The official title of Metallica's 1991 album widely nicknamed The Black Album is Metallica.
The record is self-titled, meaning its name is the same as the band's name. Fans and journalists commonly call it The Black Album because of its predominantly black artwork and understated design. That nickname distinguishes it from the band's earlier and later releases in everyday conversation.
Metallica was the group's fifth studio album, following ...And Justice for All and preceding the live release Live Shit: Binge & Purge. Its formal title is not The Black Album, even though that phrase is now the most familiar description in many countries.
This naming pattern can cause confusion with other albums popularly known by color-based nicknames, especially The Beatles' commonly called White Album. Metallica's official title remains unchanged across the original 1991 release and later remastered editions.