“Holier Than Thou” was initially considered to open Metallica's 1991 album, commonly called The Black Album.
The song was also considered for the album's first single before “Enter Sandman” took that position. According to accounts of the album's development, producer Bob Rock believed the record contained several songs with broad potential, and the choice of opening track became an important discussion within the band.
“Enter Sandman” ultimately won the argument and became both the opening track and lead single. That decision gave the album an immediate, spacious introduction rather than beginning with “Holier Than Thou,” whose faster, more aggressive attack reflects more of Metallica's thrash-metal heritage.
“Holier Than Thou” still played an important role in the final sequence. It appears as the third track, after “Sad but True.” The song was released as a promotional single in some contexts, but it did not become the album's main commercial launch track.