Randy Staub served as the recording engineer on Metallica’s 1991 self-titled album, commonly called The Black Album.
Staub’s engineering credit covers the studio work that captured and shaped the album’s performances. The sessions took place at One on One Recording Studios in Los Angeles under producer Bob Rock, with Mike Tacci credited as assistant engineer.
Engineering was especially important to this record because Metallica and Rock were pursuing a larger, more polished sound than the band’s earlier albums. The finished production emphasized powerful drums, thick guitars, clearly defined vocals, and a more deliberate balance between heaviness and accessibility.
Several other names in the album credits can cause confusion. George Marino handled mastering rather than recording engineering. Michael Kamen arranged the orchestra on “Nothing Else Matters,” while Randy Staub also contributed tambourine to that song. Staub’s central production credit on The Black Album was engineering, a role distinct from producer and mastering engineer.