Also known as the 'Black Album', by virtue of its singular cover, this record finds Metallica defiantly striding away from the thrash tomb their detractors predicted they would become embalmed in.
Although drafting in 'rock' producer Bob Rock may have caused certain sections of their hardcore fanbase to cry 'sell out', his presence in accentuating the good things on this album is undeniable.
There are still the brutal moments that characterise Metallica at their loudest and finest - the bullish 'Holier Than Thou' with its reinforced concrete riffs; the staccato, looping grind of 'Through The Never' and the epic 'My Friend Of Misery'.
Yet at the same time there is a wider spectrum covered here - the Morricone-influenced spaghetti western epic 'The Unforgiven', and, in particular, the striking ballad 'Nothing Else Matters' which displays the most tangible human soul to Metallica ever.
Hetfield's vocals and Ulrich's drumming are allowed plenty of room on top, ensuring nothing gets bogged down in heaviness but, where necessary, still overwhelms.
This album is packed with highlights, from the downright evil opening riff of 'Enter Sandman' - with Hetfield playing the villain of every child's nightmare with aplomb - to the surging guitars of 'Sad But True', through to the almost military beginning of closer 'The Struggle Within'.
An album that has Metallica sticking a middle finger at those who would see them as simple dumb thrashers and one that marks them as true innovators in an often static genre. Magnificent.
by Simon P Ward