Metallica

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.

“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

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. 🤟🤘🤟🤘

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.

'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...

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/

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.

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.

Vous qui fréquentez ce générateur connaissez très bien mon être sous ses traits les plus intimes. Vous savez donc à quel point j'aime dégueuler sur tout ce qui se rapproche du heavy metal ; style que je considère comme une véritable fausse route dans l'histoire de la musique. Néanmoins cet album est très bon, il faut le reconnaître. Pour tout vous dire, à la fin du projet, je portais fièrement un tee-shirt tête de mort, des bottines ainsi qu'un clébard dégueulasse.

Prefer the earlier, thrashier, proggier Metallica.

dundundundundDUNUDN

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.

Gods of rock, we are not worthy. Every single track is majestic, stellar, magnificent.

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.

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

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.

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.

The black album is a great album, It's fairlly increidble to have all these metallica hits in the same album.

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.

Perfección

Legendary and it holds up

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.

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.

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.

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

I kind of feel like this is basically a Motley Crue record, just heavier, more beefed up and sans eye shadow.

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.

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]

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.

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.

It's briliant. I found myself trying to justify not giving it 5*. But I couldn't so I did.

Awesome album. The last great album from Metallica.

A cracking Friday album. Kirk seems to always table a calm lick of the guitar to set off any track. Iconic drum track

One of the greatest so far.

I grew up on this album so I'm biased but crank that shit to 11

YUP.

Doesn’t get much better than this. James Hatfield might be the coolest guy alive

Ei ehkä kolahda enää yhtä paljon kuin aikoinaan liiallisen radiosoiton takia, mutta klassikko ja ensimmäisiä levyjä inspiroimassa omaa musiikinkuuntelua ja sillon tätä tykitettiinkin. Ilman muuta ansaitsee 5*

Seminal album from my teenage years

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.

Couple bangers, the rest just okay rock.

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.

Enjoyable.

Absolute classic in the hard rock genre. Great songs in enter sandman and the unforgiven

By pure coincidence I had "... And Justice for All" two days ago. Two very different Metallica albums but I liked them both a lot. The "Black Album" is less speed/trash and more accessible, with even a metal ballad (of which I'm not usually a fan, but Nothing Else Matters is good). Lots of stonkers/classics on this album. And unlike "... And justice for all", this album is beautifully produced, it sounds great at all volumes with a solid rhythm section and powerful but not shrill guitars. Stunning album.

Fucking amazing 🤘🤘🤘

Metallica - Metallica (1991) I wonder if there is a method to the madness of musicians when it comes to deciding where and when they will simply do their self-titled album? Is it an unmistakable mission statement of the band and its style? Does it come later on in a career when a group wants to return to its roots? When you want to make a cheeky Beatles reference? Or do you save it for a rainy day when you can't be stuffed thinking of a cool name for your album? Coming out of listening to this, I wasn't any closer to understanding the answer to the previous question. But I certainly had a good time with what I heard. I'm not really a Metallica fan, I hadn't grown up with them. My exposure to them was usually through their big hits, as well as pop culture and cultural osmosis. While some of the tried old bits about them being bland or safe metal felt a bit appropriate at times while listening to this. I don't think I can really diss an album where the most negative feeling I had coming out of one of its songs was 'eh, that was kinda good'. There are some really awesome tracks on here, with all of my highlights having some segments (particularly with the guitars) that I just loved. If I had any real negatives to say it would be that my least favourite song was also the closing song of the album. Not exactly the best to wrap up with in my opinion but at least I can always just ignore it on repeated listens. I also can't hold that against the rest of the albums quality. Highlights: The Unforgiven, Nothing Else Matters, Enter Sandman, The God That Failed

Personally I like their earlier work. The later work doesn’t have the same grit. This album is considered the midpoint for me. I can’t deny the greatness of it but it represents a more mainstream version of the previous music from them. Still 5 stars tho.

Definitely a 'have to hear'. Even if you don't like all the songs, deserves a 5 for production/sound.

One of the besrt albums!

The heady days of 1991 when grunge had become a thing in the public consciousness with 'Nevernind', so what does the masters of metal do? Go commercial! Just to put it out there, I hated metal, it's culture, it's clothes, all of it at the time. So what did I make of Metal lite? Its very good, listenable, tuneful, with a bite. I hate that odd metal vocal thing they all do, but apart from that it's a low 5. Yes I'm giving a Metallica album a 5.

Can’t have sex to it

Now THIS is metal at its finest. I haven’t listened to much metal, but Napalm Death left some pretty bad first impressions on me. But THIS is incredible! Can’t believe I’m doing this. But I’m rating this a 5. Great album.

¡VINILAZO!

Put off listening to this to re-listen to Getz/Gilberto. This is no doubt a great album, even though I'm not really in the mood for it.

The Black Album. The album that catapulted Metallica into the mainstream, but also alienated a lot of their fans due to the change in sound. I'm one of those weird people that was already a fan (I came on board with the Justice album) yet still loved this album.

The Black Album!! been a while since i got a 5 star one recently Favorite track: nothing else matters other picks: Enter Sandman, sad but true, unforgiven, whereever i may roam

Epic album! What an opening as well with Enter Sandman! The heaviness of the drums and the guitar riff. 100% platinum headbang material. And the guitar solos... damn... flawless.

Tämä on musiikkia ihmisten kuunneltavaksi samalla kun haaveilee 500 kilon penkkipunnistelusta, pelin voittavasta touchdownista, Eiffel-korkeasta Pamela Andersonista ja pommituksesta (kuulostaako "Lars Ulrich" epäilyttävän eurooppalaiselta eli kommilta?). Mutta sitten he avaavat silmänsä ja huomaavat murskaneensa perheen ämpärin KFC:tä ja murskaneensa 12 pakkauksen vaaleaa olutta huutaen televisiolle ja käskemällä lihavaa vaimoaan yrittää näyttää kauniilta silloin tällöin. Jos Flavortownilla olisi soundtrack, se olisi tämä albumi. Vuohenparkin polttoaineena pommi-piste-com-räjähdys tukahdutettua seksuaalisuutta. Valot sammuvat herkullisesti. heh. lihava vaimo heh. minun ''favorite genre'' osioon kuuluu: indie, punk sekä pop. tämä henkilö on ainutlaatuinen yksilö jolla vähän oudompi musiikkimaku heh... my friend of misery

I don't care if this album *partly* abandoned the speed metal / thrash metal style found on all previous Metallica LPs. It's true that if you really love that particular genre, the handful of songs that follow that old template here are not as good as the ones included in *Master Of Puppets* or *Ride The Lightning*. The thrash metal stuff is only here to energize the tracklist. It's with the slower cuts -- both *each and *every* heavier number and *each and every* ballad that this record made a lasting impact. To be more specific, if only for *Sad But True*, *The Unforgiven* and *Nothing Else Matters*, this album should be in the list. And then you have the absolutely *iconic* opener, "Enter Sandman", whose main riff is up there with Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water" and Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" in the podium of the most significant heavy riffs of all time. Under that light it doesn't really matter if the last two songs of this admittedly lengthy album are a bit of a letdown--thereby preventing me from giving it a perfect grade. The Black Album could have ended right before that, with the confessional, yet also angular and tough "The God That Failed" (pretty moving if you know Kirk's very personal source of inspiration here), and still manage to be equally impactful. Besides, Bob Rock's shrewd and glossy production, along with Metallica's more streamlined and adequate music writing, quickly managed to erase the tragic memory of *And Justice For Jason Newsted*, er, excuse me, *...For All*, from most fans of good music -- except from a subset of die-hard fans of the very bizarre genre that "progressive metal" is. Won't listen to a metal album where the bass is indiscernible, that's for sure. Here, for this album, every instrument, and each instrumental touch, slaps as they should, at least .. I've used the word "impact" or "impactful" on two occasions in my paragraphs up there, and this shouldn't hide the fact that this historical record also marked the start of a downward slope in the band's trajectory, very ironically. Embracing your full commercial potential is sometimes a dead end on an artistic level. Yet the Black Album's influence should never be underestimated. Without the melodicism of "The Unforgiven", or Kirk Hammett's stellar vocal performance on "Sad But True" (maybe heavily edited by Bob Rock?), you wouldn't have System Of A Down a decade later, for instance. But I guess that's a story for another time, kiddies! 4/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums. To which, exceptionally, I will add 0.5 points for "Enter Sandman"'s iconic riff. And as usual, I will round up my 4.5 grade to 5 9/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4) Number of albums left to review: 11 (plus the 80-ish extra LPs listed on this app, included because different past versions of the book have mentioned albums that have since been dropped in subsequent editions) Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 426 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 254 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 313

5, няма какво

Absolute classic!

My review cannot be about this album, since it is one of my main reasons for loving metal in general. Metallica opened their music up to the public and asked artists from around the world to remake and revamp the songs from this album. This type of across the world collaboration and inspiration is mind bogling to me and the true gift of music and creativity in general. Not only is the blacklist, the title of the compilation of the remakes, but the metallica original album one of my top tier albums of all time

Classic Metallica album

One of the best metal albums ever

So raw and yet so simple. Love it

heavy

Absolutely fantastic album

Iconic. Legendary. Timeless. Black.

Obviously the hits are the hits for a reason... This album just sounds so unbelievably good. Pretty much every song is a banger, and the production sounds so god damn good, even now. Such a great album.

Pure gold, 5 stars

I got so amped when this came up as the pick. I played my CD of this album so many times as a kid. So once I got home from an errand, I put it on full blast… Sorry neighbors. Album still rocks out and I was singing along as loudly as possible to many tracks. This album was peak Metallica for me personally, and nothing after was as good as this, or what they did prior.

**Metallica (The Black Album) - An In-Depth Review** Released on August 12, 1991, *Metallica*, commonly referred to as *The Black Album*, marked a significant departure from the band's thrash metal roots, opting for a more mainstream, polished sound. With the production led by Bob Rock, the album aimed for mass appeal without compromising Metallica's intensity. This review dives into the lyrical content, musical composition, production quality, overarching themes, and the influence of *The Black Album*, alongside the pros and cons that shaped its legacy. ### Lyrics The lyrics in *The Black Album* reveal a shift toward more personal, introspective themes compared to the band's earlier albums, which often centered around war, politics, and existential dread. Here, James Hetfield explores themes like inner turmoil, personal struggles, and human emotion. For instance: - "Enter Sandman" dives into the world of nightmares and the fear of the unknown, conveying a sense of childhood vulnerability. Its lyrics, “Sleep with one eye open, gripping your pillow tight,” evoke a universal anxiety about the monsters that lurk in the dark. - "The Unforgiven" is more personal and introspective, tackling themes of alienation and a longing for redemption. It reflects Hetfield's struggles with his upbringing and societal expectations. - "Nothing Else Matters" breaks from Metallica's earlier material by embracing vulnerability, with Hetfield singing about love and devotion—emotions largely absent in thrash metal’s aggressive lyrical landscape. The song’s honest approach to the subject matter made it one of the most relatable tracks for a broader audience. - "Sad but True" addresses self-destructive behavior and the internal struggle of facing one's darker side, with lyrics like "I'm your hate when you want love" articulating the duality within us all. Overall, the album's lyrics stray from the fantasy and politically charged topics seen in previous Metallica albums, instead focusing on relatable human experiences and emotions, which resonated with a wider audience. ### Music The music in *The Black Album* is defined by a departure from the fast-paced, intricate riffing synonymous with thrash metal, in favor of a slower, heavier, and more accessible approach. Each song is characterized by a tighter song structure with a strong focus on groove and melody: - **Riffs and Song Structures**: The album is dominated by mid-tempo, groove-laden riffs rather than breakneck speed. "Sad but True" and "Holier Than Thou" showcase simplified yet powerful guitar work, marked by punchy rhythms and thick, down-tuned tones. While these changes alienated some thrash metal purists, they also expanded the band's appeal. - **Solos and Lead Guitar Work**: Kirk Hammett's solos remain technically impressive but are more restrained than on previous records. The solos on tracks like "Enter Sandman" and "The Unforgiven" are memorable, focusing on serving the song rather than showing off virtuosity. - **Drumming and Rhythm Section**: Lars Ulrich’s drumming adopts a more controlled approach, utilizing simpler patterns that complement the slower tempos. His playing on tracks such as "Wherever I May Roam" emphasizes groove over technicality, making the songs more rhythmically engaging for a mainstream audience. - **Bass Lines**: With Jason Newsted on bass, the album retains a full and heavy bottom end, though it is often overshadowed by the dominant guitar work and vocal arrangements. The bass plays a supporting role, laying down a solid foundation without taking the spotlight. - **Vocals**: Hetfield’s vocal performance is one of the album's strongest features, with a shift toward a cleaner, more melodic approach. His ability to blend aggression with melody gives songs like "Nothing Else Matters" an emotional weight that would have been hard to achieve with his previous vocal style. ### Production Bob Rock’s influence on the album's production is evident in the polished, radio-friendly sound. The production stands out due to: - **Clean and Polished Sound**: Unlike previous Metallica albums, which had a raw and unpolished feel, *The Black Album* features a cleaner, more refined production. Each instrument is given its own space in the mix, allowing for a well-balanced sound where every element can be distinctly heard. - **Guitar Tone**: The guitars are thick and powerful, contributing to the album's heavy yet accessible sound. The tone is more down-tuned and crunchier than on *...And Justice for All*, which had a more trebly and dry sound. - **Drum Sound**: Lars Ulrich's drums are one of the most prominent aspects of the production, with a deep snare and thunderous toms. The drum sound, while crisp, is criticized by some for being too polished and lacking the organic feel found in earlier albums. - **Layering and Effects**: The use of layering and effects, such as reverb and delay, adds depth to tracks like "Nothing Else Matters" and "The Unforgiven." Bob Rock's background in working with more mainstream rock acts influenced the decision to add these production elements, which contributed to the album's mass appeal. ### Themes The central themes in *The Black Album* revolve around inner conflict, fear, and personal experiences rather than the external political and societal concerns that had previously driven the band's songwriting. The album explores a range of human emotions, such as: - **Fear and Anxiety**: "Enter Sandman" addresses primal fears, drawing on the theme of nightmares and the loss of innocence. The eerie, hypnotic riff adds to the song's unsettling vibe. - **Alienation and Redemption**: Songs like "The Unforgiven" touch on themes of being misunderstood, growing up with rigid expectations, and the search for forgiveness. The song's balladic structure and emotive lyrics make it a standout track for its thematic depth. - **Self-Reflection and Struggle**: "Sad but True" delves into the darker side of the human psyche, exploring the struggle with one's own inner demons. This theme of internal conflict recurs throughout the album. - **Love and Vulnerability**: The ballad "Nothing Else Matters" defies heavy metal conventions by openly addressing love and emotional honesty. It serves as a unique inclusion in the band's catalog, broadening the scope of lyrical themes typically associated with metal. ### Influence *The Black Album* had a profound impact on the music industry and metal genre, becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time. Its influence can be seen in various ways: - **Mainstream Success**: The album's polished production and simplified song structures allowed Metallica to achieve unprecedented mainstream success. It introduced a broader audience to heavy metal, helping to break down genre barriers and establish metal as a commercially viable music style. - **Impact on Metal Subgenres**: The success of *The Black Album* led other bands to explore similar approaches, resulting in the emergence of subgenres like groove metal, which emphasized slower tempos and rhythmic groove over speed and technicality. - **Commercialization of Metal**: While *The Black Album* made metal more accessible, it also set a precedent for commercialization, leading some critics to argue that it marked the beginning of the genre's dilution. This shift sparked debates about "selling out" and the balance between artistic integrity and mainstream success. - **Influence on Other Bands**: Bands across multiple genres, from alternative metal to grunge, were influenced by the album’s production values and song structure. It became a template for how heavier music could achieve mass appeal without sacrificing intensity. ### Pros and Cons **Pros**: 1. **Broader Appeal**: *The Black Album* expanded Metallica’s audience by incorporating elements that appealed to mainstream rock listeners without entirely abandoning the band's heavy roots. This accessibility made it one of the best-selling albums in metal history. 2. **Memorable Songs**: Tracks like "Enter Sandman," "The Unforgiven," and "Nothing Else Matters" are among Metallica's most iconic. Their strong melodies and accessible structures helped cement the band's legacy. 3. **High Production Quality**: Bob Rock’s production brought a polished, clean sound that highlighted each instrument, making the music feel full and powerful. The depth and clarity allowed the band's sonic heaviness to reach a broader audience. 4. **Lyrical Depth**: The album's lyrics delve into personal themes and struggles, marking a departure from the politically charged and abstract topics of previous records. This personal touch resonated with many fans. 5. **Evolution and Experimentation**: The album demonstrated Metallica's willingness to evolve, setting the stage for later explorations in their career. **Cons**: 1. **Simplification of Songwriting**: The transition to simpler, more accessible structures disappointed some long-time fans who preferred the complexity and aggression of the band's earlier work. The songs are generally shorter and less intricate, sacrificing some of the technical musicianship. 2. **Overproduction**: Critics argue that the production is overly polished, losing the raw energy and organic feel that characterized Metallica's earlier albums. The clean production made the band sound more like a mainstream rock act, rather than a metal band. 3. **Drum Sound**: Lars Ulrich's drum tone has been critiqued for being too prominent and synthetic-sounding, with the snare in particular lacking the punch and rawness heard on albums like *Master of Puppets*. 4. **Commercialization Accusations**: Some fans and critics view *The Black Album* as a "sellout" moment, prioritizing mainstream success over the band's thrash metal roots. This accusation has lingered in discussions about the album's legacy. 5. **Inconsistent Track Quality**: While the album contains several standout tracks, others are viewed as filler. Songs like "Don't Tread on Me" and "The Struggle Within" are often cited as less memorable, not living up to the quality of the album's strongest moments. ### Conclusion *Metallica (The Black Album)* is a landmark album that redefined heavy metal's relationship with the mainstream, for better or worse. Its polished production, accessible song structures, and introspective lyrics allowed Metallica to reach new heights of commercial success, while also alienating some of their original fanbase. The album's impact on the music industry and its influence on the evolution of metal cannot be overstated. While it is not without its flaws, the album remains a pivotal moment in Metallica's career, balancing artistic risk with mainstream appeal. It serves as a testament to the band's ability to adapt and redefine itself, ensuring its place in the annals of music history.

As a metal head when this was released, found it a little too main stream at the time. Now with a little age and a greater appreciation of the finer things in life can honestly say this album is brilliant. It’s still heavy enough to offer yet rocky enough to encourage others into the metal fold.

Rating: 9.5/10 Metallica went "mainstream" and made an album most bands can only dream of making. Incredible production, fantastic guitar riffs and solos, and James Hetfield's best vocal performance up to that point. The Struggle Within prevents this from being a full 10/10 though. Favorite songs: pretty much all of them. Worst song: The Struggle Within.

I've listened to this album so much in my life I know every note. An all time classic where every song is perfect. I don't need to listen to this one again, so I'm going to the Deluxe Box Set to listen to the Day on the Green and Arco Arena shows. Two shows a much younger me attended and both were phenomenal concert experiences. Side note, there's a lot of pearl clutching in the comments. "Boredom sets into the boring mind" I'm looking at you 1 star reviewers.

This blockbuster was impossible to ignore when it came out, even with all the grunge, and it still sounds great 33(!) years later.

4.5

# Album Name: Metallica (black album) # Artist: Metallica # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: For me, this is pinnacle metallica. An absolutely great album from them. The first 10 tracks are very good with several great tunes in there. # Top Tunes: Enter sandman / sad but true / nothing else matters / unforgiven # Would I listen to it again? hell yeah.

Forgot how hard this album rocks

Love it

This is a classic.

Big change in sound, but oh what a classic!

Solid album. Yes, it was a huge direction change from ...and Justice for all. Diehard fans were angry because this isn't metal. It's slower, more rock, and some of the rhythms even swing a bit. But, it opened them up to an entirely new audience that were able to digest it more easily than previous albums. I think it's their 5th best album, with the four before it claiming the top 1-4 in their discography. But, those first four are masterworks, and for my money, this is the only other Metallica album that's a must have.

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Album 519 of 1001 Metallica - Metallica (1991) Rating : 4.5 / 5 Great album. Some excellent tracks. Awesome debut.

I really don't get why some Metallica die hards hate this album so much. This is heavy as fuck and Metallica is as good as ever here, if not as fast. Lars is underrated as a drummer and contributor to the band. His fill selection is great and a little odd. Still not sure if I like this or Master of Puppets more but it's real close

If this were just a little worse, I would hate it. But as it is, this is amazing. What Metallica’s (many) imitators don’t get is that these are actual songs, with actual music and actual singing. I think I’m a legit Metallica fan. Who knew?

Great album- listened to it a ton in my day

One of the best and most influential metal albums of all time. This baby holds up really well. 4.6 stars

Just a great album start to finish

Ride the lightning better pero sad but true y the unforgiven vale como por 3 puntos, 9/10.

Really good album, I am honestly flabbergasted that I had never listened to this masterpiece before, it’s honestly so good, this made me love metal even more, love Metallica. 9.7/10.

Metallica at their most accessible. An instant ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‼ I own this album for years and it still bangs like at first time. 🤘 The album is packed with Metallicas all-time classics. And none of these songs sounds aged. One hour of excellent power-metal!

All time classic I grew up on

I'm not sure we're ever going to see another one like em. Masterclass of an album.

Every Metallica album will forever get a 5 from this guy

It brought metal into the mainstream, and for good reason. Great songwriting and music, riffs and hooks!!

9/10