“Holier Than Thou” was originally considered to open Metallica’s 1991 album before “Enter Sandman” took that place.
The documentary A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica describes producer Bob Rock’s view that “Holier Than Thou” could be the album’s opening track and first single. Rock believed the record contained several potential classics, but he argued that the band should lead with a song that could reach radio audiences.
Lars Ulrich strongly favored “Enter Sandman” as the opener. After discussion within the band, Metallica chose it for both the opening position and lead-single role. That decision gave the album a dramatic, immediately recognizable beginning.
“Holier Than Thou” still occupies an important place in the final sequence: it is the second track, directly following “Enter Sandman.” The change is a useful reminder that album sequencing and single choices often evolve during production.