Metallica recorded demos for “Enter Sandman” and three other The Black Album songs on August 13, 1990.
The four demoed songs were “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” and “Wherever I May Roam.” These early recordings captured the album’s central ideas before the full production process began.
The date predates the main recording sessions, which started at One on One Recording Studios in October 1990. It also predates the album’s release by almost a full year, showing how early several of its defining compositions had taken shape.
“Sad but True” received its own demo session on October 4, 1990. Keeping those dates separate prevents the common mistake of grouping all early Black Album demos together.