“Holier Than Thou” was originally considered as the opening track and first single for Metallica's The Black Album.
During the album's development, the band initially viewed “Holier Than Thou” as a likely introduction. Producer Bob Rock argued that “Enter Sandman” had the qualities of a classic and would work better as the first song released to radio and the public.
The decision became an important turning point in the album's presentation. “Enter Sandman” ultimately opened the record and was released as the lead single on July 29, 1991, while “Holier Than Thou” remained the third track on the finished album.
This history is easy to miss because “Holier Than Thou” is still one of the album's most aggressive songs. It was not removed from the record; it simply lost the planned opening and lead-single roles to the song that became Metallica's signature 1991 anthem.