Metallica - Exclusive Black Marble

This was SUCH an important album when it came out in 1991 and today (2020) it sounds as fresh and as current as it did then. It stands up over time, stands up over multiple listenings, was perfect for the younger me with much longer hair playing punk and metal and perfect for the shorter hair older me (still playing punk and metal). The timelessness of this album puts it in the company of London Calling, Exile On Main Street, Dark Side of the Moon, Back In Black and any of the Led Zeppelins up to Physical Graffiti. Yes, its that good you can talk about it side to side with the big names and classic titles. Yes, you can nitpick about Slayer having sharper fangs, Pantera having more menacing grooves, Down as the doom masters, Motorhead as the freight train with no brakes, Megadeth being more shredilicious, and yes, nothing holds a candle to the Almighty Black Sabbath (Masters of Reality/Volume IV), but even here Metallica comes out as the big name among the biggest names. Now, this album was so seamless, so high octane rocket fuel, such well crafted riffology and lyrical poignancy that it gave the band whiplash and they had created a monster they had to scramble to catch up with. This is the album that propelled them from the top of the denim heap in sophisticated headbanger heaven to being a household name, and only the purest of the pure, the elitist of the elite would dare hint at sellout (I love Newstead's comment "yes, well sell out every seat, every night"). If Hetfield were next to me as I write this he would punch my lights out for suggesting that Metallica was prophesied by Spinal Tap (a black album, none more black; a concert with a symphony orchestra). That just adds to the mythos of Metallica. Like a good Lovecraftian band, they sacrificed Newstead who helped them pull together for Justice and through the Load/Re-Load S&M - if you watch the S&M video you'll see he was the most into it and having the most fun: Lars and James are trying to be too-cool-for-school and Hammett is such a surfer/Jedi Master he can't let what's happening around him register. Enough of history and that which should never be. Since it came out, this has been one of the few albums I've dragged with me from small apartment to small apartment, across the country, to the UK and back. You have to listen to it all in one go, and that's the problem with our culture: we no longer sit down and do something for extended periods of time (unless its to binge-watch something, and even then people fast forward). This is an album in its entirety and should be treated as such. None more loud. None more classic. None more black.

A classic! I am so happy I got this album because of the great songs and memories they bring. The quality of sound is excellent too!

What I've noticed in most Amazon.com reviews is that they review the album and not the actual product and/or vice versa. So, I'm going to do both. The Album: Metallica's self titled album was both a hit and miss for people everywhere. It was a hit in the idea that Metallica took their thrash metal to a more mainstream level attracting the mainstream audience (aka the radio) and a miss in the idea that metalheads were disappointed by the album for the very reason of going mainstream. While it is a much more mainstream album than the others, especially coming off of their 88 album ...And Justice for All, it still holds up as a metal album in my perspective. It's not nearly as heavy as their famous 86 album Master of Puppets, but I feel in this album they didn't completely let go of their past albums. A perfect example is the song Holier than Thou. That's a very heavy song and one of my personal favorites. So metalheads need to stop whining about the album and whine about something worth whining about (Load and Reload). The Actual Product 180-gram 45 RPM Vinyl never sounded so good and goes perfectly with the Black Album because of how, back when producing the album, the new producer Bob Rock spent extra time and $$ to get the album sounding as perfect as possible. With this vinyl set, that shows. I have read reviews that some songs skip, but after a sweep through all of the songs i haven't encountered one skip on my box set. The songs sound crystal clear, the drum track in perticular sounds like Lars Ulrich is right in the room. The bass is also outstanding and it shows on the song Sad but True. All in all for $30 this was a steal. I finally have a reason to use my turntable again and when friends are over it's a great idea to play this album during a round of pool (yeah, I have a mancave in my basement). People considering buying this album on vinyl, IT'S WORTH IT.

Awesome album

Absolutely perfect!

Came quick and as described

Timeless classic! Jewel case arrived uncracked, and the CD itself sounds exactly as great as I could want it to! Though I'm a big thrash metal fan, it would be heresy not to recognize the Black Album for the sonic and musical masterpiece that it is. Some people say that Metallica lost their touch with this album, but I don't think that's true at all! Holier Than Thou, Through The Never, and The Struggle Within all contain some of the heaviest, most badass riffs known to man, and fit in pretty damned snug with the band's first four albums' tracklistings. Though I do usually skip Enter Sandman (and sometimes Sad But True) when I listen to this album, every other song is fantastic - yes, even Nothing Else Matters... Or at least the instrumental behind it. The only thing I have a real problem with on this album, is that My Friend Of Misery isn't an instrumental like Jason intended it to be. Most of the lyrics, and mainly the chorus, are some of the worst music present here... But that's just my take. If you're thinking about it, my copy was both quality, and way cheaper than the shipping on Metallica's official website. I still recommend you try and find a local store that has this CD in stock though. See your product before purchase it, and support a local business. Unless you live in Nowhere Land like me, you'd be hard-pressed not to find one. Stay metal. \m/

Sound quality is great.

Genial

Warner Music should recall this album and send out new copies of the "Nothing Else Matters" Vinyl. Like the other reviews, the S's sound terrible, like Zzzzzzzz, pure distortion. I raised my stylus when I heard the first Chorus and changed to another song I was that disappointed. I nearly cried as I love this song. I have no complaints with any of the other tracks, they sound incredible and powerful, as they should. Please Warner make this right! EDIT: March 14th 2012 Okay, have I learned a LOT about cartridges and such over the last month. so I went out and bought a used Benz Micro Glider MOMC cartridge that was in pristine condition. I immediately tried out "Nothing Else Matters" again after installing it, and I was SHOCKED. The song sounds PERFECT. No sibilance to speak of, PERIOD. (yes the distorted 'ssssss' have a name) Verdict: "Nothing Else Matters" requires a good cartridge to play properly, as it demands much more than what cheap cartridges can provide.... I'm happy. :-) 5 Stars.

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Thx perfect!!!

La version vinyle de cet album mythique est parfaitement à la hauteur du son gigantesque de la production de Bob Rock. Plus chaleureux, plus spacieux, plus dynamique que le son du CD que j’avais acheté il y a 25 ans lorsque j’étais ado. Le son froid, voire clinique de la version CD avait un peu tendance à me « casser » les oreilles au bout de 3 chansons, là le son chaud du vinyle tient parfaitement la route. Le pressage est très très bon, je ne sais pas de quel mastering ils sont partis, mais c’est du tout bon. Je parviens à découvrir même des subtilités dans les chansons que je n’avais jamais entendues auparavant, et ce n’est pas faute d’avoir écouté des centaines de fois cet album. Attention toutefois, il ne s’agit pas d’un double gatefold, mais d’un simple. Ils auraient quand même pu faire un effort pour les fans non ? De même gare aux traces de doigts sur la pochette toute noire, rapidement pénibles. Quant à l’album, pas besoin d’en parler, il est connu et reconnu, également clivant au sein de la communauté des fans de Metallica. J’avoue avoir longtemps fait partie de la frange « dure » des fans qui ne juraient que par Master, ou Justice et pour qui le Black fut une haute trahison, et pour qui Bob Rock devait être rayé de l’ordre des producteurs. Surtout après avoir vu qu’ils passaient le clip de Nothing Else Matters au Jacky Show à l’époque. Mais la quarantaine passée, rangé des voitures, et surtout une certaine maturité atteinte, je me rends enfin compte de la véritable valeur de cet album, et je rends enfin hommage au travail de Bob. Merci Bob. Et maintenant je ne skippe plus les titres que sont Holier Than Thou, Through The Never, The God That Failed, etc., ce que je faisais sans vergogne avant et surtout avec beaucoup de dédain. Longue vie aux rois du rock !