What working title did Metallica's 1991 album, later called The Black Album, originally have?
Answer
Married to Metal
Metallica's 1991 album, later called The Black Album, originally had the working title Married to Metal.
The title referred to a running joke connected with the personal circumstances surrounding the recording. During the album's production, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Jason Newsted were divorcing their wives. The phrase was not selected as the final title and was eventually downplayed as an internal joke.
Other names were considered as well. The band discussed Five, reflecting the album's position as their fifth studio record, and the possibility of naming the album after one of its songs. They ultimately chose the self-titled Metallica because they wanted to keep the presentation simple.
The later nickname The Black Album came from the cover's nearly black design, not from the rejected working title. Its official title remains Metallica, while fans and music publications use The Black Album to distinguish it from the band's broader catalog.