Metallica (album)

Metallica
Studio album by Metallica
Released August 13, 1991[1]
Recorded October 6, 1990 – June 16, 1991 at "One On One" Studios, Los Angeles, California and Little Mountain Sound Studios, Vancouver, British Columbia
Genre Heavy metal
Length 62:31
Label Elektra, Vertigo, Universal
Producer Bob Rock, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich
Metallica chronology
…And Justice for All
(1988)		 Metallica
(1991)		 Load
(1996)
Singles from Metallica
  1. "Enter Sandman"
    Released: 1991
  2. "The Unforgiven"
    Released: 1991
  3. "Nothing Else Matters"
    Released: 1992
  4. "Wherever I May Roam"
    Released: 1992
  5. "Sad but True"
    Released: 1992

Metallica (also known as The Black Album) is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released August 13, 1991 through Elektra Records. The album features songs that are considered today among Metallica's most well-known songs, with songs such as "Enter Sandman", "The Unforgiven", "Nothing Else Matters", "Wherever I May Roam" and "Sad but True".

It spent four consecutive weeks at number one on Billboard 200. Metallica is the band's best-selling album to date, with over 15 million copies sold in the United States. It is the best-selling album of the SoundScan era.[2][3] The album was certified 15x Platinum (Diamond) by the RIAA on November 13, 2009.[4]

Contents

Album information

The album cover features the band's logo, angled against the upper left corner, and a coiled snake (derived from the Gadsden flag) on the bottom right corner, both in a dark shade of gray in order to be made out against the black background. The motto of the Gadsden flag, "Don't Tread on Me", is also the title of a song on the album.

The cover is reminiscent of Spinal Tap's Smell the Glove album, something the band jokingly acknowledged themselves in their A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica documentary (where members of Spinal Tap appeared and asked them about it).

The album and the band were critically acclaimed and commercially successful. The band changed their sound from previous albums. Metallica presented a more commercially accessible Metallica. Following the success of "One", the breakaway single from their album …And Justice for All, five videos were released from Metallica ("Enter Sandman", "Nothing Else Matters", "Sad but True", "Wherever I May Roam" and "The Unforgiven").

The lyrics of Metallica, written by James Hetfield, were more personal and introspective in nature than previous Metallica albums. For example, "The God That Failed" dealt with Hetfield's mother's death from cancer and her Christian Science beliefs which kept her from seeking medical treatment. Another example is "Nothing Else Matters", which expresses the connection Hetfield felt with the band while out on the road. The album ended Metallica's tradition of including a lengthy instrumental track on each album until their 2008 album Death Magnetic.

Metallica was produced by Bob Rock, who was asked to mix the album as the band was impressed with his work as producer on the Mötley Crüe album, Dr. Feelgood.[5] Initially, the band was not interested in having Rock produce their album, but changed their minds as Ulrich stated "We felt that we still had our best record in us and Bob Rock could help us make it."[5]

Rock altered the band's working schedule and routine so much that they swore never to work with him again . The animosity and tension between band and producer was documented in the documentaries A Year And A Half In The Life of Metallica and Classic Albums: The Black Album. Both explore and document the intense recording process that resulted in The Black Album. Despite the controversies between the band and Rock, he continued to work with the band through the 2003 album St. Anger.

Metallica DVD-Audio 5.1 mix was released in 2001 through Elektra Records.

Reception

 Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4.5/5 stars [6]
Q 5/5 stars

Tour

The world tour following the album (initially dubbed the "Wherever We May Roam Tour" and then later the "Nowhere Else To Roam Tour"), saw Metallica on the road for the next three years. The tour was in part documented in the A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica documentary, as well as the 3-CD, 2-DVD (or 3-VHS) boxset Live Shit: Binge & Purge.

Some songs, such as "Enter Sandman", "Nothing Else Matters" and "Sad but True" would become permanent staples of the band's concert setlists during these and subsequent tours. Other songs though, such as "Holier Than Thou", "The God That Failed" and "Through The Never," by 1995, were no longer a part of any performances and would not be played again until more recent years when the band, with Robert Trujillo on bass, began performing a more extensive back catalog of songs.

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Enter Sandman"   James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett 5:32
2. "Sad but True"   Hetfield, Ulrich 5:25
3. "Holier Than Thou"   Hetfield, Ulrich 3:48
4. "The Unforgiven"   Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett 6:27
5. "Wherever I May Roam"   Hetfield, Ulrich 6:44
6. "Don't Tread on Me"   Hetfield, Ulrich 4:00
7. "Through the Never"   Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett 4:05
8. "Nothing Else Matters"   Hetfield, Ulrich 6:29
9. "Of Wolf and Man"   Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett 4:17
10. "The God That Failed"   Hetfield, Ulrich 5:09
11. "My Friend of Misery"   Hetfield, Ulrich, Jason Newsted 6:50
12. "The Struggle Within"   Hetfield, Ulrich 3:54

Personnel

Charting

Album

Year Chart Position
1991 Billboard 200 1
The UK Album Chart
Australian ARIA Albums Chart

Singles

Year Song Chart Position
1991 "Enter Sandman" The Billboard Hot 100 16
Mainstream Rock Tracks 10
Modern Rock Tracks 28
The UK Top 40 5 [7]
"Don't Tread on Me" Mainstream Rock Tracks 21
"The Unforgiven" The UK Top 40 15 [8]
1992 The Billboard Hot 100 35
Mainstream Rock Tracks 10
"Nothing Else Matters" The Billboard Hot 100 34
Mainstream Rock Tracks 11
The UK Top 40 6 [9]
"Wherever I May Roam" The Billboard Hot 100 82
The UK Top 40 25 [10]
Mainstream Rock Tracks 25
"Sad but True" The Billboard Hot 100 98
Mainstream Rock Tracks 15
1993 The UK Top 40 20 [11]

Certification

Country Sales Certification
United States 15,525,000[12] Diamond (15x Platinum)
Canada 1,000,000+[13] Diamond
Austria 100,000+[14] 2x Platinum
France 438.200+[15] Platinum
Finland 112,856 2x Platinum[16]
Germany 1.000.000+ 2x Platinum[17]
Netherlands 200.000+ 2x Platinum[15]
Norway 100,000+ 2x Platinum[18]
Argentina 280,000 5x Platinum[19]
Australia 560,000 8x Platinum[20]
New Zealand 150,000 10x Platinum[21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Metallica.com". Metallica.com. 1991-08-13. http://www.metallica.com/Media/Albums/albums.asp?album_id=6. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
  2. ↑ "BLABBERMOUTH.NET - METALLICA's 'Black' LP Is Top-Selling Album Of SOUNDSCAN Era". Roadrunnerrecords.com. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=132493&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blabbermouth+%28Blabbermouth.net%27s+Daily+Headlines%29. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
  3. ↑ "Metallica: 'Black' LP Is Top-Selling Album Of Soundscan Era | News @". Ultimate-guitar.com. 1991-05-25. http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/metallica_black_lp_is_top-selling_album_of_soundscan_era.html. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
  4. ↑ "Gold & Platinum - December 31, 2009". RIAA. http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Metallica&artist=Metallica&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=Warner%20Bros&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Rosen, Craig. The Billboard Book of Number One Albums. Billboard Books, 1996 ISBN 0-8230-7586-9
  6. ↑ Allmusic Review
  7. ↑ http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=19076
  8. ↑ http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=19314
  9. ↑ http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=19767
  10. ↑ http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=20304
  11. ↑ http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=20589
  12. ↑ BILLBOARD TOP SELLERS IN SOUNDSCAN ERA: Ask Billboard: Battle Of The Rock Bands, Part 2
  13. ↑ "Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA): Gold & Platinum". Cria.ca. http://www.cria.ca/goldplat.php. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
  14. ↑ "IFPI Austria - Verband der Österreichischen Musikwirtschaft" (in (German)). Ifpi.at. http://www.ifpi.at/?section=goldplatin. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "InfoDisc : Les Certifications (Albums) du SNEP (les Disques de Platine)". Infodisc.fr. http://www.infodisc.fr/CDCertif_P.php?debut=500. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
  16. ↑ IFPI Finland Searchable database - Gold and Platinum. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
  17. ↑ "Bundesverband Musikindustrie: Gold-/Platin-Datenbank". Musikindustrie.de. http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
  18. ↑ "IFPI Norsk platebransje". Ifpi.no. http://www.ifpi.no/sok/index_trofe.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
  19. ↑ "Representando a la Industria Argentina de la Música". CAPIF. http://www.capif.org.ar/Default.asp?PerDesde_MM=0&PerDesde_AA=0&PerHasta_MM=0&PerHasta_AA=0&interprete=metallica&album=&LanDesde_MM=0&LanDesde_AA=0&LanHasta_MM=0&LanHasta_AA=0&Galardon=O&Tipo=0&ACCION2=+Buscar+&ACCION=Buscar&CO=5&CODOP=ESOP. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
  20. ↑ [1]
  21. ↑ "Latest Gold / Platinum Albums - RadioScope New Zealand". 74.125.47.132. http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:KUUMEnMZ9pEJ:www.radioscope.net.nz/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D79%26Itemid%3D61+new+zealand+certification+albums&cd=9&hl=es&ct=clnk&gl=co. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
Preceded by
Unforgettable... with Love by Natalie Cole		 Billboard 200 number-one album
August 31 – September 27, 1991		 Succeeded by
Ropin' the Wind by Garth Brooks
Preceded by
Essential Pavarotti II by Luciano Pavarotti		 UK number one album
August 24, 1991 – August 30, 1991		 Succeeded by
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by London Stage Cast
Preceded by
Unforgettable... with Love by Natalie Cole		 Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album
August 25 – August 31, 1991		 Succeeded by
On Every Street by Dire Straits
Metallica
James Hetfield · Lars Ulrich · Kirk Hammett · Robert Trujillo
Cliff Burton · Ron McGovney · Dave Mustaine · Jason Newsted · Bob Rock
Studio albums
Live albums
Live Shit: Binge & Purge · S&M · Orgullo, Pasión y Gloria: Tres Noches en la Ciudad de México
Cover albums
Garage Inc.
Extended plays
The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited · Some Kind of Monster · Six Feet Down Under · Six Feet Down Under (Part II) · Live at Grimey's
Box sets
The Good, the Bad and the Live · Metallica: Vinyl Box Set · The Metallica Collection
Videos/DVDs
Cliff 'Em All · 2 of One · A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica · Live Shit: Binge & Purge · Cunning Stunts · S&M · Classic Albums: Metallica - Metallica · Some Kind of Monster · The Videos 1989–2004 · Français Pour Une Nuit · Orgullo, Pasión y Gloria: Tres Noches en la Ciudad de México · The Big 4 Live from Sofia, Bulgaria (with Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax)
Tours
Damage, Inc. Tour • Damaged Justice Tour • Wherever We May Roam Tour • Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour • Nowhere Else to Roam • Shit Hits the Sheds Tour • Poor Touring Me • Poor Re-Touring Me Tour • Garage Remains the Same Tour • Summer Sanitarium Tour • Madly in Anger with the World Tour • World Magnetic Tour
Singles and songs
"Whiplash" · "Jump in the Fire" · "Seek & Destroy" · "Fade to Black" · "Creeping Death" · "For Whom the Bell Tolls" · "Master of Puppets" · "Battery" · "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" · "Eye of the Beholder" · "Harvester of Sorrow" · "...And Justice for All" · "One" · "Enter Sandman" · "Don't Tread on Me" · "The Unforgiven" · "Nothing Else Matters" · "Wherever I May Roam" · "Sad but True" · "Until It Sleeps" · "Ain't My Bitch" · "Hero of the Day" · "Mama Said" · "King Nothing" · "Bleeding Me" · "The Memory Remains" · "The Unforgiven II" · "Fuel" · "Better than You" · "Turn the Page" · "Whiskey in the Jar" · "Die, Die My Darling" · "No Leaf Clover" · "I Disappear" · "St. Anger" · "Frantic" · "The Unnamed Feeling" · "Some Kind of Monster" · "The Ecstasy of Gold" · "The Day That Never Comes" · "My Apocalypse" · "Cyanide" · "The Judas Kiss" · "All Nightmare Long" · "Broken, Beat & Scarred"
Related articles
Awards · Band members · Discography · Demos · Tours · Apocalyptica · Beatallica · Bob Rock · Exodus · Flotsam and Jetsam · Megadeth · Napster · Rick Rubin · A Tribute to the Four Horsemen · Guitar Hero: Metallica (list of songs featured) · Metallic Assault: A Tribute to Metallica · Metallic Attack: The Ultimate Tribute
Wikipedia book Book:Metallica · Category Category:Metallica · Portal Portal:Heavy metal