The original working title of Metallica’s 1991 album was Married to Metal.
The title was a private joke connected with changes in the personal lives of band members James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Jason Newsted during the album’s creation. It was never used as the official commercial title.
The record ultimately became self-titled: Metallica. Its packaging then encouraged the informal nickname The Black Album. This sequence of names can create confusion because fans may discuss the same record using three different descriptions: Metallica, The Black Album, or the unreleased working title Married to Metal.
The working title is also distinct from Metallica’s early album-title jokes and abandoned names. “Metal Up Your Ass,” for example, was associated with the band’s debut album before it was renamed Kill ’Em All. Married to Metal belongs specifically to the 1991 sessions.