Metallica have unveiled the Metallica Black Box, an ongoing project that showcases rare artefacts and footage from the band’s history.
Specifically, the Metallica Black Box will touch on the band’s years supporting their 1991 self-titled album, also known as ‘The Black Album’, which turned 30 in August.
- READ MORE: Various artists – ‘The Metallica Blacklist’ review: a sprawling tribute to ‘The Black Album’
The Metallica Black Box will comprise a collection of physical keepsakes and virtual content pulled from the members’ personal archives.
“When you’ve been around for 40 years, you manage to collect a few things!” the band commented in a statement.
“Along the way, the four of us have hung on to many keepsakes, photographs, articles of clothing, sketches and so much more, stashing these items away in attics, garages and storage spaces. But no more, as we’re excited to launch the Metallica Black Box!”
The band promised that “in the weeks, months and years ahead”, the Black Box website will “venture progressively deeper into the vaults, the sounds, the visuals, the instruments, the culture and beyond.”
Recommended
Website sections such as an art gallery and a band retrospective are set to be launched in the months ahead. A webstore also offers tour poster reproductions, band photo prints, and commemoration plaques for sale.
Last Saturday (November 20), the band began a weekly streaming series of concerts from the Black Album tour. The streams run on the website at 8pm UK time, with past streams also available to purchase. Each show was handpicked by Metallica historian Dan Nykolayko (also known as “Spider Dan”).
In September, the band released ‘The Metallica Blacklist’, which featured a long list of musicians who covered songs from the album, including Elton John, Miley Cyrus, Rina Sawayama, Weezer, Idles, and more. Their self-titled album was also reissued with a deluxe box set featuring live recordings, demos and interviews.
NME’s Mark Beaumont wrote in a three-star review that the compilation “is a fitfully thrilling hodgepodge”.