The album that essentially wrote the playbook for commercial rock (even more so than grunge arguably) since its release on Elektra in 1991.
Metallica is the second album to feature James Hetfield on bass and the first album in their move away from thrash to a more hard rock sound. That isn't to say that thrash isn't involved, it's just slower and more produced. The song structures are not as complex as they are in
Master of Puppets and
…And Justice for All, it is less musically adventurous in some ways (and more so in others), and there appears to be an attempt towards a more commercial sound (or at least a less abrasive one). It is non-metal fans who really make this one so popular (and may be considered as not really being metal by many metalheads). As a result, it is one of (if not THE) best selling metal album of all time. It contains the goliath "Enter Sandman" about the fear of dying in one's own sleep, as well some lovely acoustic flamenco playing that has since earned some classical crossovers like in the
S&M album and from others performing flamenco versions of their songs. Not my favorite Metallica album and not my favorite Metallica, but overall the album is good and has got enough going for it that it deserves recognition.
Rating: 4.5/5
Tracks:
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