Metallica/The Black Album --- Metallica --- 1991 (Elektra)
The big one for the boys from LA, the self-titled album which earned the unofficial name of "The Black Album" (guess why?) became their biggest selling and most successful album, yielding six hit singles --- pretty unprecendented for a rock album, almost unheard of for a metal one! So is it as good as everyone claims?
Well, I of course know and love opener "Enter sandman", but then, who doesn't? "Sad but true", another single, is heavy and doomy, with grinding guitar from Kirk Hammet, while "Holier than thou" is a faster, pacier rocker, everything slowing down then for "The unforgiven", with nice classical guitar and a kind of western feel to it. Interesting to hear the softer side of Hetfield's voice.
"Wherever I may roam" is a slow cruncher, "Don't tread on me" a little more uptempo, just as heavy, great singalong chorus, but I must say the strings are a huge and welcome surprise on "Nothing else matters". What a great song! Standout of the album for me. Well, apart from, you know. Hey, even Shakira covered this!
Metallica aren't really my type of band, but this album definitely deserves its place as one of their most highly-regarded.
TRACKLISTING
1. Enter Sandman
2. Sad but true
3. Holier than thou
4. The Unforgiven
5. Wherever I may roam
6. Don't tread on me
7. Through the never
8. Nothing else matters
9. Of wolf and man
10. The god that failed
11. My friend of misery
12. The struggle within