On this day in 1991: Metallica released their iconic self-titled LP, better known as The Black Album

Unfairly labelled by metalhead extremists as their “sell-out’ album, Metallica’s eponymous 1991 LP sold 16 million records, and took the band to a level of popularity never before seen by a heavy metal band.

‘Enter Sandman’ and ‘Nothing Else Matters’ introduced the band to swarms of new fans who weren’t as attached to the metal community as the diehards – which caused some tension.

Metal purists aside, Metallica demonstrated that the skill in broadening your appeal is not in trying to get more complex or faster, but to write songs that are more condensed whilst still having the same attitude and power behind them.

The perfect album for new converts to the metal genre who want to explore the legacy of this great band...

Robert Trujillo:

“Every sporting event I see here in the States, you’re gonna hear ‘Sandman’ 90 percent of the time. For a while, it was ‘Sandman’ and ‘Crazy Train’ by Ozzy! It’s safe to say that this style of music, and these songs, do help inspire people and motivate a crowd..."

(read the full 2023 interview here)

Trivium's Matt Heafy:

"When I first heard Metallica’s Black Album in the car on the way to school, I said I wanted to be that big. And bigger. ”

(read the full 2005 interview here)

Revisit the classic album below: