“My Friend of Misery” was originally intended to be an instrumental before becoming a vocal song on Metallica's The Black Album.
The main riff was written by bassist Jason Newsted. The band had included an instrumental on each of its previous studio albums, and Newsted initially developed the idea in that tradition. The finished song ultimately received lyrics from James Hetfield and became the penultimate track on the standard album.
This history is sometimes obscured because the final recording is remembered primarily for its vocals and brooding atmosphere. Its origin as a planned instrumental, however, connects it to an important pattern in Metallica's earlier catalog.
The track also illustrates how the band shaped ideas collaboratively during the Black Album sessions. Newsted supplied a central musical concept, while the completed arrangement and lyrics turned it into one of the album's darker, more reflective songs.