Kirk Hammett does not appear on the studio recording of “Nothing Else Matters” from Metallica.
James Hetfield recorded the song’s vocals and guitar parts, while the track also includes orchestral contributions from the London Symphony Orchestra. Hammett was still an official member of Metallica, but he was absent from the studio recording of this particular song.
The detail is often missed because Hammett appears in the music video and performs “Nothing Else Matters” with Metallica in concert. His association with the song is therefore very visible even though he is not credited as a performer on the original studio take.
The song’s recording credits also list Michael Kamen as orchestral arranger and Randy Staub on tambourine. Jason Newsted played bass on the album, while Lars Ulrich played drums. Dave Mustaine had left Metallica years earlier and was not involved with the Black Album sessions.