Which song on Metallica's The Black Album addresses James Hetfield's parents and Christian Science?

The God That Failed addresses James Hetfield's parents and Christian Science.

The song's subject is rooted in Hetfield's childhood and the death of his mother, who followed Christian Science and did not seek conventional medical treatment for her cancer. Hetfield later described the experience as a source of anger and grief, and those emotions shaped the song's severe lyrics.

The title does not refer to a specific named deity in a simple theological argument. Instead, it expresses the singer's feeling that the faith he associated with his family failed to protect his mother. That personal origin distinguishes the song from several Black Album tracks dealing with broader social, military, or psychological themes.

The music is built around a heavy, deliberate riff and a forceful vocal performance. It is one of the album's darker deep cuts, and its autobiographical context is often overlooked when attention focuses on the record's major singles.