Last month marked the 30th anniversary of not just the biggest metal release in history, but one of the best-selling albums of all time in Metallica’s eponymous 1991 LP, commonly referred to as ‘The Black Album.’ Now, the Bay Area based titans of hard rock are celebrating this Friday with a new edition of the record along with a tribute to the album by more than 50 artists from a variety of genres.
Upon its release, and on the heels of the late July smash single “Enter Sandman,” the fifth effort by Metallica shot straight to the top spot on the charts worldwide and remains the best-selling title in the history of sales tracker Nielsen Soundscan, outselling every release in every genre over the past 30 years. Other hits from the record include “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Wherever I May Roam” and “Sad but True,” fueling the band’s rise to stadium headlining, radio and MTV dominating household name status.
Now, ‘The Black Album’ is receiving its definitive re-release. Remastered for ultimate sound quality, the reissue is available in multiple configurations including 180gram double vinyl, standard CD and a three-disc expanded edition and digital. Like the first four albums in their catalog, Metallica is also putting out a limited-edition deluxe box set containing the 180g two-LP remaster, a picture disc, three live LPs, 14 CDs featuring rough mixes, demos, interviews, live shows, six DVDs of outtakes, behind the scenes, official videos and live shows, a 120-page hardcover book, four tour laminates, three lithographs, three guitar picks, a Metallica lanyard, a folder with lyric sheets and a download card.
Concurrent with the set is ‘The Metallica Blacklist,’ which sees an unprecedented 53 artists spanning a vast range of genres, generations, cultures, continents and more, each contributing a unique interpretation of their favorite ‘Black Album’ cut. It provides new insights into the universal and timeless appeal of the record and influence thee 12 songs have had on fans and musicians of all stripes.
Among the contributors are singer songwriters, country acts, electronic and hip-hop artists, punk rockers, indie darlings, icons of rock, metal, world music and many more. Some of the names include Weezer (“Enter Sandman”), Phoebe Bridgers (“Nothing Else Matters”), The Neptunes (“Wherever I May Roam”), Royal Blood (“Sad but True”) and a collaboration between Miley Cyrus, Watt, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Metallica’s Robert Trujillo and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith on “Nothing Else Matters.”‘‘The Metallica Blacklist will be available in formats including digital, four CD and a limited edition seven LP vinyl pressing. Proceeds from every sale, download or stream will be divided evenly between charities of the artist’s choice and Metallica’s own All Within My Hands Foundation.
VINYL OF THE WEEK
Keep an eye on this spot as each week we’ll be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a re-pressing of a landmark recording, special edition or new collection from a legendary act. This week, we’re doing something a little bit different.
‘LED ZEPPELIN VINYL: THE ESSENTIAL COLLECTION’: BY ROSS HALFIN
Led Zeppelin released only eight studio albums and – in their UK homeland – no singles over the course of their 12-year career. Yet somehow, to date, there are more than 1,000 singles and 2,000 full length LPs in the market. All of them are unofficial of course, but for collectors of vinyl and hardcore fans of the band, that’s where some of the pure gold lies. Now a new coffee table book takes a look at this fascinating side of Zep’s recorded history.
A definitive hardcover volume of the iconic group on wax published by Reel Art Press, ‘Led Zeppelin Vinyl: The Essential Collection’ illustrates in full color some of the rarest and most interesting vinyl releases, including one-of-a-kind rarities, bizarre regional variations, official albums and bootleg recordings of legendary concerts, sometimes featuring handmade artwork or colored vinyl.
All the vinyl, labels and covers have been documented by photographer Ross Halfin in superb detail and are annotated with details of their release. Additionally, the book includes over forty pages of the most up-to-date comprehensive discography ever compiled on the band, with forensic detail. All known album and single vinyl releases from around the world are listed with catalogue numbers, release or recording dates and additional notes.
“The first album that I ever bought was ‘Led Zeppelin II’ when I was 13,” said Halfin in a statement. “I have at least 40 different versions of it now.”
A true labor of love from a photographer who has shot some of the biggest rock and roll acts in history, ‘Led Zeppelin Vinyl’ is a complete feast for the eyes and a must-have for fans of the group and vinyl enthusiasts. It is a paean of praise to vinyl artwork and graphic design: the illustrations are explosive and surreal, playful, experimental and subversive, interpreting multiple artistic disciplines with flair and wit.
Among the bootleg highlights is ‘Yellow Zeppelin,’ a show recorded in Miami on the inaugural 1969 tour, with the cover making the band out to be cartoon characters in a play on The Beatles ‘Yellow Submarine.’ Another is ‘Berkeley Daze,’ take from a 1971 gig in the California town, which has the group depicted riding on the elephant Dumbo. Some of the care and talent put into the artwork one some of the releases is astonishing – even if the track listings are occasionally a bit off, like when “Rock and Roll” gets referred to as “It’s Been a Long Time.”
‘Led Zeppelin Vinyl: The Essential Collection’ is available now wherever fine books are sold.
To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to rockmusicmenu@gmail.com. Also, check out his blog at www.thechroniclesofmc.com
Source: Berkshire mont
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