Metallica set to celebrate the “Black Album” with epic remaster

There are now two ways about it, Metallica’s 1991 self-titled release, better known simply as the Black Album is one of the most iconic and important metal records ever released, and this year it celebrates its twentieth anniversary so the band are giving the record the same treatment they gave Master Of Puppets on its own anniversary not so long ago. That’s to say it’s getting a big box remaster… a really big box.

Releasing September 10th and available for pre-order now, the black album remaster is highly anticipated and if you’re even remotely interested I’d highly recommend getting your pre-order in sooner rather than later, I had all but given up trying to secure a Master Of Puppets big box until my partner came through at the eleventh hour with one. If sales are anything like that then you’ll want to get in quickly.

Much like the Master Of Puppets re-release, this box set is one for collectors. Featuring an eye-watering amount of content. Each box is limited edition and numbered. Within it is of course the Black Album remastered on 180-gram double LP and CD, a ‘Sad But True’ picture disc, three Live LPs, 14 CDs, six DVDs featuring unreleased content from demos to live shows to rough mixes, MP3 download cards of all audio, four tour laminates, a lanyard, three lithos, three guitar picks, a lyrics folder and lyric sheets, and a 120-page hardcover book with never-before-seen photos and stories (phew). The full details can be found on the official website.

It’s so big it has it’s own trailer…

That’s not all though, Metallica want to continue the celebrations and in order to do so they have enlisted some of their friends, 53 of them to be exact! Also on the horizon is a tribute album based around the very same album featuring a huge line up of guests from the likes of Ghost, Elton John, Miley Cyrus, Volbeat, Weezer, Corey Taylor, Biffy Clyro, PUP, Royal Blood, St. Vincent, IDLES to name but a few.

Titled The Metallica Blacklist the monster release is set for the same day as the remaster, September 10th and also has its own trailer (below). This one is sure to divide opinions and send some purists running to their keyboards, but when has that ever stopped Metallica before?