Which Metallica song began with a riff inspired by Soundgarden’s Louder Than Love?

“Enter Sandman” began with a guitar riff inspired by Soundgarden’s 1989 album Louder Than Love. The riff was written by Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett during the development of The Black Album.

Hammett’s original idea was a two-bar guitar figure. Lars Ulrich suggested changing its repetition pattern, with the first bar played three times and the second bar returning every fourth time. That adjustment helped create the song’s instantly recognizable rhythmic shape.

The instrumental arrangement came together quickly, but James Hetfield took longer to write the lyrics. The finished words center on childhood nightmares, bedtime imagery, and the Sandman figure. The song’s catchy structure and dark subject matter made it an unusually effective bridge between heavy metal and mainstream rock radio.

“Enter Sandman” was the first song written for the album but one of the last to receive lyrics. It became the lead single, reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, and opened the album with its signature guitar motif.