10 Things You Didn't Know About Metallica
8. Enter Sandman was added at the last second
Metallica would probably not be in the position they are in today if not for “Enter Sandman.”
Kicking off their new era with the Black Album, the song has one of the meanest grooves of any Metallica song, with a riff that has become a staple of classic rock. It’s impossible to imagine the album without it, but there was a good chance of the song being left by the wayside.
As opposed to being a Hetfield-led riff, the “Sandman” lick was actually created by Kirk Hammett as he was noodling on his guitar in the middle of the night. When brought into the studio, Lars played with the arrangement until it became the form we know and love today.
For as much badass swagger is in the riff, producer Bob Rock initially turned it down as one of the album’s lead singles.
When going through the band’s demos, Ulrich insisted that “Sandman” was the song that would bring the band over the top, but everyone else felt that the more thrashy “Holier Than Thou” was a better candidate for that coveted lead single spot.
After a sparring back and forth, Ulrich eventually got them to release it, after which it became one of the biggest hits the band ever had. Even though “Holier Than Thou” remains a good song, “Enter Sandman” was the ideal balance of being different and familiar for the band to cross over into the mainstream.