Which Metallica song begins The Black Album with a child-focused nightmare theme?

Enter Sandman begins The Black Album and uses a child-focused nightmare theme.

The song centers on bedtime fears, bad dreams, and the unsettling figure of the Sandman. Its lyrics give a sinister edge to a familiar childhood subject, while the repeated guitar riff makes the track immediately recognizable.

James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, and Kirk Hammett are credited as the song’s writers. The recording’s arrangement is built around the famous opening riff, which became one of Metallica’s most identifiable musical signatures.

Enter Sandman was the album’s lead single and helped establish the record’s more concise, accessible direction. It remains one of the band’s most frequently recognized songs and a regular part of Metallica’s live identity.