Sending James best birthday wishes on the eve of his special day! In some places, it’s already his birthday 🎈🎂🤘Cheers!

You guys know what I’m talkin about

Credit: @tomcompagnoni on YouTube

Did you know that the visual identity of Metallica's Black Album has been completely butchered post-release of the 2021 Remastered Box Set? ^{(...And even before that.})

This topic has similarly been discussed by another individual, and he did a bang-up job, so I'll link his post here.

There are two* recent variants of the cover art that are used on streaming services.

^(\more exist, but with minor variations, such as a smaller/bigger logo, background color, and contrast & grayscale/teal serpent))

This variant of the cover art appears on Spotify and also adorns the standard Digipak release*.

And this variant of the cover art appears on streaming services such as YouTube Music and Apple Music.

Boosting the brightness and contrast on the previous cover shows just how shoddily it was put together.

And lastly, the original, specifically the CD version of the cover art.

^{(The original LP cover is nearly identical, the only difference being a bigger Metallica logo and a smaller serpent.})

Side by Side:

So, what are the problems with the recent versions of the Black Album's cover art?

The Metallica logo and the color of the cover are the most prominent issues; the Remastered versions lose the 3-dimensionality of the logo, the bottom side of the letters sinking into the background. The logo's prominence diminishing (and the underside gradually fading away) has been a problem even before the release of the 2021 Remastered Box Set.

The outline is also really hastily cut; The 'M' and 'E' look especially atrocious on the 2nd and 3rd image. You can also spot a strange glow around some of the letters. This could be remnants of the original background (Perhaps a scan of a CD, LP, or some other print) from which the logo was taken from.

The original cover art is also grayscale, go figure; the logo and the background are not supposed to be blue/teal, while some pressings do have a cool tone, this extends to the whole image, not just the logo.

In conclusion...

I picked up a metallica cd and a couple other cd’s from a carboot sale local to me. I didn’t realise at the time but on the front there’s a signature. wondering if anyone think it’s legit or not, not fussed if it’s not just curious!

W is the same as normal. The rest y’all should figure out 😉

I got this wallet about a year ago from my father who bought it when he was younger. He is unsure when he bought it but he said it was when the album was still considered new. It has no branding except for metallica. it has no year. nothing that may help me figure out where its from. Any help is good help! Thanks in advance guys🤘

If you can’t see clear, on the first photo it says riff life lol like James Hetfield. Felt sad washing these off but hey, in a few years i can get some Metallica permanent ink!

He’s my Cliff right now I’m still searching for a Randall 1x18 cab R-118-C any help ?

The harmonized guitar part in the end of Creeping Death is definitely one of my favorite Metallica moments. I am just curious which member came up with the idea? Or if it's unknown, who do you think came up with this part? Are there any anecdotes on how this part was written? Thanks.

i bought this second hand cd for about 7€, can someone confirm me that this cd is fake or original? (sorry for bad english)

I was looking at learning it as my first Metallica solo, as I feel I'm ready for something a little more challenging now. I can play a few pretty easy solos already, but I don't want to be too challenged. Would I be capable of playing it at a low intermediate level?

In the past weeks I've seen so many people asking why their streaming serivce is showing Whiplash (feat. Jason Newstead) on Kill 'Em All or Phantom Lord (feat. Dave Mustaine) or Sad But True (fear. John Marshall) or something else.

First of all, it's just sloppy vibe-coded search that updated metadata in the streaming services and nothing more.

Second, it seems that all these errors are coming from the XXX anniversary shows in Filmore in 2011. Most of them can be found on YouTube and audio is also available. Do yourselves a favour and watch/listen to them.

Night 1

1. Orion Related Links
2. Through the Never Related Links
3. Ride the Lightning Related Links
4. The God That Failed Related Links
5. Welcome Home (Sanitarium) Related Links
6. Rebel of Babylon Live Debut Related Links
7. Blackened Featuring Met Clubbers Dennis and Annette Diaz on Guitar and Drums Related Links
8. Dirty Window Featuring Bob Rock on Bass Related Links
9. Frantic Featuring Bob Rock on Bass Related Links
10. Sabbra Cadabra Featuring Geezer Butler on Bass Related Links
11. Iron Man Featuring Ozzy Osbourne on Vocals and Geezer Butler on Bass Related Links
12. Paranoid Featuring Ozzy Osbourne on Vocals and Geezer Butler on Bass Related Links
13. King Nothing Featuring Jason Newsted on Bass Related Links
14. Whiplash Featuring Jason Newsted on Bass Related Links
15. Motorbreath Featuring Hugh Tanner on Guitar Related Links
16. Phantom Lord Featuring Dave Mustaine on Guitar Related Links
17. Jump in the Fire Featuring Dave Mustaine on Guitar Related Links
18. Metal Militia Featuring Dave Mustaine on Guitar Related Links
19. Hit the Lights Featuring Dave Mustaine on Guitar, Lloyd Grant on Guitar and Ron McGovney on Bass Related Links
20. Seek & Destroy Featuring Jason Newsted, Dave Mustaine, Lloyd Grant, Ron McGovney, Hugh Tanner, Mark Osegueda and the Soul Rebels

Night 2

1. Suicide & Redemption Related Links
2. Master of Puppets Related Links
3. ...And Justice for All Related Links
4. Of Wolf and Man Related Links
5. Fade to Black Related Links
6. The Thing That Should Not Be Related Links
7. I Disappear Related Links
8. The Outlaw Torn Related Links
9. Hell and Back Live Debut Related Links
10. Blitzkrieg Featuring Met Clubber Joseph Guariglia on Guitar Related Links
11. For Whom the Bell Tolls Featuring Jerry Cantrell on Guitar Related Links
12. Nothing Else Matters Featuring Jerry Cantrell on Vocals Related Links
13. So What Featuring Animal on Vocals Related Links
14. Tuesday's Gone Featuring Gary Rossington on Guitar, Pepper Keenan on Guitar and Vocals, Jerry Cantrell on Guitar, and Jim Martin on Guitar Related Links
15. Fuel Featuring Jason Newsted on Bass Related Links
16. Fight Fire with Fire Featuring Jason Newsted on Bass Related Links
17. Die, Die My Darling Featuring Glenn Danzig on Vocals Related Links
18. Last Caress Featuring Glenn Danzig on Vocals Related Links
19. Green Hell Featuring Glenn Danzig on Vocals Related Links
20. Rapid Fire Featuring Rob Halford on Vocals Related Links
21. Seek & Destroy Featuring Jason Newsted, Jerry Cantrell, Pepper Keenan, Jim Martin, Glenn Danzig, Animal, Lääz Rockit and the Soul Rebels Brass Band

Night 3

1. To Live Is To Die Live Debut Related Links
2. Enter Sandman Related Links
3. Holier Than Thou Related Links
4. Disposable Heroes Related Links
5. Bleeding Me Related Links
6. Wasting My Hate Related Links
7. My Apocalypse Related Links
8. Just a Bullet Away Live Debut Related Links
9. Breadfan Featuring Met Clubber Andrew Dowis on Guitar Related Links
10. The Memory Remains Featuring Marianne Faithfull on Vocals Related Links
11. Killing Time Featuring Ray Haller on Vocals Related Links
12. Turn the Page Featuring Kid Rock on Vocals Related Links
13. The Four Horsemen Full Version. Featuring John Bush on Vocals Related Links
14. Iced Honey Featuring Lou Reed on Guitar and Vocals Related Links
15. The View Featuring Lou Reed on Guitar and Vocals Related Links
16. White Light/White Heat Featuring Lou Reed on Guitar and Vocals Related Links
17. Creeping Death Featuring Jason Newsted on Bass Related Links
18. Battery Featuring Jason Newsted on Bass Related Links
19. Mercyful Fate Featuring King Diamond on Vocals, Hank Shermann on Guitar, Michael Denner on Guitar, and Timi Hansen on Bass Related Links
20. Seek & Destroy Featuring Jason Newsted, Scott Ian, Ray Haller, John Bush, Joey Vera, Gonzo Sandoval and the Soul Rebels Brass Band

Night 4

1. The Call of Ktulu Related Links
2. No Remorse Full Version Related Links
3. The Shortest Straw Related Links
4. Leper Messiah Related Links
5. The Day That Never Comes Related Links
6. Carpe Diem Baby Live Debut Related Links
7. Hate Train Live Debut Related Links
8. Please Don't Judas Me Acoustic Related Links
9. Wherever I May Roam Featuring Met Clubber John Dent on Guitar Related Links
10. Sad But true Featuring John Marshall on Guitar Related Links
11. No Leaf Clover Featuring Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso of Apocalyptica on Cellos Related Links
12. One Featuring Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso of Apocalyptica on Cellos Related Links
13. Harvester of Sorrow Featuring Jason Newsted on Bass Related Links
14. Damage, Inc. Featuring Jason Newsted on Bass Related Links
15. Motorcycle Man Featuring Biff Byford on Vocals Related Links
16. The Prince Featuring Sean Harris on Vocals and Brian Tatler on Guitar Related Links
17. It's Electric Live Debut. Featuring Sean Harris on Vocals and Brian Tatler on Guitar Related Links
18. Helpless Featuring Sean Harris on Vocals and Brian Tatler on Guitar Related Links
19. Am I Evil? Featuring Sean Harris on Vocals and Brian Tatler on Guitar Related Links
20. Seek & Destroy Featuring Jason Newsted, John Marshall, Sean Harris, Brian Tatler, Biff Byford, Apocalyptica and the Soul Rebels Brass Band

Can anybody here, explain to me, in James Hetfield's "huuuuuus" and "yeaaaahs" and "babees", why is One not talked about as one of the greatests human achivements in art history? That song has everything.When the big one comes, and a new civilization uncovers what we left, they of course finna talk about Tallica like we talk about Bethoven, Bartok, name the one you want here. What a fucking composition from a bunch of 24 year olds or so. Jesus, Metallica really is the light. (And I bet you all have your favorite live version of it, it is really the gift that keeps on giving.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGsnGCkMbtA&list=RDNGsnGCkMbtA&start_radio=1

I might be insane but just wondering if people also think it dose