Earlier this month, thrash metal game-changers 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. Shortly thereafter, the band released a basement demo of their massive breakthrough hit “Enter Sandman.” Now, Metallica have unveiled an early take of the album’s second track “Sad But True” which shows just how much the song has grown over time.
The ‘Take 36’ version of “Sad But True” is in many ways similar to the finalized album version. You’ve got the big central riff, the Hetfield wails, the works. What’s missing is nuance — those massive accents at the beginning, the layered vocal harmonies, all of the stuff that makes “Sad But True” an especially crushing track. It’s an interesting display of how you can have the building-block pieces of a song in place and still have a long way to go until it’s finished.
Listen to this alternate version of “Sad But True” 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
And check out the full expanded pieces of this epic boxed set:
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Words by Chris Krovatin
