Metallica Debut Black Album Live Show

They play the whole of the album, but there's a twist

Published 9th May 2012

The metal legends have premiered their new live show, and as promised they played the whole of their classic 1991 album in full. But they did it in reverse order...

Ultimate Classic Rock reports that the band have revived their "Snake Pit" stage and at their first show on their current European tour in Prague they kicked off their show with a handful of classic tracks before they surprised everyone by playing the "Black Album" in reverse order, kicking off with 'The Struggle Within' and closing the main set with 'Enter Sandman'.

Their official tour journal said "What a great show here in Prague to start off the 20th Anniversary of the Black Album! The band surprised everyone, and played it backwards! During and after ‘Sandman,’ it was pyro, pyro, pyro, and pyro!!! Sandman had ‘fireworks,’ ‘Fuel’ had the big flames, ‘One’ had the big booms and bangs, (including the new lasers) and the set ended with ‘Seek,’ with beach balls and more big pyro!"

The band headline Download on Saturday 9 June where they will play the Black Album, presumably backwards, for the first time ever in the UK.

Meanwhile, in other Metallica news, the band have confirmed that they will work with Rick Rubin once again on their next studio album.

Speaking to Metal Hammer, James Hetfield revealed "He’s a different kind of producer. He’s challenging. He’s a very cut and dried, to-the-point kind of producer – but he’s also very open to lots of ideas.

"The main thing for us was getting to the core and essence of Metallica, and that’s the reason we chose to work with him. He gets the best out of artists who have been around for a while, I believe. That’s what we wanted him for.”

The band are due to start work on their follow up to 2008's Death Magnetic in 2013.

(Classic Rock Magazine)