Metallica, also 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. The sequence is important because the record marked a turning point after four albums that had established Metallica as one of thrash metal's leading bands.
Although the group retained heavy guitars and aggressive performances, the fifth album used more spacious arrangements, slower grooves, and clearer production. Those changes helped songs such as “Enter Sandman” and “Nothing Else Matters” cross beyond the band's established metal audience.
The album's official title is Metallica, matching the band's name. Fans and critics commonly call it The Black Album because of the cover's overwhelmingly black design. That nickname distinguishes it from other self-titled or unofficially titled “Black Album” records by different artists. Its success made the fifth studio release the band's mainstream breakthrough and one of the best-selling albums associated with 1991.