Video: Metallica Read 1-Star Amazon Reviews of The Black Album
Metallica’s self-titled 1991 album, often called The Black Album, remains insanely commercially successful to this day, shifting thousands of copies every week. That’s been at the forefront lately in light of its 30th anniversary this year, which the band are celebrating with a super-duper-deluxe edition re-release that came out this past Friday, September 10.
But the album has never been short on controversy, derided by purists at the time as the moment Metallica sold out. Those criticisms continue to this day in private hideouts like bars and living rooms and in public forums like Facebook, comments sections… and Amazon reviews, where folks still feel inclined to give their official two cents on a 30-year-old piece of music.
As part of the 30th anniversary reissue promo campaign, Metallica appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Friday night, September 10, where they performed a couple of songs, spoke with Kimmel and aired a pre-taped skit in which the band members read 1-star Amazon reviews of The Black Album. Despite the predictability of some of the comments — folks saying Metallica suck, calling them sell-outs, claiming drummer Lars Ulrich stinks — there are some gems in here (someone recommending shoppers buy a Dire Straits or Foreigner record instead is my personal favorite) and the band does a great job with the acting and delivery. Well done!
You can watch that video below.
The Metallica Blacklist, which features 50+ artists spanning a vast range of genres covering songs from Metallica’s Black Album, features contributions from Corey Taylor, Ghost, Miley Cyrus, Volbeat, Weezer, Biffy Clyro, Chris Stapleton, Royal Blood, the Hu, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Chad Smith, Phoebe Bridgers, and more. That comes out on October 1, while the super-duper-extra-special-deluxe thirtieth anniversary reissue of the Black Album arrived on September 10.
Metallica have been deep in “some pretty serious writing” for their next album since last November with the most recent update, indicating ten songs were partially written, coming this past May via frontman James Hetfield.
Upcoming Metallica live dates:
9/24/21 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life at Highland Festival Grounds at KY Expo Center [tickets]
9/26/21 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life at Highland Festival Grounds at KY Expo Center [tickets]
10/8/21 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock at Discovery Park [tickets]
10/10/21 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock at Discovery Park [tickets]
11/4/21 – Hollywood, FL — Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino [tickets]
11/12/21 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville at the Daytona International Speedway [tickets]
11/14/21 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville at the Daytona International Speedway [tickets]
12/17/21 — San Francisco, CA — Chase Center [fan club only]
12/19/21 — San Francisco, CA — Chase Center [fan club only]
6/15/22 – Copenhell – Copenhagen, Denmark [tickets]
6/17/22 – Firenze Rocks – Florence, Italy [tickets]
6/19/22 – Prague Rocks – Prague, Czech Republic [tickets]
6/22/22 – Rock Werchter – Werchter, Belgium [tickets]
7/1/22 – Mad Cool – Madrid, Spain [tickets]
7/6/22 – NOS Alive – Lisbon, Portugal [tickets]
