Metallica's 1991 album, widely called The Black Album, is the band's fifth studio album.
It followed Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and ...And Justice for All. Those four earlier records established Metallica as a leading thrash metal band before the self-titled album broadened its sound and audience.
The album's formal title is simply Metallica, matching the band's name. Fans and media adopted “The Black Album” because of its minimalist black packaging, faint logo, and snake image. It should not be confused with a separate numbered or unofficial fifth-album title.
The record became a turning point in the band's career. Songs such as “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” and “Nothing Else Matters” reached audiences far beyond the group's earlier underground following. Its success also made Metallica's fifth-album milestone one of the best-known facts about the band.