Metallica’s 1991 self titled album, dubbed “the Black Album” by fans for its iconic black sleeve, thrust Metallica and heavy metal into the mainstream. At the time it served as a critical counterpoint to the cock rock that dominated the charts, led by the likes of Bon Jovi and Def Leppard. Metallica’s previous four albums had set the metal world on fire, a series of thundering thrash metal records that helped revolutionise the genre, however in order to achieve the commercial success that they had sniffed with their previous record …And Justice For All, their creative process would need to shift. To facilitate this change, Metallica enlisted the services of producer Bob Rock – previously the fastidious producer of Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe. As one might imagine, this decision drew a considerable amount of controversy from Metallica’s core fan base. Would Bob Rock dilute the mighty Metallica into another flouncy commercial rock band? Were they selling out? While the Black album did mark a shift away from speed metal and prog-influenced arrangements, the muscular riffs and powerful grooves that had always defined the band remained very much intact. The songwriting here is more succinct and Bob Rock’s sonic contributions make the album feel huge. Metallica compromised just enough to storm the pop charts while retaining their heavy metal DNA. The album was an enormous commercial success. It is currently the highest selling album ever in the United States and debuted at number 1 all over the world. Album highlights include Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters, Sad But True and Wherever I May Roam. Did Metallica sell out? As then-bass player Jason Newsted once quipped, “Yes, we sell out: every seat in the house, every time we play, anywhere we play.”
Pete Whelan 