Did you know that another iconic Metallica hit was directly inspired by the monumental success the band experienced with their classic Black Album favorite, “Enter Sandman”? This detail sheds light on the creative process behind one of the most beloved bands in heavy metal history. As Metallica proudly celebrates the release of their special remastered deluxe edition box set of the groundbreaking 1996 album Load, band members Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and James Hetfield took part in a special Q Prime and MX2 Media broadcast shared with various radio stations. During this engaging discussion, Hetfield elaborated on how one of the tracks from Load was a direct reaction to the overwhelming success they enjoyed with “Enter Sandman.”

Discover Which Song on Metallica’s Load Album Responded to “Enter Sandman”

In the course of this fascinating discussion, James Hetfield disclosed that the track “King Nothing” from the Load album was essentially the band’s musical “answer” to the phenomenal hit “Enter Sandman.” He stated, “‘King Nothing’ was kind of an answer to ‘Sandman’ really. It was and obviously at the end of the song, there’s a little bit of a ‘off to never, neverland,’ a little nod towards it,” showcasing the creative interplay between these two significant songs.

Hetfield elaborated further, saying, “I think we were trying to keep up with the fact that ‘Sandman’ was a great song and people connected with it. So it at least made sense to write a song in that tempo, in that vein, that pound,” highlighting how the band’s experience with the phenomenal reception of “Enter Sandman” influenced their songwriting approach for “King Nothing.”

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Hetfield continued to reflect on the creative process behind the track, sharing, “What we had learned about a different way of songwriting from Soundgarden was you play one riff through the whole song and the singer just goes all over the place and for that to work, you actually have to have a really good singer (laughs) like Chris Cornell, but that was very, very intriguing to us.” He noted that “‘King Nothing’ makes sense in that it was one of the first ones right after the Black Album, cause it was. It was a nod to ‘Sandman.'” This statement illustrates how Metallica continually evolved their sound and approach in response to their successes.

Join the Celebration of Metallica’s Iconic Load Album

It is important to highlight that the Loudwire Nights radio show will be commemorating Metallica’s Load album tonight (June 13). Host Chuck Armstrong will be sharing exclusive live tracks, unreleased demo tapes, and engaging with the band throughout the evening. Additionally, he will unveil the results of Chuck’s Fight Club battle to determine the best single from Load, ensuring that every song from this pivotal album gets its moment to shine during the broadcast.

As a friendly reminder, Loudwire Nights with Chuck Armstrong broadcasts nightly starting at 7 PM ET. You can tune in anytime and from anywhere right here or by downloading the Loudwire app for easy access to all the latest updates and music.