The Metallica Blacklist – a monstrous collection of covers from over 53 artists paying tribute to Metallica's 1991 self-titled effort, The Black Album – has spawned plenty of quality material thus far, with highlights coming from St. Vincent, Jason Isbell, Volbeat and J Balvin.
And now, Weezer has dropped its contribution to the release: a mostly faithful take on Enter Sandman.
We say mostly faithful because – although guitarists Rivers Cuomo and Brian Bell nail the track's world-renowned main riff and Kirk Hammett's wah-flavored leads, the solo is vastly different, trading the original's rapid-fire note runs for an Iron Maiden-esque harmonized version of track's verse and chorus vocal line… and a cheeky nod to Weezer's own Buddy Holly. Check it out below.
The full Metallica Blacklist arrives September 10 via Blackened Recordings – Metallica's own label – and is set to feature Ghost, Corey Taylor, Royal Blood, PUP, IDLES and, as you'd expect, tons more.
“The Metallica Blacklist offers up new dimensions of the record whose gravitational pull first drew the mainstream to Metallica – and provides new insights into the universal and timeless appeal that kept it there: the boundary-smashing influence these 12 songs have had on fans and musicians of all stripes,” a statement by the band reads.
“The [album's] 53 tracks find singer-songwriters, country artists, electronic and hip hop artists sharing their love of these songs alongside punk rockers, indie darlings, icons of rock, metal, world music and many, many more…
“It’s a truly staggering, at times mystifying assemblage of musicians, dozens of whom have little to nothing in common other than the shared passion for the music that’s united them for this album: 1 Album. 12 Songs. 53 Artists. Unlimited possibilities.”
All profits from the release will be distributed evenly between Metallica's All Within My Hands foundation and over 50 charities chosen by artists who appear on the record.
