10 Albums Which Almost Destroyed Their Creators

American heavy metal band Metallica's fifth, self-titled album (often referred to as The Black Album) marked a noted change in direction away from the group's previous all-out thrash rock towards a simplified, quieter and somewhat more melodic approach. By all accounts, this was mostly down to the band's choice of producer: Bob Rock.

By the early 90s, Metallica were four albums into a highly successful career. Their previous two outings, Master of Puppets (1986) and ...And Justice For All (1988) had been critically and commercially well-received, with admirers pointing to their complexity, ambition and lyrical content as particular strengths.

Step forward Bob Rock, hired by the band on the strength of his work with fellow American heavy metal outfit, Mötley Crüe. A hard-line producer with a cast-iron vision, Rock battled with the band for months for creative control over every last detail of the music. Rock criticised frontman James Hetfield's lyrics, altered the group's established pattern of working and, by the end of several hard months, vowed never to work with Metallica again.

Despite unceasing arguments between band and producer, Rock, astonishingly, continued to work with Metallica for the next 13 years.