What was Metallica’s The Black Album originally called as a working title?

Metallica’s The Black Album originally had the working title Married to Metal. The phrase was connected to a running joke about divorces involving Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, and Jason Newsted during the album’s creation.

The title was never intended to become the final public name. Other possibilities were considered, including Five and the title of one of the songs. The band ultimately chose the simple, self-titled name Metallica.

The cover then created the nickname The Black Album. Its black background contains a dark Metallica logo and a coiled snake, both initially embossed so they were difficult to see. That visual design made the informal name feel natural and helped distinguish the album from the band’s earlier releases.

Married to Metal therefore belongs to the album’s development history, not its official discography. It is also unrelated to the later song “The Struggle Within” or the earlier album title ...And Justice for All. The final naming decision emphasized simplicity rather than an elaborate concept.