How does this relate to what I was asking? Do you mean that you have friends that had the album and that's how you heard it?

And?? Since you said you got the other albums, you must tell us why you prefer the black album to any of the others.

I don't mean to prod, but could you be just slightly more specific in describing what it is you like about it? Favorite song from the album perhaps?
You mentioned MoP, is that your second choice?

Sorry, I just have a problem with people choosing the black album as it's basically a pop metal/sellout album..

BUT! you mentioned Sad But True and I respect that because it's easily the heaviest song from that album, and bears little of the pop elements most of the other songs have. Also the unforgiven is pretty good. I cannot stand the god that failed, that's one of my banned Metallica songs.

You mention that the songs translate well live, and I can't really argue with that. Aside from seek and destroy, fade to black, hit the lights, one...there's not really a lot of the thrash Metallica songs that I can see be particularly engaging live...

I'm surprised no one has picked Load and Reload yet, considering they're solid hard rock albums. If St. Anger can get votes, then surely these two can.

Ride the Lightning.

And this is my theme song.

Yeah, my friends have different musical tastes and we're mostly tolerant of each other's music. Actually, even my band is like that: drummer is more metal, rhythm guitarist is into punk and hip hop, bassist/guitarist is into jazz/folk/blues, lead guitar/synth is into drone and ambient, I (lead guitar and keys) am into psychedelic rock (Pink Floyd) and metal (from Dimmu Borgir to Iron Maiden) and flamenco (Paco de Lucia, Gypsy Kings, Sergei Orekhov).

As a musician, I try to listen to music as a producer might too. I can appreciate a lot of pop music.

My favorite is ...And justice for all! But I love the 5 first albums!

Ever listened to Don't Tread On Me? That's my fave from that album, and it's pretty heavy.

I love music. I have tons of stuff. I have pop from Michael Jackson to Prince, Soundtracks from Grease to Annie, etc. So the Black Album is pretty much a masterpiece of a combination of musical aesthetics. That is why when I call on my favorite Metallica masterpieces, I'll say there are five, instead of just four (I find Load to be a near masterpiece, but it is hard to catalog that album in with their metal output). I highly enjoy the Black Album because of the variety of choices of the music within. I thought Nothing Else Matters was fantastic as a slow ballad.

The one song that does get tiring, though, is the first: Enter Sandman; it's just played too often that I just get sick of hearing it. I usually skip that track...

He should've asked for a refund.

Progressive metal is hardly at the opposite end of the metal spectrum from thrash, a large amount of thrash and extreme metal bands have embraced progressive styles.