Load

Load is the sixth studio album by Metallica, released in June 1996 on Elektra Records and produced by Bob Rock, the album that completed the band's transformation away from thrash metal toward a blues, country, and Southern rock-inflected hard rock sound that divided their fanbase more decisively than any previous release. The visual presentation provoked as much response as the music: the band cut their hair, adopted fashion-forward styling, and worked with photographer Anton Corbijn on imagery that drew from art photography traditions rather than metal iconography. Hetfield and Ulrich wrote the majority of the material; Hammett received co-writing credits on several tracks, reflecting a more equitable distribution of compositional credit than the Black Album. The album's 14 tracks run to over 78 minutes, the longest Metallica studio album, and include the Grammy-winning 'Until It Sleeps' alongside the blues-influenced 'King Nothing' and the moody ballad 'Mama Said.' Load debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and has been certified six-times platinum in the United States, though its commercial success did not resolve the critical and fan debate over whether the stylistic shift represented growth or commercial capitulation.