All signs are pointing to Metallica releasing a deluxe version of its 1991 self-titled classic, dubbed, “The Black Album.” Blabbermouth reported, “Metallica shared a video of the band performing the song ‘Wherever I May Roam” during a San Diego concert in 1992. It was accompanied by the caption ‘And the road becomes my bride. . . ‘ — San Diego 1992’ along with the hashtags ‘#fbf,’ ‘#BlackAlbum2021’ and ‘#ComingThisFall.’ The Facebook and Instagram posts have since been edited to remove the ‘#ComingThisFall’ hashtag, but the hashtag can still be found in the Facebook post’s edit history.”
Back in 2018 the band reissued a deluxe version of …And Justice For All, with a promise of “The Black Album” coming soon. No release date has been announced.
FAST FACTS
- Back in 2017, Metallica announced it was prepping deluxe remastered …And Justice For All and its self-titled 1991 LP, a.k.a. “The Black Album,” and reached out to its hardcore fans to provide content for the new editions.
- The band posted a message on social media which read, “With the deluxe box sets of Kill ‘Em All and Ride The Lightning behind us, and Master Of Puppets less than a month away, it’s time to start trudging forward with …And Justice For All and Metallica.”
- The post continued, “We’re looking for anything and everything you might have from August 1987 through July 1993 . . . photos (taken by you!), flyers, ticket stubs, backstage passes and whatever other mementos you may have from that time. Also, if you happened to interview James (Hetfield), Lars (Ulrich), Kirk (Hammett) or Jason (Newsted) during that time and still have the recording, please let us know!”
SIDE NOTES
- Back in January, famed producer Bob Rock sold his rights to Metallica’s 1991 chart-topping “The Black Album” to the Hipgnosis Songs Fund.
- The “Black Album” has sold over 31 million units globally — with Rock earning a royalty on ever copy sold.
- Rock, a Canadian, is also best known for his work with such A-listers as Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, the Cult, Bryan Adams, the Offspring, David Lee Roth, and Ron Sexsmith, among many others. He was also featured prominently in Metallica’s 2004 documentary, Some Kind Of Monster.
CHECK IT OUT: Metallica’s video for 1991’s “Wherever I May Roam”: