I think the hate for Black Album is somewhat overblown, especially with albums like Reload, St. Anger, and Lulu that have come out since then, which make the album look like gold haha. Maybe I'm a bit biased as it was one of my first Tallica albums.
Granted I can definitely see how they watered down and "commercialized" much of the material compared to the more interesting, dynamic stuff on the previous 4 albums. But I'm fine mixing things up as long as the music is still good and catchy, which most of the Black Album is. I do think Sad But True is extremely overrated and I really don't understand why the band feels the need to play the track for virtually *every* freakin live show for decades.. Nothing Else Matters, while good in its own way, is so soft if almost seems like a different band. Enter Sandman I also find very overrated. But as a whole it's a solid heavy metal/hard rock album.
Not every song needs to be uber complex, 8-9 minute compositions, and Tallica still manages to craft some catchy, interesting songs that are a more digestible 3-4 minutes. I wouldn't have wanted *every* album going forward to be like that, and I'm glad they sort of went back to the harder, more complex thrash-ish roots with Death Magnetic and Hardwired, but I'm still glad they made the record.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident - all men and women created by the, go-you know.. you know the thing!" - Joe Biden
