30 years of Metallica's Black album

I’ve been thinking about writing this for a couple of days. I can’t believe it, 30 years. Last night I decided to go down memory lane and dwell deep into my recollections of this pivotal album in Metallica’s career. I searched for the album on my favorite music streaming service and let the music speak for itself, unbelievably, 29 years after my last listen to this album.

As soon as the clean guitar started to roam the darkness of my room, memories of my early teens started to flash by in rapid succession. Then came the distinctive 8th notes hi-hat sound. Here I am once more, air drumming to Lars exquisite drum sound, like in the good old days of my youth.

To bring some perspective to the table, I was entering my teen years when this album came out. Being the youngest between my older cousins, I got into music prematurely. My cousins were into those rock acts from the late seventies and early eighties. I grew up seeing them wear their Ozzy Osbourne/Judas Priest/Saxon t-shirts. My parent used to drive me to the local record stores to get the latest music available, the year was 1987, Hysteria by Def Leppard has just been released, the first record I bought in my ever growing collection, I was just 9 years-old.

I know that this record was the breakthrough album of their career, for many it was their introduction to the band, but not for me, it was not my case. By early 1990 I already had in my short-but-consistent collection their 4 previous records on vinyl, I was obsessed with “Master of Puppets.” and "And justice for all." To my young and impressive ears, it was a sonic attack, so much grid, so much power.

“Enter Sandman” was one of the two songs I learned to play on drums from this album back in the day. It was fun to listen to it again with more mature and fresh ears, “Enter Sandman,” and “Sad but true,” became staple covers in our jams, with me pounding the snare and hard as I could while my friend delivered his best James Newsted impression inside his filled with cables and gear room.

As I found it impressive that I can still remember most of the songs, every single one was familiar and brought more details to this musical-of-my-youth my brain was screening. By name I could remember a few of them, but as soon as the first chords struck my eardrums, their familiarity was apparent. I felt like a teen once again, it was surreal. 30 years ago, my first listen to this album was on my Dad’s home stereo around midnight, lights out, headphones on. The digital level meter bouncing from green and eventually red as the only light in the living room, I remember being totally immersed in this mysterious new sound .

At first listen 30 years ago, I hate it, I simply disliked their new direction, I always blamed Bob Rock for changing their sound, even though I love records produced by him during the ‘80s and early ‘90s. Back in the day, I thought that I was not into Metallica anymore just because I was being exposed to the music of Rush, Genesis, and a plethora of progressive rock acts from a not-so-distant and long-forgotten musical past. Bands like Rush changed my perception of music, but that’s material for another entry.

Not even in my wildest dreams my 13-year-old-self could have imagined that he will be listening to Metallica’s Black album on its 30th anniversary, an infamous album to my understanding. Pitifully, I can’t say that I love it now, it was not good for me then, and it was not good to my liking last night. Sure, my ears are more mature and I can appreciate more the work they painfully achieved to convey. All that speed and raw energy from their previous 4 albums was simmered down into this slow, deep, heavy music that became the new Metallica sound.

I heard a few days ago that several artists recorded a recollection of song from the Black album. Dave Gaham from Depeche mode recorded “Nothing else matters,” Kamasi Washington made a strange-to say-the least version of “My friend of misery,” Miley Cyrrus, Elton John, D.J Balvin, Juanes, it’s a long list of artists. Will I listen to this new record? Maybe, for mere curiosity. Last night’s listen reaffirmed why I said goodbye to their “new” sound 30 years ago.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fine album, great lyrics, pristine sound, really atmospheric and engaging on headphones, but instead of being my gateway to their new direction, was the album that made me turn my back to them. Sad but true.