Yesterday, thrash metal world-conquerors Metallica announced their super-deluxe 30th-anniversary reissue of their 1991 self-titled album, AKA the Black Album, including a massive tribute record featuring over 50 artists.
Now, the band have released one of the rarity tracks from this new edition of that massive album — a demo of their MTV hit “Enter Sandman,” recorded by frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich back in 1990.
If the demo sounds a little stark, well, there’s a reason for that: it was laid down in Lars’ basement. And while James hasn’t yet added any of his vocal lines, the song’s very basic structure and melodies are still present.
Mostly, it’s fun to imagine the face of a label executive in ’90 when he got Metallica’s first demos for their new record, popped this on, pressed play, and thought, Holy shit, we’re going to make absolutely stupid amounts of money with this.
Check out “Enter Sandman” circa 1990 in a basement below:
Metallica’s super-mega-deluxe edition of the Black Album, featuring the Blacklist tribute record, is available for preorder. Check out the full line-up of artists and songs they’re covering below:
- ALESSIA CARA & THE WARNING – Enter Sandman
- MAC DEMARCO – Enter Sandman
- GHOST – Enter Sandman
- JUANES – Enter Sandman
- RINA SAWAYAMA – Enter Sandman
- WEEZER – Enter Sandman
- SAM FENDER – Sad But True (Live)
- JASON ISBELL – Sad But True
- MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND FEAT. LA PERLA & GERA MX – Sad But True
- ROYAL BLOOD – Sad But True
- ST. VINCENT – Sad But True
- WHITE REAPER – Sad But True
- YB – Sad But True
- BIFFY CLYRO – Holier Than Thou
- THE CHATS – Holier Than Thou
- OFF! – Holier Than Thou
- PUP – Holier Than Thou
- COREY TAYLOR – Holier Than Thou
- CAGE THE ELEPHANT – The Unforgiven
- VISHAL DADLANI, DIVINE, SHOR POLICE – The Unforgiven
- DIET CIG – The Unforgiven
- FLATBUSH ZOMBIES FEAT. DJ SCRATCH – The Unforgiven
- HA*ASH – The Unforgiven
- JOSÉ MADERO – The Unforgiven
- MOSES SUMNEY – The Unforgiven
- J BALVIN – Wherever I May Roam
- CHASE & STATUS FEAT. BACKROAD GEE – Wherever I May Roam
- THE NEPTUNES – Wherever I May Roam
- JON PARDI – Wherever I May Roam
- SEBASTIAN – Don’t Tread On Else Matters
- PORTUGAL. THE MAN FEAT. AARON BEAM – Don’t Tread On Me
- VOLBEAT – Don’t Tread On Me
- THE HU – Through The Never
- TOMI OWÓ – Through The Never
- PHOEBE BRIDGERS – Nothing Else Matters
- MILEY CYRUS FEAT. WATT, ELTON JOHN, YO-YO MA, ROBERT TRUJILLO, CHAD SMITH – Nothing Else Matters
- DAVE GAHAN – Nothing Else Matters
- MICKEY GUYTON – Nothing Else Matters
- DERMOT KENNEDY – Nothing Else Matters
- MON LAFERTE – Nothing Else Matters
- IGOR LEVIT – Nothing Else Matters
- MY MORNING JACKET – Nothing Else Matters
- PG ROXETTE – Nothing Else Matters
- DARIUS RUCKER – Nothing Else Matters
- CHRIS STAPLETON – Nothing Else Matters
- TRESOR – Nothing Else Matters
- GOODNIGHT, TEXAS – Of Wolf And Man
- IDLES – The God That Failed
- IMELDA MAY – the god that failed
- CHERRY GLAZERR – My Friend Of Misery
- IZÏA – My Friend Of Misery
- KAMASI WASHINGTON – My Friend Of Misery
- RODRIGO Y GABRIELA – The Struggle Within
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Words by Chris Krovatin
