Metallica’s Kirk Hammett Says ‘Black Album’ Features His Best Guitar Playing

Kirk Hammett, a famous metal guitarist, opened up about his work on Metallica's self-titled release in a candid discussion with Metal Hammer. People call this record The Black Album, and the band released it on August 12, 1991. "Those solos wrote themselves! Almost all of them worked out instantly," said Hammett to Metal Hammer. "I don't sit around listening to Metallica, so sometimes something comes on and I'm like, 'I haven't heard this in five years! I forgot about that sound.'"

Sales figures tell a striking story. The Black Album is at the top of metal music sales charts, and Metallica sold over 20 million copies.

However, not every track flowed with ease. "There were only a few things I wasn't prepared for, and that was 'The Unforgiven' solo, which is pretty well documented. And the solo for 'My Friend of Misery.' But because the solo of 'The Unforgiven' ended up being so spontaneous, that made me want to do them all like that from that point on," Hammett said. He improvised after producer Bob Rock rejected his initial ideas, and he prefers a combination of planned and improvised elements. For The Black Album, he arrived with about 80% of his material prepared.

The switch from Dave Mustaine to Hammett in 1983 marked a turning point. Four albums built a strong fan base. Then, The Black Album shot the band into stardom with "Enter Sandman" and "Nothing Else Matters."

Recent live shows included rare tracks and shows fill Metallica's schedule through 2026. Their world tour spans four continents, with acts like Pantera, Gojira, and Knocked Loose warming up crowds across the globe. You can find concert dates and buy tickets on Metallica's website.