Metallica (aka The Black Album) by Metallica was released in August 1991 and was the moment when they exploded globally. It went to number 1 in multiple markets and, crucially, it has endured. In September 2018 it had clocked up its 500th week on the Billboard 200 chart and had recorded sales of 16.83m in the US alone, making it the most successful album since Nielsen began tracking data in 1991. It is fair to say it was quite a big deal.
It is no surprise, then, that they are making quite a big deal out of Metallica (the album) turning 30. On 30th September, they are remastering the original album and releasing The Metallica Blacklist where they and an astonishing 53 artists revisit and rework the songs making up that album. ‘Nothing Else Matters’, for example, is covered by Miley Cyrus and includes guest appearances from WATT, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo and Chad Smith. Other acts popping up include St Vincent, Dave Gahan, Phoebe Bridgers, Chase & Status, Portugal. The Man and The Hu.
The limited-edition box set veers into the hyperbolic, putting it firmly in the realms of ostentation alongside Guns N’ Roses’ Locked N’ Loaded version of Appetite For Destruction and the Uber Deluxe edition of George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass. It contains the album remastered on 180g vinyl, a picture disc, three live LPs, 14 CDs, six DVDs, a 120-page hardcover book, tour laminates, lithos, guitar picks and a lanyard among other things.
The hook for pre-orders comes with multiple versions of ‘Enter Sandman’ (including a 1990 demo version) that are given as instant grats for all pre-orders.
The band’s reputation among certain sections of their fans was badly damaged two decades ago when they went after Napster so aggressively. It has been hard for them to shake off the accusations of greed ever since. To that end, it is worth noting that all profits from The Metallica Blacklist will be split across 50+ charities, including the All Within My Hands Foundation which the band set up in 2017 to help local food banks as well as to go into workforce education and scholarships.
