Any guesses?? Come on.. no not seattle's best, that's mostly next month.








The one and only black album.


Check out some covers from artists all over the genre map, showing the influence of this landmark album.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l4POE7po5SgeW9s9PC30dTCsiGNZm3wHE

This album got me into rock/metal and made me pick up a guitar, bass, and drum sticks, all of which I still play today.

Just think, 30 years before THIS album came out, no one had ever even heard of The Beatles. Amazing what happens in 30 years.

cc10106 said:

---

Been listening to it lately, especially My Friend Of Misery for some reason.

---

I think Misery is the best non single on the album hands down. So moody and melodic. Hell I like it more than half the singles even. It's got beauty and darkness like very few of their songs do. I def remember my 11 year old self wearing headphones and getting lost in the middle section and solo.

Seeing it live must have been spectacular.


At 4:10 James does something incredible with
At 6:25 he shows he's not just a machine at downpicked rhythms. Dude's got hella lead chops that rarely are displayed. This harmonized bit may be the best they've done from every album.
7:45 then again at 8:00.. so hard to resist headbanging.

KidDoc said:

---

I was doing a deep dive on Metallica yesterday and I figured out my zone for them is pretty small. Mostly Black/Load/Reload. They just tend to be too angry and thrashy for me outside of those 3.

I do like some of the older stuff like Sanatarium, Master of Puppets, but most is just too thrashy for my taste.


And before someone laments that there is no good rock anymore you just need to look for it (Eclipse, Inglorious, Dirty Honey, Pretty Reckless for starters).

---

They've strayed away from fast tempo thrash even on early albums

On ride the lightening try for whom the bell tolls, fade to black, escape, or call of ktulu, or just listen to first 35 seconds of the album on repeat for a lovely classical journey
MOP try thing that should not be, lepper mesiah or orion or the first 35 seconds of the album to continue your classical journey.
AJFA you of course have one, harvestor of sorrow and also to live is to die, a midtempo beast
Death magnetic had Unforgiven III, which was given new life at S&M II and day that never comes which is a 'One' clone.
New album has a lot of non thrashy songs.. now that we're dead for starters.. but most of the album really fits the bill. Just stay away from first and last tracks if you don't like thrashy metallica.

62strat said:

---

KidDoc said:

---

I was doing a deep dive on Metallica yesterday and I figured out my zone for them is pretty small. Mostly Black/Load/Reload. They just tend to be too angry and thrashy for me outside of those 3.

I do like some of the older stuff like Sanatarium, Master of Puppets, but most is just too thrashy for my taste.


And before someone laments that there is no good rock anymore you just need to look for it (Eclipse, Inglorious, Dirty Honey, Pretty Reckless for starters).

---

They've strayed away from fast tempo thrash even on early albums

On ride the lightening try for whom the bell tolls, fade to black, escape, or call of ktulu, or just listen to first 35 seconds of the album on repeat for a lovely classical journey
MOP try thing that should not be, lepper mesiah or orion or the first 35 seconds of the album to continue your classical journey.
AJFA you of course have one, harvestor of sorrow and also to live is to die, a midtempo beast
Death magnetic had Unforgiven III, which was given new life at S&M II and day that never comes which is a 'One' clone.
New album has a lot of non thrashy songs.. now that we're dead for starters.. but most of the album really fits the bill. Just stay away from first and last tracks if you don't like thrashy metallica.

---

Good tips thanks. You are right I do like Fade to Black, Bell Tolls as well.

Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play? My timeline might be a little off.

cc10106 said:

---

Been listening to it lately, especially My Friend Of Misery for some reason.


What's crazy is the following albums were released within 44 days of each other in '91:

(black album)
PJ - Ten
GnR - Use Your Illusion 1&2
RHCP - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
Nirvana - Nevermind

---

Funny this morning I posted on FB a short 1991 list..


RHCP blood sugar sex magik,
REM out of time,
U2 acthung baby,
GnR use your illusions I&II,
MJ Dangerous,
boyz II men Cooleyhighharmony,
tom petty into the great wide open,
brooks and dunn brand new man,
Garth Brooks ropin the wind,
prince diamonds and pearls

Then of course the grunge - Nevermind, Ten, badmotorfinger.

And there was Metallica, the one that would go on to sell more than any of the others, and nothing like the rest of the class.

Makes me ponder; what other bands had their first massive commercial success (ie; album sales) 10 years after formation/8years after debut album.

A few bands come to mind having largest success on later albums (Journey, ac/dc, aerosmith), but it wasn't their first big success.. they already had multi platinum albums prior to their biggest one.

10 years after formation is such a slow climb by today's and yesterday's standards. No doubt they had major steam and were filling up arenas by AJFA tour, but they still were pretty underground (no radio/mtv) and were still an opening band before very late 80s.

So many bands hit it big within first few releases/years.

The Stapleton track is solid.
J Balvin track is..interesting.
Jon Pardi sounds like a country singer trying to cover a rock song and failing.
I liked the Juanes track as well.

Quincey P. Morris said:

---

The Stapleton track is solid.
J Balvin track is..interesting.
Jon Pardi sounds like a country singer trying to cover a rock song and failing.
I liked the Juanes track as well.

---

miley cyrus nails NOM as well.

Check out the ha-ash unforgiven cover. Bilingual/spanish flair.

Also not sure if you're a rock guy, but check out biffy clyro holier than thou, I was really pleasantly surprised by that one. Never heard of the band, 220k subscribers so not too big of a band apparently.


Tomi Owo and Diet Cig are artists on this, they have just a few thousand subscribers. Awesome that Metallica (or likely Lars/management) reached far and deep for people to do this.

Love rock and Metallica. You're right, the Cyrus track is badass. She's weird as hell, but she can sing for sure. I'll have to listen to the others.

Quincey P. Morris said:

---

Love rock and Metallica. You're right, the Cyrus track is badass. She's weird as hell, but she can sing for sure. I'll have to listen to the others.

---

If I didn't tell you, you might think that biffy clyro cover was Ghost!

It's a standout track for sure, curious to know what you think. It's good enough as it is, but outro from 3:30 just takes it to another level.

I'm gonna have to check out that band.

They've got an interesting sound. The difference between the vocals and music is interesting. It's got a familiar vibe to it but I can't put my finger on what it is.

Looking at the album on Apple Music, there's a Rodrigo y Gabriela track coming too.

Tanya 93 said:

---

94DallasAG said:

---

Now try 1987

U2 - Joshua Tree
GNR - Appetite for Destruction
Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses
REM - Document
Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
Def Leopard - Hysteria
INXS - Kick
Pink Floyd - Momentary Lapse of Reason
George Michel - Faith
Prince - Sign of the time
The Cult - Electric
Motley Crue - Girls, Girls, Girls
LL Cool J - Bigger and Deffer

---

I saw almost all of them in concert between 87-89

---

Same here

In honor of this I will rewatch the Classic Albums episode on this record on Amazon Prime tonight.

Quincey P. Morris said:

---

Looking at the album on Apple Music, there's a Rodrigo y Gabriela track coming too.

---

yeh when I heard this announced I figured they were a given.. I've been hearing their metallica covers for a really long time at this point!

62strat said:

---

Seeing it live must have been spectacular.


At 4:10 James does something incredible with
At 6:25 he shows he's not just a machine at downpicked rhythms. Dude's got hella lead chops that rarely are displayed. This harmonized bit may be the best they've done from every album.
7:45 then again at 8:00.. so hard to resist headbanging.

---

Freaking awesome.

The Black album is not my favorite Metallica album but "My Friend of Misery" is my favorite Metallica song. Has been since the first time I heard it. Something about it just grabs me.

A lot of their music stands the test of time. Not just their hits but their deep tracks as well (except St Anger). Although there are some good tracks there as well.

Concerning the covers, I've only listened to "Don't Tread on Me" from Volbeat. I thought they did great. Solid cover but not note for note. Has a typical Volbeat riff/rhythm and the vocals are classic Volbeat.

I'll take a listen to the other tracks when I get a chance.

cc10106 said:

---

Been listening to it lately, especially My Friend Of Misery for some reason.


What's crazy is the following albums were released within 44 days of each other in '91:

(black album)
PJ - Ten
GnR - Use Your Illusion 1&2
RHCP - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
Nirvana - Nevermind

---

These along with the black album and throw in NWA N...for life and Ice Cube Death Certificate were the soundtrack to my senior year in highschool. Class of '92.

From what I understand, Metallica is killing it overseas in sales. They are one of the remaining artists that are still selling physical media hard.

Eastern Europe isnt buying music with apple gift cards, those are the African IRS scammers =D

black album is about #22-23 on list of best selling albums of all time, but this 30th anniversary hype gets it to move just another few million or two, they'll jump up about 10 spots and almost break the top 10.

I remember the anticipation for this album and the utter letdown I felt upon the first listen after it was released. At the time 16 year old me thought they were huge sellouts for going mainstream. It's grown on me a bit as I've aged, and I can appreciate the great production on it, but none of those songs are in my regular listening rotation.

Bruce Almighty said:

---

Outside of maybe 66-70, 1991 is the greatest year in music history.

---

Whoop!