What genre is most specifically listed for Metallica's 1991 album Metallica?

Heavy metal is the genre most specifically listed for Metallica's 1991 album Metallica, commonly called The Black Album.

The band came from the thrash-metal scene, and its first four studio albums are strongly associated with that style. On the 1991 record, however, Metallica emphasized slower tempos, heavier grooves, clearer production, and more concise arrangements. The album's genre listing therefore uses the broader category heavy metal.

That classification does not mean the record abandoned Metallica's earlier identity. Songs such as “Holier Than Thou,” “Through the Never,” and “The Struggle Within” retain aggressive riffing and intense performances, while “Enter Sandman” and “Sad but True” show the streamlined approach that made the album widely accessible.

Listeners and critics may describe the record with additional terms, including hard rock, groove metal, or thrash metal influences. Those descriptions reflect different aspects of the music, but the album's standard infobox genre is heavy metal.