The official title of Metallica’s 1991 album commonly known as The Black Album is Metallica.
The record is self-titled, using the band’s name rather than a separate album title. Fans and media widely call it The Black Album because its cover is almost entirely black and features a subtle black-and-gray image of a coiled snake alongside the band’s logo.
This nickname distinguishes the album from Metallica’s other releases while reflecting its stark visual design. It is not the title printed as the album’s formal name in standard discographies; the official title remains Metallica.
Released in 1991, the album marked a major stylistic shift from the band’s earlier thrash-metal records toward shorter, more streamlined songs. Its self-titled identity also made the record especially recognizable in discussions of Metallica’s catalog.