Which Metallica song from The Black Album is one of the few studio recordings without Kirk Hammett playing?

Nothing Else Matters is one of the few Metallica studio recordings without Kirk Hammett playing.

James Hetfield wrote the song in 1990 while touring and feeling homesick. He initially treated it as a private piece rather than a typical Metallica composition, but drummer Lars Ulrich heard it and encouraged the band to develop it for the album.

The recording is unusual within Metallica’s catalog because Hammett does not play on the studio version. Hetfield performs the guitar parts, including the solo, while the arrangement also features orchestral work by composer Michael Kamen. Hammett later learned the song for live performances.

The song became the album’s third single in 1992 and reached number six on the UK Singles Chart. Its intimate subject and ballad structure broadened perceptions of the band, while its inclusion on The Black Album helped make the record appealing to listeners beyond traditional metal audiences.