Metallica's The Black Album is the band's fifth numbered studio album.
The record followed Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and ...And Justice for All. Unlike the first three albums, its official title was not taken from one of its songs; it was simply titled Metallica after the band.
That self-titled name is one reason the album is frequently identified by its informal nickname, The Black Album. The nickname comes from the minimalist cover, which is mostly black and features a subtle snake image alongside the band's logo.
The fifth-album milestone also marked a stylistic shift. Metallica retained its heavy sound but used shorter, more direct arrangements and a polished production style. This change helped the album reach listeners far beyond the band's established thrash-metal audience, while songs such as “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” and “Nothing Else Matters” became lasting parts of its catalog.