Metallica’s 1991 release, commonly called The Black Album, was the band’s fifth studio album.
It followed Kill ’Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and ...And Justice for All. Those four albums established Metallica as one of the leading thrash metal bands before the self-titled record expanded their audience dramatically.
The album’s official name is Metallica, not The Black Album. The informal name became widely used because of the stark black packaging and the dark, low-contrast snake image on the cover.
Its position in the discography is sometimes confused with the album’s track count. Metallica contains 12 songs, but it is the group’s fifth studio LP. Its release also marked a major change toward shorter, more accessible arrangements and a heavier, more polished production style.