What 1989 Soundgarden album inspired Kirk Hammett’s riff for Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”?

Soundgarden’s 1989 album Louder Than Love inspired Kirk Hammett’s riff for Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.”

Hammett developed the initial riff after hearing Soundgarden’s second studio album. The idea was originally shorter, but Lars Ulrich suggested a different repetition pattern that helped turn the fragment into the distinctive main riff heard on the finished recording.

The instrumental parts were completed before James Hetfield finalized the lyrics. The song’s writing process therefore combined a riff-led foundation with later decisions about melody, theme, and structure. Producer Bob Rock also helped shape the track’s final presentation.

“Enter Sandman” became the first song Metallica recorded for the album and the first song mixed for it. It was released as the lead single on July 29, 1991, and its riff quickly became one of the most recognizable sounds in heavy metal.