Metallica's 1991 record, known as The Black Album, was Bob Rock's first album as a Metallica producer.
Rock was selected after Metallica heard his work on Mötley Crüe's Dr. Feelgood. His production approach differed from the band's earlier sessions, emphasizing a more unified studio performance, stronger vocal presentation, and a polished but forceful guitar sound.
The recording process was famously tense. Rock pushed the musicians to reconsider how they worked, and the band spent substantial time repeating performances, editing parts, and refining arrangements. The finished album marked a stylistic move away from the long, densely layered structures associated with ...And Justice for All.
Randy Staub was the recording engineer and mixer associated with the album, while George Marino mastered it. Michael Kamen arranged the orchestral parts for “Nothing Else Matters,” so none of those names is the album's producer.