Metallica's self titled fifth album, more commonly known as The Black Album, was met with loads of controversy upon its release. This however did not stop the album from going more than ten times platinum, and remaining a constant on radio today. Some people claimed Metallica had sold out and become was ups, but the truth is that Metallica was evolving, just like every other band. It is my opinion that no matter what Metallica would have done at this point, it would have been criticized and put through the ringer again and again. If they would have stayed the same and continued playing at finger blistering speeds, critics would have said that Metallica couldn't play anything else....but they did, and still they were met with contorversy. Despite all the critiques and negative things said about this album, it is one of the best metal albums of all time, and it helped get metal the recognition it deserves.
Although The Black Album may not be Metallica's best album, it most certainly not their worst..(cough*St.Anger*cough). The tracks on the album managed to maintain the heavy riffage and solos that Metallica had become known for, but also allowed listeners to hear a different side of Metallica; songs like "Nothing Else Matters" and "The Unforgiven" displayed a softer side of Metallica and proved that they didn't need excessive distortion and volume to be the biggest band in the world. With over ten million albums sold worldwide, The Black Album has become a stamp in the metal world today, and is no less influencial than the day it was released.
Released on August 13, 1991, The Black Album shook the metal community to it's core. With it's powerful riffs, meaningful new ballads, and aggressive vocals, it simply could not be dismissed as just another album, reaching number 1 on the US charts within weeks of it's release. Within it's confines was 62 minutes and 4 seconds of music that would change the course of metal, and influence future bands to this day. 12 tracks (13 on the Japanese release, "So What" was included) later, the metal youth would never be the same, and with good reason.
The Black Album was released right as James Hetfield was reaching his peak vocally, and he nails the vocal tracks on the album, with the exception of a few soar notes, most notably on "Nothing Else Matters." His vocals are very aggressive and resemble those on their 1988 release ...And Justice for All. His voice does the lyrics justice, and really adds to their appeal. For example, on "Sad But True", Hetfield sings:
"Hate, I'm your hate
I'm your hate when you want love.
Pay, pay the price
Pay, for nothing's fair..."
His vocal style adds some bite to the lyrics, almost as though he is grabbing you by the throat and screaming them in your face. The lyrics he writes on this album also live up to the standard of the past albums, just with a little social appeal. With the exception of a few songs the lyrics aren't as dark as they are on past albums like MOP and RTL. However songs like "Enter Sandman" and "Sad But True" tackle the dark side of humanity and the human condition with great success. Hetfield's ability to write a good ballad is an added surprise. "Nothing Else Matters" probably received the harshest criticism out of any song on the album, but it is undeniably a great song. Its melody and lyrics are very memorable, but he occasionally overshoots a note or goes flat for a split second, but overall he does a nice job. As I previously stated, the lyrics are very good, but they do seem to get progressively worse as the album progresses (I use the term worse very, very lightly). They do not become lame or boring, they just don't pack the punch the first five tracks possessed, but they do make for good listening.
"Pride you took
Pride you feel
Pride that you felt when you'd kneel
Not the word
Not the love
Not what you thought from above"
Lyrical excerpt from the song "The God That Failed"
As you can see the lyrics are not bad, in fact they are very good, they just seem repetitive and lack the sting of the first few songs.
The guitar work on this album is also very different than on the last few Metallica albums. The overall tempo of the album is fairly fast, but no where near the speed of MOP or Kill em' All. Songs like "Holier Than Thou" however, still retain the blistering speed that Metallica were known for. As usual, James Hetfield's rhythms are spot on, something that every Metallica album has had, regardless of the quality of songs. His riffs on such songs as "My Friends Misery" and "Sad But True" are extremely heavy and new in terms of Metallica riffage. His ability to make the most out of only a few notes is undeniably fantastic, but may turn off some older fans. As I said the riffs are very good, but very different from past albums. Kirk Hammett doesn't slack on this album with his guitar parts either. He most notably came up with the lick we now know as "Enter Sandman", arguably one of the most recognizable riffs of all time. His solos are nothing special, they are what we have grown to expect out of him. His talent is undeniable, but sometimes the mindless shredding and excessive wah pedal usage make you question his creativity. He does manage to put some memorable solos on a few different tracks though. The buildup solo he records on "The Unforgiven" is remarkably good, and "The Stuggle Within" has a solo that moves all over the neck. Jason Newsted is noticably more audible or this album than on ...And Justice for All. This may have something to do with the arrival of Bob Rock, the man who would produce Metallica's next 6 albums (this one included). Newsted even has a few songs in which he has bass introductions...unheard of in past Metallica's albums. "My Friend of Misery" has a winding bass introduction that is rather memorable, it's not extremely technical but very atmospheric. He also plays with Lars on he introduction to "The God That Failed." It is no where near the caliber of MFOM but it stillisa solid riff that will later be mimiced by the guitars. The drumming on this album is probably the closest thing to past Metallica albums. The drums were recorded in a room with a large amount of reverb, and they sound great. Ulrich displays his ability to play fast complex beats ("The Struggle Within" and "Holier Than Thou") as well as his ability to play slower tempos, while still maintaining a good amount of presence. Needless to say the music is different, but it is not different enough to remove any creidibility from their "Big 4" metal status. (Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica, Slayer)
Bob Rock, the man with the finger on almost ever musical project in the late 1980's, early 1990's, produced this album, along with Load, Reload, Garage Inc, S&M, and St. Anger. In my opinion this is the best work Rock and Metallica have done to date. There's not really much to say about Rock except the fact that he expanded Metallica's horizons and made a fine metal album.
Metallica was...
James Hetfield - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Kirk Hammett - Lead Guitar, Vocals
Jason Newsted - Bass, Vocals
Lars Ulrich - Drums
My Track Rating:
Enter Sandman - 9/10
Sad But True - 9/10
Holier Than Thou - 8/10
The Unforgiven - 8/10
Wherever I May Roam - 7/10
Don't Tread on Me - 8/10
Through the Never - 8/10
Nothing Else Matters - 9/10
Of Wolf and Man - 8/10
The God That Failed - 7/10
My Friend of Misery - 8/10
The Struggle Within - 9/10
Bottom Line: Great album, occasional small mistake, but they are few and far between. New from what metallica had been doing, but not bad, and no where near the difference of Load and Reload...I don't think anyone saw that coming.
