Metallica's 1991 record, popularly called The Black Album, is the band's fifth studio album.
It followed Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and ...And Justice for All. Those four earlier albums established Metallica as one of the leading American thrash-metal bands before the fifth album broadened its musical reach.
The album kept the band's heavy guitars and forceful rhythm section but used more concise song structures, slower tempos, and prominent melodies. This stylistic shift helped Metallica move from a respected underground metal act into a globally successful rock band.
The self-titled album was released by Elektra Records on August 12, 1991. Its official title is simply Metallica, but the dark artwork led listeners and the music industry to call it The Black Album.
The record's success also changed how Metallica's earlier albums were viewed. Songs from the first four releases gained new listeners as the band reached a much larger international audience.