The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins has defended Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich in a recent video on his YouTube channel Justin Hawkins Rides Again. His discussion centered on Ulrich’s contribution to Metallica’s mainstream breakthrough with ‘The Black Album.’
“The golden era of ‘Black Album.’ I know that’s a controversial point of view in terms of Metallica,” Hawkins said. “There’ll be a lot of Metallica fans go, ‘What about ‘Master of Puppets’ and stuff?’ I get that.”
“But the thing is the one that crossed over and made Metallica the international… If you only know one metal band it’s probably going to be Metallica,” he continued. “And the reason for that is drum beats like that just f*cking hold it down allow the riff to sort of breathe around it. Gives you a groove. And for all of the sort of criticism that I think Lars Ulrich comes in for. He’s a f*cking legend. He plays iconic drum beats.”
The impact of ‘The Black Album’ continues to resonate throughout the music industry. Hawkins’ defense of Ulrich highlights this enduring influence.
Record-Breaking Success
Data from Louder Sound revealed ‘The Black Album’s status as the best-selling album in the United States over the past 25 years.
The album has surpassed 16 million copies in sales. It has maintained an impressive presence on the Billboard Top 200 chart for more than 390 weeks, showcasing its multi-generational appeal.
Strategic Vision
Kerrang highlighted ‘The Black Album’ as a deliberate strategic move. Lars Ulrich specifically aimed to expand Metallica’s reach to mainstream audiences.
This approach transformed Metallica into a household name. The band successfully bridged the gap between heavy metal and mainstream listeners.
Cultural Impact
Industry analysts noted ‘The Black Album’s broader influence on metal music’s acceptance in mainstream culture during the early 1990s.
The album emerged during the height of the grunge era. It established metal as a legitimate force in popular music and created opportunities for future metal bands to achieve commercial success.
