Metallica is Metallica’s fifth studio album.
The band released it in 1991 after Kill ’Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and ...And Justice for All. Its self-titled name was intentionally simple, and the album is much more commonly identified by its nickname, The Black Album.
The record marked a notable shift from the intricate thrash-metal approach of the previous four albums. Metallica adopted slower, heavier, and more streamlined arrangements, while retaining elements of its earlier style.
Because it became such a major commercial success, listeners sometimes treat The Black Album as the beginning of Metallica’s mainstream career. It was actually the band’s fifth studio release, following a decade of development and four influential albums. The self-titled record therefore represents both continuity and a major stylistic turning point.