Classic Albums – Metallica: The Black Album
Netflix
DVD
Directed by Matthew Longfellow
Starring James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, Jason Newsted, Bob Rock
Eagle Rock Entertainment
Originally Released: November 06, 2001

With the buzz surrounding Metallica‘s upcoming movie, Through The Never, I thought I’d take a glance back at the band during a major turning point in their career that would see them go from heroes of the Thrash Metal scene, to a worldwide phenomenon. The Black Album became Metallica’s springboard to international recognition, propelling into the mainstream, an accomplishment that still largely divides fans to this day.

Prior to 1991, Metallica’s reputation was legendary among metalheads following underground movements. During the Eighties, as far as MTV was concerned, Heavy Metal was all glam and hair; with bands such as Ratt and Poison taking a front seat in the mayhem mainstream. But elsewhere, metalheads knew there was far more to the rapidly growing genre, and that there was more variety in the scene that involved less hairspray and less lipstick.

To accompany their upcoming 3D feature film, Metallica Through The Never, Metallica will release a 2-disc soundtrack album called Metallica Through The Never (Music from the Motion Picture).

The soundtrack, which will be released on the Metallica’s own record label Blackened Recordings, will feature highlights from the band’s shows last year at Rexall Place in Edmonton and Rogers Arena in Vancouver, which is where all the performance footage from the film was shot.

Metallica Through The Never (Music from the Motion Picture) will be released on both CD and digitally on September 24, 2013. There will also be a vinyl edition in both 33 1/3RPM and special limited numbered 45RPM versions later in the Fall. Check out the album’s track listing here below.

The members of Metallica made their first appearance at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, July 19, 2013, at a panel where they brought the new trailer and exclusive footage for their upcoming 3D movie, Metallica Through The Never.

Everyone who attended the panel in Hall H had the chance to win tickets to go to a secret show the band was playing later that night, where they played mostly songs from their first four albums (“Fuel” was the newest song they played). The crowd at the Spreckels Theater in San Diego got to see Metallica in a rare, striped-down setting – no pyro, no stage set – playing tunes like “One,” “Ride The Lightning” (my favorite Metallica song ever), and “Creeping Death.”

Now, the band has released official video from the show, which you can watch here below. In the video, you’ll see the band perform “Seek and Destroy” live (which was the encore), as well as guitarist Kirk Hammett and Lars Ulrich switching instruments, band rehearsal, and Tuning Room footage.

The undisputed kings of heavy metal, Metallica, made their very first appearance at San Diego Comic-Con today. All four members of the icon band – James Hetfield (vocals, guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums), Kirk Hammett (lead guitar), and Robert Trujillo (bass) – came to the convention center’s Hall H to promote their upcoming 3D film, Metallica Through The Never. Director/writer Nimród Antal (Predators) and producer Charlotte Huggins (Journey to the Center of the Earth) also appear on the panel, which revealed the world premiere of the film’s theatrical trailer and poster, as well as exclusive preview footage.

Check out the theatrical trailer and poster here below.

The movie stars the band in concert performance sequences, along with actor Dane DeHaan (from The Amazing Spider-Man 2) as Trip, a roadie who is sent on an urgent mission to pick up a bag during one of the band’s sold-out shows. Tripp’s mission gets diverted after his van crashes; when he emerges from the wreck, the city seems to have gone mad, with rioting and a masked horseman riding through the streets hacking at and lassoing the citizens. But Tripp still has his job to do and the audience is left to wonder, what’s in the bag?

The first trailer for the upcoming Metallica movie, titled Metallica: Through the Never, has been released online.

The movie is built around a live Metallica concert, as a roadie (played by Chronicle star Dane DeHaan) is sent out on a simple task that turns out to be much, much more than that as he finds himself in the middle of one wild and crazy situation after another.

Click on over to the other side now to check out a synopsis and the first trailer for Metallica: Through the Never.