Metallica’s fifth studio album, widely known as The Black Album, is titled Metallica.
The band used a self-titled name for the 1991 record. Fans and music writers adopted The Black Album because of its predominantly black artwork, black Metallica logo, and subtle gray snake design. Both names refer to the same release.
The self-titled album followed four earlier studio albums: Kill ’Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and ...And Justice for All. Its position as the fifth album is therefore a stable part of Metallica’s chronology, not an alternate numbering system.
A common mix-up is calling the record “The Black Album” its official title. That is a nickname rather than the title printed on the release. The formal title is Metallica, and it was issued by Elektra Records on August 12, 1991.