Metallica was the band’s fifth studio album when it appeared in 1991. It followed Kill ’Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets and …And Justice for All.
The self-titled record marked a major change in presentation: songs were generally more concise, the production was more polished, and the band reached a far larger mainstream audience. Those changes did not erase the group’s metal identity but broadened its commercial reach dramatically.
The album is often called the Black Album, which can make people forget that it is the fifth entry in Metallica’s studio discography. Later studio albums Load and Reload were the sixth and seventh, respectively. Live albums, EPs and compilations are not counted in this numbered studio sequence.