Which Metallica song features James Hetfield playing the lead-guitar part instead of Kirk Hammett?

“Nothing Else Matters” features James Hetfield playing the lead-guitar part instead of Kirk Hammett.

Hetfield wrote the song while on tour and initially treated it as a private piece rather than a likely Metallica recording. Its opening arpeggios and reflective lyrics differed from the band’s usual aggressive subject matter, but the song eventually became a central part of The Black Album.

Kirk Hammett does not perform on the studio recording. Hetfield plays the lead guitar, while the arrangement also includes orchestral parts arranged by Michael Kamen. The combination of clean guitar, strings, and a gradual full-band build helped make the track one of Metallica’s best-known ballads.

The song was released as the album’s third commercial single in 1992. Listeners sometimes assume Hammett played every prominent guitar part because he is Metallica’s lead guitarist, but “Nothing Else Matters” is the notable exception on this album.