Which The Black Album song does not feature Kirk Hammett playing on the recording?

“Nothing Else Matters” is the The Black Album song that does not feature Kirk Hammett playing on the recording.

James Hetfield performed the guitars and vocals for the studio track, while Kirk Hammett does not appear on the recording. Hammett did appear in the song’s music video and later performed it live with Metallica, including the acoustic introduction in concert versions.

The distinction matters because Hammett is Metallica’s lead guitarist and is credited on the album overall. His absence from this particular studio track is therefore easy to overlook. The song also differs from much of the album through its prominent acoustic opening, orchestral arrangement, and ballad-like structure.

Michael Kamen arranged the orchestral parts, and the London Symphony Orchestra performed them. The recording credits also list Randy Staub on tambourine. “Nothing Else Matters” became one of the album’s five singles and helped demonstrate how far Metallica’s songwriting could move beyond conventional thrash-metal structures.