Metallica was the official title of the band’s 1991 album before fans nicknamed it The Black Album.
The record is formally self-titled: its name is the same as the band’s name. The nickname arose from its mostly black artwork, which features the band’s logo and a subtle gray snake. That design made the album visually distinct from the more elaborate covers of Metallica’s earlier records.
The informal name became useful because the band had already released albums with distinctive titles, while a self-titled album could otherwise be confused with the group itself. Fans, journalists, retailers, and later reference works adopted The Black Album as a convenient way to identify the 1991 release.
The official title is sometimes mistaken for “The Black Album,” but the latter is a nickname rather than the title printed as the album’s name. It is also not a separate studio album. In Metallica’s discography, the record is the fifth studio album and follows ...And Justice for All.