Why Metallica’s Black Album Is So Important
Metallica’s enormous self-titled album celebrates an anniversary today! Let’s take a look at why Metallica’s Black Album Is So Important! And no, I don’t mean “was” so important. I do mean why it still “is” so important.
Metallica’s Black Album Release
Metallica was already one of the biggest metal bands out there with their first 4 releases. They had a large and loyal fanbase. Teaming up With Bob Rock for their self-titled album, they crossed over into the mainstream without losing their integrity or sacrificing good songwriting. Was it a bit of a departure in sound for them? Sure. But did it help solidify them as one of the biggest rock bands in the world? Definitely. They picked up so many new fans with that album. And sure, some of their “older” fans may have complained at first about the sound and direction of songwriting, but they quickly came around after realizing that this thing was a masterpiece.
But why is the Black Album still so important? I think because it was and is the best crossover album perfect for introducing young rock fans to the world of heavy metal. When a young kid is just starting to learn about music and is leaning towards rock, once they put this Metallica record on, if they like it, they can dig deeper into the even heavier catalog of “Tallica. And if they don’t…..well, maybe they’re into the lighter stuff. And that’s ok. But I truly believe that this album is a great barometer for figuring out your taste in metal or hard rock in general.
I for one can remember seeing the “Enter Sandman” video as a kid and while I was a little freaked out by all those snakes, I remember thinking “Wow, this sounds pretty cool and I want to hear more. Like many people my age did, we picked up the album, absolutely loved it, and then a friend older brother or maybe our Uncle, would say “Hey, if you like that, you need to check out this album.” And they would promptly hand us a copy of “Master of Puppets.”
The album was also and is also great for young, aspiring musicians to play along to. It had some technical parts, but overall didn’t feel impossible. It pushes you in all the right ways. And regardless of what some might say, I think that has a lot to do with how much input Bob Rock had on the production of the album and how he pushed the band. And also stripped them down a bit. So let’s not forget this masterpiece, but instead, celebrate it and all of Metallica’s catalog. You can argue that without the Black Album, Metallica might not even still be around……..or not be as huge as they are.
