Easily the biggest album in heavy metal history, Metallica’s fifth, self-titled release (AKA the Black Album) is surrounded by monumental stats. It reached number one in nine different countries. It’s since been certified 16 times Platinum in the US. And – today, exactly 35 years after it came out – upwards of 30 million people have it in their record collection.
However, the golden number right now is 12. That’s how many songs Metallica needed to go from the momentous thrash metal stars they were on …And Justice For All to bona fide, stadium-cramming immortals. Below is the story of every single one of them. From Enter Sandman to The Struggle Within, here’s your track-by-track guide to the monolithic Black Album.
