Which Metallica song from The Black Album is notable because Kirk Hammett does not play on its studio recording?

“Nothing Else Matters” is the Metallica song from The Black Album on whose studio recording Kirk Hammett does not play.

James Hetfield wrote and performed the song's guitar parts for the studio version, including its famous opening arpeggio. Lars Ulrich co-wrote the music, and Hetfield handled the lead vocal. Hammett appears in the music video and later performed the song live, but he is absent from the original studio recording.

The track was unusual for Metallica because it was a personal, restrained ballad rather than a conventional heavy-metal attack. Its arrangement also includes orchestral parts written by Michael Kamen and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.

“Nothing Else Matters” was released as the album's third single on April 20, 1992. It became one of Metallica's most widely recognized songs and reached number six on the United Kingdom Singles Chart. The omission of Hammett from the studio performance is often confused with his absence from the song altogether.