Description WE CURRENTLY HAVE  MORE THAN 300  LISTED ITEMS Click here to see ALL our ROCK auctions Our PSYCH & PROGRESSIVE  auctions Our PUNK & NEW WAVE  auctions Our  JAZZ auctions Our BLUE NOTE JAZZ auctions  Our BLUES auctions Our CLASSICAL auctions Our COUNTRY auctions Our FUNK auctions Our LATIN auctions Our METAL auctionsOur REGGAE auctions Our SOUL auctions Our STILL SEALED ITEMS  Our PROMO auctions Our ACETATE  auctions Our TEST PRESSING  auctions  Our AUDIOPHILE auctions · METALLICA – THE SELF-TITLED 1992 ALBUM ("METALLICA") ALSO KNOWN AS "THE BLACK ALBUM" –RARE ANALOG, AUDIOPHILE, EXTENDED DYNAMIC RANGE VIRGIN VINYL LP MASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL ANALOG MASTER TAPES AT THE LEGENDARY BERNIE GRUNDMAN MASTERING STUDIO;- ORIGINAL 2008 WARNER BROTHERS STEREO 2-LP SET 511830-1 · ORIGINAL U.S. AUDIOPHILE PRESSING *** INSANELY RARE, PRACTICALLY UNKNOWN TO EXIST (ONLY TWO OTHER COPIES HAVE SURFACED THUS FAR) PRESSING ON WHITE VINYL: ABSOLUTELY, TOTALLY, NO CONTEST, NO IFS, ANDS OR BUTS: THE RAREST METALLICA RELEASE IN EXISTENCE; WE BELIEVE THIS IS EITHER A MISPRESSING (NOT LIKELY) OR AN ILLICIT PRESSING MADE FOR THE COLLECTING PLEASURE OF THE WARNER BROTHERS EXECUTIVES (MORE LIKELY); IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE - ALTHOUGH RATHER UNLIKELY GIVEN ITS EXTREME RARITY - THAT THIS IS A PROMO-ONLY RELEASE *** WHATEVER THE NATURE AND THE ORIGIN OF THIS INCREDIBLE ITEM, THIS IS THE PROVERBIAL METALLICA HOLY GRAIL: NOTHING ELSE COMES EVEN CLOSE *** · CUSTOM WARNER BROTHERS LABELS UNIQUE TO THIS TITLE · The records are mastered by the legendary Bernie Grundman (so says the hype sticker on the shrink wrap; his initials can be seen hand-etched on one of the sides) · THIS IS THE ORIGINAL, AUTHENTIC, FIRST (2005) U.S. LIMITED EDITION AUDIOPHILE PRESSING; THIS IS NOT AN REISSUE, AN IMPORT, OR A COUNTERFEIT PRESSING. · ORIGINAL, THIN CARDBOARD COVER (NO THICK CARDBOARD COVERS WERE EVER PRODUCED FOR THIS TITLE) · COVER IS STILL IN ITS ORIGINAL SHRINK (CELLOPHANE) WRAP WITH A NIFTY 'BECAUSE VINYL MATTERS' STICKER STILL AFFIXED TO THE WRAP (SMALL HANDRWITTEN LETTER "W" UNDER THE STICKER CLEARLY DENOTES WHITE WAX PRESSING). · THICK, HEAVY VINYL PRESSING · CLEAN, WEAR-FREE LABELS · MACHINE-STAMPED MATRIX NUMBER IN TRAIL-OFF VINYL (DEAD WAX) OF THE RECORD (ON TWO SIDES ONLY)  (PLEASE SEE THE IMAGE OF THE COVER, LABEL OR BOTH, SHOWN BELOW) (Note: this is a REAL image of the ACTUAL item you are bidding on. This is NOT a "recycled" image from our previous auction. What you see is what you’ll get.  GUARANTEED!) After the muddled production and ultracomplicated song structures of ...And Justice for All, Metallica decided that they had taken the progressive elements of their music as far as they could and that a simplification and streamlining of their sound was in order. While the assessment made sense from a musical standpoint, it also presented an opportunity to commercialize their music, and Metallica accomplishes both goals. The best songs are more melodic and immediate, the crushing, stripped-down grooves of "Enter Sandman," "Sad but True," and "Wherever I May Roam" sticking to traditional structures and using the same main riffs throughout; the crisp, professional production by Bob Rock adds to their accessibility. "The Unforgiven" and "Nothing Else Matters" avoid the slash-and-burn guitar riffs that had always punctuated the band's ballads; the latter is a full-fledged love song complete with string section, which works much better than might be imagined. The song- and riff-writing slips here and there, a rare occurrence for Metallica, which some longtime fans interpreted as filler next to a batch of singles calculated for commercial success. The objections were often more to the idea that Metallica was doing anything explicitly commercial, but millions more disagreed. In fact, the band's popularity exploded so much that most of their back catalog found mainstream acceptance in its own right, while other progressively inclined speed metal bands copied the move toward simplification. In retrospect, Metallica is a good, but not quite great, album, one whose best moments deservedly captured the heavy metal crown, but whose approach also foreshadowed a creative decline.  (EXCERPT FROM AN ONLINE REVIEW BY STEVE HUEY, ALL MUSIC GUIDE  /ALLMUSIC.COM/) This is a rare opportunity to acquire this great album in its FINEST audio format, no longer in print, and no longer easily obtainable. · CONDITION: · THE RECORDS (IMPORTANT NOTE: unless otherwise noted, ALL records are graded visually, and NOT play-graded!; we  grade records under the strong, diffuse room light or discrete sunlight) (a) WE GRADE THE VINYL AS STRONG NEAR MINT. The original luster is very much intact, and the vinyl shines and sparkles almost like new. (b) The records come in poly-lined inner sleeves, which have - apparently with success - shielded the vinyl from the harmful impact of elements over many years! (c) The album comes with the original insert / lyrics sheet (d) The records are pressed on a beautiful, high-quality, virgin-grade vinyl, which is usually used for audiophile, extended-dynamic-range, half-speed mastered and connoisseur pressings. (e) In addition, the records are pressed on a beautiful, thick, inflexible vinyl, which was usually used for the first or very early pressings. Usually, the sound on such thick vinyl pressings is full-bodied, vivid, and even dramatic. Do not expect to obtain such a majestic analog sound from a digital recording! (f) White vinyl pressing of this title is much rarer that a regular, commercially released, version of this title. We estimate that stock copies of this album outnumber promo copies by a ratio of at least 100,000:1. (and possibly as much as 1,000,000 : 1) (g) Of course, this is a full-bodied ANALOG recording, and not an inferior, digital recording!!! · THE COVER COVER IS STRONG NEAR MINT,  STILL IN ITS ORIGINAL SHRINK WRAP The following flaws or imperfections are noted on the cover: - Cover has a few tiny wrinkles along the spine  (nothing significant) NO OTHER VISIBLE FLAWS OR IMPERFECTIONS ON THE  COVER POSTAGE & SHIPPING: We offer THREE postage rates for both Domestic and International Mail: Media Mail, Priority Mail and Express Mail for domestic, and First Class, Priority International Mail, and Express International Mail for international orders. INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS PLEASE NOTE: WE RECOMMEND that you pay for USPS International Priority Mail OR International Express mail when making a payment in order to obtain tracking information, which is NOT available for First Class International shipments. INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE rates vary from country to country. For SPECIFIC international and domestic postage rates click here. While you can be rest assured that our packaging is careful, sturdy and impact-proof, please note that damage, loss or theft in transit is always possible, and in the case of some countries even PROBABLE. To discuss this potential problem and ensure flawless delivery, please contact us thru eBay BEFORE placing a bid. WANT A DISCOUNT ?!?  IT’S EASY: CLICK HERE TO see HOW! (please note recent changes in our policy) FOR OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION, CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW: OUR VOLUME DISCOUNTS AND POSTAGE REBATES OUR GRADING POLICY ITEMS WE DO NOT GRADE HOW TO ACKNOWLEDGE WINNING BID OR RESOLVE A DISPUTE OUR PAYPAL “CHARGEBACK” POLICY ACCEPTABLE PAYMENT METHODS OUR REFUND POLICY POSTAGE RATES AND DISCLOSURES PAYMENT DEADLINES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) OUR REFUND POLICY : WE OFFER UNCONDITIONAL MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM THE RECEIPT OF THE MERCHANDISE, NO QUESTIONS ASKED (THE BUYER PAYS FOR THE RETURN POSTAGE); Still sealed items MUST be returned sealed in order to be eligible for a refund Some restrictions apply. Please read our complete refund policy before placing a bid. Click here  for the full text of our policy © 2001,2007 MDJ. All rights reserved.