The official title of Metallica’s album commonly nicknamed The Black Album is Metallica. It is an eponymous release, meaning the album uses the band’s own name as its title.
The nickname The Black Album became widespread because of the cover’s nearly black design. The band’s logo and a coiled snake were initially embossed so subtly that they were difficult to see against the dark background.
The self-titled choice was deliberate. Metallica considered other names, including Five and the title of one of the songs, but ultimately chose the simple eponymous title. The nickname is useful for identification, but it is not the formal title.
The album was Metallica’s fifth studio record and was released by Elektra on August 12, 1991. Its songs and production helped make it the band’s best-selling album.