Metallica's The Black Album was the band's fifth studio album when it was released in 1991.
The record followed Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and ...And Justice for All. Those four earlier albums established Metallica as a leading thrash-metal band, while the self-titled fifth album expanded their sound with shorter structures, broader dynamics, and a more radio-ready production.
The album's official title is simply Metallica, matching the naming style of several famous self-titled records. Its popular nickname, The Black Album, is not an additional official title; it refers to the minimalist black cover and distinguishes the record from the band itself.
A common mix-up is counting live releases or the 1987 Garage Days EP as studio albums. The fifth-album designation refers to Metallica's numbered studio-album sequence. The next studio album, Load, arrived in 1996 and was therefore the band's sixth studio album.