10 Greatest Metallica Riffs EVER
2. Sad But True
There aren't too many Metallica albums that seem to split the fanbase right down the middle. Die-hard fans of the thrash metal legends have been used to coming together to either praise the masterpieces on Master of Puppets or gawk at the filth on display across St. Anger. On the other hand, the Black Album is the one album in the group's catalog that has had fans both praising and degrading it for years.
For all the detractors of this album for being Metallica's pop crossover, you don't usually see the same vitriol towards Sad But True. Even though this track is not really at the same BPM as the rest of the band's tunes, it makes up for it with one of the heaviest grooves any metal act has taken on.
Tuned down for added muscle, James Hetfield maneuvers around the riff like the slithering snake on this cover, ready to devour anything that stands in its way.
In fact, it's probably better than this riff was slowed down, given that any other extensions would have ended up hurting the song in the long run. While the first part of Metallica's catalog felt larger than life, this one riff feels like Godzilla coming over the horizon to wreak havoc on any living entity that blocks its path.