guitarist, but he's really good. He has taste, a great sound, and chops to spare. With that out of the way, here's my opinion of the album. While there's nothing in particular to complain about, it's just not my thing. I mean, I plan to put their albums in all of my Spotify "year" stations, and I definitely plan to check out the earlier albums, and I wouldn't turn off one of their songs if it came on, but I can't see myself putting on this album and listening to it all the way through again. Why? I find the singer unappealing--it's just personal taste or lack of it. I don't care for the songs, which is oddly enough, where this album is supposed to excel. Again, why? Hard to say. There is little to complain about. There is nothing lazy or unintelligent about the ways these songs are constructed. And clearly some of the songs are hooky. Again, my loss. Actually, this album makes me feel inadequate as a reviewer. Usually, I have damned good reasons for criticizing an album. I hate it when reviewers slam a record for no good reason. And yet here I am. Sigh. Wait a minute. I just figured out what bothers me about this music. It strikes me as cartoonish but with zero sense of humor (now I get why they were used as the model for Spinal Tap). Okay, I feel better now
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The album has been trendy lately due to it getting remastered and having a wide array of weird selections covering it. The album is good but not top Metallica.
Hab ich hier eigentlich je festgehalten, das Metallica die erste Band war, die mich zum Kauf einer CD motiviert. Es war ââŠand Justice for Allâ aber dennoch war das Black Album irre wichtig fĂŒrs aus dem Kokon des Lego/Transformers-Zimmer hervorbangenden Metall-Kid. Und auch jetzt sitzt jede Melodie - war der Hippocamous damals recht aktiv beim wegsortieren. Bin also sehr, sehr, sehr befangen. Aber neben der SĂŒĂe nostalgischer Note stimmt fĂŒr mich auch nach wie vor die knĂŒppelnde HĂ€rte der kompletten Rhythmus Sektion (samt Hetfield) und FiligranitĂ€t Hammets. NatĂŒrlich war ich insbesondere dem Sellout Song âUnforgivenâ verfallenâŠverzeihlich und aus zeitlicher Distanz auch sowas von gerechtfertigt. Was ein MeisterstĂŒck - eingĂ€ngig, melodisch, hart, bittersĂŒĂest in seinem narrativen Element reif und, ja perfekt. In dieser Balance aus deftiger HĂ€rte und wehmĂŒtiger Zartheit gelingt hier auf AlbumlĂ€nge ein Meisterwerk. Neu entdeckter Liebling: âMy Friends of Miseryâ. 4.4
Ich fand es deutlich besser als befĂŒrchtet, teilweise aber dann halt doch einfach nur Heavy metal
Great album, donât love every song but has extremely high highs and no true lows. Perfect for when u just wanna bang ur head around.
The only Metallica album Iâm truly familiar with. Enjoyed on this listen much more than I thought I would.
Not necessarily my vibe but I have to admit that for an album that was released in 1991 it mustâve been huge and impressive. And âThe Unforgivenâ & âNothing Else Mattersâ are undoubtedly both classics now :)
My introduction to Metallica. As an 11-year-old and completely unaware of their earlier output, I had nothing to taint my view of this one. It was an entirely new sound to me and a very exciting one. I've still got a lot of time for it now.
Love this as background, will listen again. 3/5 for concentrated listening, 4/5 background
A very heavy and dark outfit from Metallica. It's probably their best and most well known album, having been number 1 in about 10 countries and a mainstay in the charts. It is the quintessential metal/heavy rock album. Its a heavier sound than the likes of the metal albums of the 80s, but does not disappoint. Best: Enter Sandman Worst: Of Wolf and Man
The first time I ever encountered the concept of "selling out" was when I was probably 11 or 12. This kid in my Boy Scout troop wanted everybody to know that the Black Album sucks because "it sounds too good." Now, whenever I listen to this album, I picture a greasy-haired kid trying to look cool with his half-buttoned Class A shirt trying to think of reasons he hates it because he knows he's supposed to. I'm not trying to say that selling out or going commercial doesn't sometimes mean compromising artistic integrity, but the furor over Metallica making their music listenable is hilarious to me. This album owns. Best track: Nothing Else Matters
Enter Sandman is such an epic song. I am also going to give this album 4 stars it was very pleasing. that's my takeaway.
Metallica have always been the one thrash band I can stand, and this album is a perfect example of their sound. A treat for my first album, but not quite that perfect 5 for me. Enter Sandman is a great song, but one that even I have personally overplayed at this point. Reminds me a lot of the first Rock Band game. If I had to pick a favourite song, I'd struggle between The Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters.
Never heard of these guys. Seriously, the biggest problem with the Metallica album is that the good songs are never played and the great songs have been overplayed. To death. I have friends who are metal fans and if they never hear "Enter Sandman" or "Nothing Else Matters" again for the rest of their lives they would be ECSTATIC. Other songs are really, really good and you don't hear them very often anymore. My personal favorite is "Wherever I May Roam." The intro is so different from anything else the band had done before. Never in a million years would you have expected a progression from "Master of Puppets" to this. I liken "And Justice For All" like so many other progressive rock bands who went too far over the edge, a very divisive album, but then the band stepped back and tried something else. Some regained their fans (Yes, Genesis) others never really recovered (ELP). I picked up the 30th anniversary edition of the Black album (not the boxed set, that's overkill) and the lesser known tracks sound just as good (except "Through The Never", sounds kinda lurch-y. It feels like they aren't very sure about that one.) It's not my favorite album of theirs, but you cannot deny what they accomplished with it. My favorite quote about this album comes from Jason Newsted: "People said we sold out for this album. Yes, we did... every seat in every stadium." So I give this 4 stars, it's a really good, solid album, but it still isn't up there for me of their best (Master of Puppets, a quintessential metal album.).
Listen, the guys of Metallica are kind of big loser babies, but I cannot deny that this album absolutely rules. I enjoyed every rock and rolling minute, and may have banged my head once or thrice.