Metallica – Load (2xLP)

Metallica's Load arrived in 1996 as the band's sixth studio album and the long-awaited follow-up to the self-titled record that had made them the biggest metal band of the era. Instead of simply extending their thrash blueprint, Metallica pushed into slower tempos, thicker grooves, blues and hard-rock textures, and a more introspective writing style. That change made Load a divisive record at the time, but it also captures a hugely successful band testing its range rather than repeating itself.

Produced by Bob Rock, the album leans into weight and atmosphere as much as speed. Songs such as “Until It Sleeps,” “King Nothing,” and “Hero of the Day” helped define its mid-90s radio reach, while longer pieces like “Bleeding Me” and “The Outlaw Torn” show how far the band had moved toward expansive, mood-driven songwriting. The source material also places Load at 5x platinum, which helps explain why this era remains such a substantial chapter in Metallica’s catalogue even when fans debate it.

This remastered edition underlines that period of reinvention with the album spread across two LPs. It also restores the original extended version of “The Outlaw Torn,” a detail that matters for anyone who has only known the edited release. For listeners who appreciate Metallica at their most brooding and groove-focused, Load remains one of the clearest documents of the band's 90s transformation.

Features

• 2xLP, 180g, Black Vinyl
• Remastered by Reuben Cohen at Lurssen Mastering
• Vinyl lacquers cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering
• Gatefold jacket with two printed inserts
• Includes download card
• Features the original extended version of “The Outlaw Torn”