Which The Black Album track began as Jason Newsted’s intended instrumental?

“My Friend of Misery” began as Jason Newsted’s intended instrumental for The Black Album.

Newsted wrote the song’s main riff, and the initial idea was for it to continue Metallica’s tradition of including an instrumental track. Earlier albums had featured instrumentals such as “The Call of Ktulu,” “Orion,” and “To Live Is to Die.”

The idea changed during the songwriting process. James Hetfield added lyrics and vocals, turning the piece into a full song about isolation, frustration, and unwanted advice. It became the penultimate track on the standard album sequence.

The songwriting detail is easy to confuse with Newsted’s broader role in the band. He contributed ideas to several Metallica songs, but “My Friend of Misery” is the Black Album track specifically associated with his original instrumental concept.