Metallica - Metallica (The Black Album)
- FaceOff - עימות חזיתי
- 4 days ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
It shook the music world to its core...
It caused a division among its fans...
It swept through like a relentless tsunami...
It is denser than any naturally occurring chemical element...
Today marks the anniversary of Metallica's "Black Album"!!!
This time, we'll begin with a unique personal story...
Although there is now complete agreement between both sides of "Face/Off" regarding this album, it wasn't always so.
On July 25th, we reviewed Metallica's debut album - "Kill 'Em All".
The review shares a personal story from one of the writers below, detailing how he discovered Metallica and the thrash metal genre in the 1980s.
That boy from the "Kill 'Em All" story grew up with the band, evolved alongside it, and felt the loss of its legendary bassist Cliff Burton, which he learned about through a Teletext message. He sighed with relief when the turntable needle hit the first note of the first vinyl, out of two, of the album "And Justice For All..."
Then, while he felt secure about the band's future, right in the midst of the excitement following the band's mini-comeback with Jason Newsted, he found himself crossing the thin line between love and hate.
The black album was released in August 1991, and the same young man, who was in the midst of military service at the time, felt utterly shocked. The band he was so connected to had betrayed him and most of its devoted fans by "selling its soul," commercializing, and abandoning the powerful genre it helped create. He wasn't alone in feeling this way, as the band's long-time fans who grew up with it can attest. This sense of betrayal even reached the industry. Just ask the members of Pantera, who, with "Vulgar Display of Power," aimed to create their heaviest and most aggressive album, partly in response to the feeling of abandonment they experienced from Metallica's Black album.
But then came the turning point !!
In 1993, about a month after Guns N' Roses performed in Israel (May 22, 1993), "Metallica" came to Israel. The concert coincided with the birthday of a teenage boy (a cosmic coincidence), and he received the greatest gift he could imagine. He reconnected with the band he grew up with. It's unclear what led to the change in his feelings and attitude. Perhaps it was the onset of adulthood that a young teenager struggles to accept, perhaps it was the disappointment he felt with Guns' performance a month earlier, or maybe it was because "Metallica" appeared on stage just as he remembered them from his first listen 10 years prior: powerful, frenetic, aggressive, and energetic. That night, "Metallica" delivered the best show he had ever seen, and those tens of thousands present would likely agree it was the best show they had witnessed in Israel (perhaps until Guns' returned in 2017). Since then, the boy fell in love with the band once more and became completely devoted to them and the "Black Album."
The narrative of the other side of "Face/Off" also involves a transformation, yet here it is about a complete "conversion." This side was enveloped in cotton candy and an assortment of sticky "poppy" jellies.
He grew up listening to bands whose names we won't disclose here to protect privacy (or avoid harming the show's reputation), but suffice it to say, the posters covering his room's walls were very colorful, with no trace of black.
Previously, we discussed the turning point of this boy, known for his "late blooming," with the first single from Hayehudim band, which occurred around 1994. Similarly, there was a late bloom here, and while everyone was immersed in grunge, he suddenly discovered "Guns N' Roses," which was naturally more palatable for that young religious convert whose ears were accustomed to synthesized sounds and lively voices.
But then, something miraculous happened. By chance, with one of his friends, he heard the song "Sad But True." That instant... that moment... where the sound of the exploding snare, as if the Hulk himself was pounding out of a massive crater on the drum covered in white skin, shattered the boy's soul.
The makeover completes its shape !!
From that moment, he couldn't relax. He rushed to buy the Black album, hit play, and satisfied his craving for that incredible snare sound. This album played a crucial role in shaping the boy and fueling his ambition to become a drummer. He spent entire days listening to the drum sounds, analyzing every beat by Lars Ulrich, and replicating them on the vintage drum set he had purchased for a few hundred shekels. He tried to understand how the snare could burst so powerfully, how the hi-hat produced a drifting sound as if made from the friction of countless cymbals stacked together, and how the cymbals were so captivating that they ensnared the listener's eardrum. This marked the beginning of a wonderful friendship!
Now, if we delve into the album, we must first address the most fascinating and intriguing question, Why?
Why, after four intense thrash metal albums characterized by fast tempos, lengthy and dynamic tracks, intricate solos, wild drumming, and profound lyrics, did the band release such a "simple" album? The band members themselves claimed that this was the reason for their musical shift—they wanted to create something simpler!
There are numerous theories, facts, and stories surrounding the... Why?
The band members desired to create something simpler because they were weary of long tracks. They had already demonstrated their ability to produce lengthy and complex songs, and now they wanted to convey their message with just two or three riffs through short, melodic songs, and that was it.
They expressed that with their previous albums, they felt they had pushed too far and missed something musically, as if there was a realm they wanted to explore but hadn't yet achieved.
It may sound somewhat disconnected, but James Hetfield even mentioned that they felt insecure about their music and lyrics, as if they were masking it with a showcase of lengthy, complex, and fast tracks.
It's widely acknowledged that the most significant and challenging theory, circulated by critics, reporters, and even fans, is that they aimed to be more commercial. They sought to reach a larger audience and achieve greater commercial success, leading them to change direction.
Indeed... they wanted to earn more money!!
Ultimately, it doesn't matter where you stand—whether you're on the supportive and appreciative side or the critical and negative side—or what the true reason for the musical shift is. It's important to remember that music is an art form, fundamentally human, created from the passions and ideas of its creators. You can love it or hate it, but this album is a monumental musical achievement, immense and impressive!! It changed history and had a significant impact on the world of rock!!
Many exciting things occurred on this album...
To begin with, the producer's role had a significant impact on this album!! This marked the first time Metallica chose to collaborate with a producer. Although Danish producer Flemming Rasmussen was credited on Metallica's earlier albums, he primarily handled technical aspects rather than setting the creative direction. For this album, the band brought in Bob Rock, largely due to his work with Mötley Crüe, and he truly established the album's tone. Previously, Hetfield and Lars would write, compose, and arrange the songs mostly by themselves, with Kirk Hammett and Jason joining in the final stages. No one else typically intervened. Imagine the upheaval for Hetfield and Lars when someone suddenly started advising them on how to adjust notes and improve their sound.
Naturally, this transition wasn't easy, and the album's creation involved numerous challenges, arguments, and confrontations. Bob pushed the band members hard, urging Hetfield to enhance the song lyrics with more personal and intimate touches. He also encouraged him to introduce harmony in the vocal recordings, which hadn't been present before. The band was required to record tracks repeatedly until they achieved the desired outcome. Bob also had them experiment with various musical instruments and techniques to push them out of their comfort zones and produce unique sounds. Unlike previous albums, where writing was more individualistic, Bob insisted that the band members collaborate in the studio. Many of Bob's contributions significantly influenced the final result, but they also led to considerable tension and conflict. In fact, Lars, Kirk, and Jason all went through divorces during the album's production, and its costs exceeded the initial budget by several times. These events are documented in "A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica".
This album includes much slower and "heavier" tracks compared to Metallica's earlier releases. The band members put significant effort into creating a richer sound for all the instruments. After the album "And Justice for All...", where they felt the high notes were overly dominant and there was a noticeable lack of low notes—especially with Jason's bass being almost inaudible—they aimed for a powerful thickness in this release. The distortion fills the entire speaker membrane, and the drums deliver an impressive presence. Lars simplified his drumming, moving from complex double bass techniques and intricate rhythms to a straightforward rock style. Jason significantly increased the bass volume beyond regular accompaniment, playing so forcefully that they had to dampen the studio to prevent string clicks during recording. Additionally, they incorporated instruments not typical in metal at the time, such as the cello and a string orchestra.
Hetfield's songwriting evolved under Bob's influence, who encouraged him to write with more confidence and incorporate a personal touch. The lyrics on this album explore Hetfield's intimate and personal themes, including past religious experiences, childhood situations, and family events. Additionally, Hetfield took voice development lessons (after losing his voice during a cover song) to achieve a richer and deeper vocal expression, using singing techniques that enhance the harmony of the lyrics.
The album cover stands out from everything Metallica had done before this release. It features a black background, a caption in a slightly different shade of black, and a gray snake symbol, all reflecting the band's shift. The design elements highlight the band's move towards simplicity, with no complex or cartoonish graphics, no prominent album title, and the band name barely visible.
We said it is a massive... massive... album... so let's discuss commercialism a bit.
This is the band's first album to reach number one on the Billboard charts, where it remained for four consecutive weeks. Impressively, it spent a total of 488 consecutive weeks on the charts, becoming the third longest-charting album after Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon" and Carole King's "Tapestry". It received a platinum certification just two weeks after its release and has consistently sold more than 1,000 copies each week. To date, it has sold over 35 million copies.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the album, Metallica has launched a unique project titled "The Metallica Blacklist," set to be released on September 10, 2021. This project includes 51 diverse musicians who have crafted new renditions of songs from the album. Among these artists are Sawayama, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, St. Vincent, Royal Blood, White Reaper, Corey Taylor, Mexican Institute of Sound, Flatbush Zombies, Miley Cyrus, Elton John, and many more.
You can listen to this special album on Spotify, Apple Music
You are welcome to listen to the special edition released on September 10, 2021, for the album. This edition was remastered and includes an exciting collection of tracks from live performances, demo recordings, studio sketches, and many other rare tracks.
Listen to the album "Metallica (Remastered Deluxe Box Set)" on Spotify, Apple Music
So do yourself a favor and listen for the umpteenth time (or for the first time) to this mighty album
On: Spotify, Apple Music
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