What working title did Metallica's The Black Album have during its creation?

Metallica's The Black Album had the working title “Married to Metal.”

The title emerged from a period when Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Jason Newsted were divorcing their wives. According to Ulrich, the phrase was treated partly as a running joke rather than a firm plan for the final release.

The band considered other possibilities as well, including “Five,” which would have referred to the album's place in Metallica's studio discography, and the title of one of the songs. They eventually chose the simple eponymous title Metallica.

The nickname The Black Album came later from the cover's stark appearance. The original packaging placed the band's logo and a coiled snake against a nearly black background, with the emblems embossed so subtly that they were difficult to see. That visual design helped turn the informal nickname into the album's universally recognized alternate name.