The standard edition of Metallica’s The Black Album contains 12 songs.
Its sequence begins with “Enter Sandman” and “Sad but True,” then continues through “Holier than Thou,” “The Unforgiven,” “Wherever I May Roam,” “Don’t Tread on Me,” “Through the Never,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Of Wolf and Man,” “The God That Failed,” “My Friend of Misery,” and “The Struggle Within.”
The album’s 12-track structure was shorter and more direct than some listeners expected from Metallica after the long, complex songs on ...And Justice for All. The band deliberately pursued simpler arrangements and more concise songwriting while retaining a heavy sound.
Edition differences can cause confusion. The standard international album has 12 tracks, while the Japanese edition adds “So What,” a cover of a song by Anti-Nowhere League. That bonus track makes the Japanese version a 13-track edition, but it is not part of the standard sequence.
On the original vinyl configuration, the 12 tracks were divided across four sides, with three songs on each side.