On what date was Metallica’s fifth studio album, Metallica, released?

Metallica’s fifth studio album, Metallica, was released on August 12, 1991.

The album was issued by Elektra Records and quickly became known informally as The Black Album because of its predominantly black cover. Its release followed a major shift in the band’s sound, moving from the complex thrash metal of earlier records toward shorter, slower, heavier songs with a more polished production style.

Metallica had been recorded during sessions that began in October 1990 and ended in June 1991. Producer Bob Rock encouraged the band to record more collaboratively and to focus on a powerful, live-feeling performance. The demanding process included extensive retakes, overdubbing, mixing and disagreements between the band and producer.

The release date is sometimes confused with the date of the first single, “Enter Sandman,” which arrived earlier, on July 29, 1991. The album became a worldwide commercial breakthrough, debuting at number one in numerous countries and spending four consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200.