Metallica's self-titled 1991 release is the band’s fifth studio album.
The four preceding studio albums were Kill ’Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and ...And Justice for All. The self-titled record followed that sequence and was released in 1991 by Elektra Records.
The album’s formal title is simply Metallica, but its nearly black cover led listeners and the music press to call it The Black Album. That nickname distinguishes it from the band’s name while also reflecting the minimal artwork.
The fifth-album milestone marked a major stylistic shift. Metallica retained its heavy-metal identity but moved away from the faster, more intricate thrash approach of its earlier records. The result introduced the band to a much wider mainstream audience and became its best-selling album.