METALLICA - The Black Album 4LP boxset

I have seen a copy of Metallica's Black Album, it is 45rpm (4 LPs), is this cut by Bernie Grundman? I know the double LP is cut by him (actually Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman mastering).

JG

 

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=142502&highlight=metallica towards they end. i think it is cut by him.

 

I know that the 'Black' album (2 LPs) was an analog cut by Bernie Grundman and all the rest were half-speed mastered by Stan Ricker.

Just very curious about the 45rpm 4LP.

JG

 

The 4-Lp box says "Cut At Bernie Grundman Mastering Studios" right there on the cover.

 

Not on the version over here in Europe. The back of the box set says Made in the EU.

It looks exactly like 'And Justice for All'.

JG

 

Bit confused by this myself.
I have the UK release of the Justice box and it's a heavy card box, very glossy and just under an inch thick. I have the USA release of the Black Album and it's made of lighter card, non-glossy and over 1.5 inches thick.

I have since seen the UK release of the Black Album and it's housed in the same materials as the UK Justice box (frankly nicer packaging than the USA box). However, have these come from different masters then? Have the UK releases just copied the 'idea' of releasing 45rpm 4xLP boxes of each album but just slapped any old versions on there and not used Bernie Grundman masters on the actual vinyl?

 

I have the 45 double LP Master of Puppets which was mastered half-speed by Stan Ricker. I certainly don't want to shell out €75 for it if it is not the analog version done by Bernie Grundman.

JG

 

Ok, how many versions of the Black Album are there? I bought the 45 rpm - 4 lp box set. Is there a 2 lp set mastered at 45 rpm or a 2 lp mastered at 33 1/3rpm? I also heard there is just a normal, single version of the Black lp at 33 1/3. Is this all true? Why so many versions? Anyone compare them?

My 4 lp 45 rpm box set sounds very good. A little forward in the mids, but overall a nice open sound. However, I must admit that I don't have a thing to compare it to. I don't have an original lp, or a cd, or the other new versions mentioned above. Please respond if you have compared this release with others and what your thoughts are. Thank you.

 

I do not have the 4LP box yet, but I might pick it up if I see it at a decent price.

However, I do have two LP versions of this album I bought in '91. One is a 2LP Vertigo import, that sounds OK, nothing spectacular. The other is a domestic 2LP Elektra version, but it is still sealed. Both are 33 1/3rpm.

My Vertigo might just need a good cleaning, I'll try to give it a spin later tonight.

 

Well, what do you mean by a decent price? I believe most retailers must sell it around the $50 price mark. Most are priced at $54 from what I have seen from a variety of stores and online retailers.

 

There is the 2 LP 33 1/3 version and the 4LP boxset 45 version. There is no single LP version, the original was always a double LP.

The 4LP box version I saw is a 'Made in EU' copy and looks exactly like the Justice For All version. The 4LP Black LP is a whopping €75 about $100 here in Ireland. I certainly will not shell out anything until I know it is from the Bernie Grundman analog tapes.

I have an original Vertigo (mastered at Sterling) and I love the sound of it, much better than the Universal release of a couple of years ago.

JG

 

Elusive Disc was running 20% off the 45rpm versions of KEA and RTL a short while ago. Not holding out hope, but if The Black Album got a similar discount, I would probably grab it.

 

I checked Elusive Disc and this is what they have to say...

Special Deluxe Edition featuring a 4LP 45rpm 180 gram vinyl set housed in a box!

Half Speed Mastered from the original analog tapes at Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs for the ultimate listening experience... Audiophile Quality, Louder, Faster, Heavier!!!

The legendary self-title album by Metallica was the ground-breaking album by one of heavy rock’s most respected acts. In many ways Metallica redefined the role of the heavy rock album and spawned no less than five hit singles in the process! We’re talkin’ Enter Sandman, The Unforgiven, Nothing Else Matters, Wherever I May Roam and Sad But True.

Features:
• 45rpm 180 gram vinyl
• Four LPs
• Pressed at RTI
• 1/2 Speed Mastered from original analog master tapes
• Cut at Bernie Grundman Studios
• Four single-pocket jackets housed in a box

In the first half they say it is half-speed mastered at Mobile Fidelity, then later on they say it is 1/2 speed mastered by Bernie Grundman.

PLEASE! Somebody shed some light on this, it is now more confusing than ever.

JG

 

The new 33 double was mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundmans studio. more than likely he did the 45 rpm also, which sounds fantastic.

 

It would be an expensive way to find out one way or the other!

JG

 

My 4 lp box set had a sticker on the cover that states it was mastered by or at Bernie Grundman mastering. It DID NOT say anything about it being half-speed mastered. From what I have read, the other titles were 1/2 speed mastered by Stan Ricker, but not the Black Album.

 

Does it have the initials 'CB' handwritten in the deadwax, CB being Chris Bellman.


JG

 

There are NO initials in the deadwax on any of the 4 - 45 rpm lps. Just the serial number and - A, - B, etc., for each of the 8 sides. There is also some other VERY faint number on each side, but no initials anywhere that I can see. Are there initials on the 33 1/3 version??

 

Can't say for definite as I don't have it, I have a few Neil Young LPs that were mastered at Bernie Grundman and the analog LPs were cut by Chris Bellman (his initials appear in the deadwax).

JG

 

CB in the deadwax on the 33 set I have...

It's sounds killer!

 

I am fairly convinced that the 4LP boxset is not the Bernie Grundman version.

Thanks to all. Now all I have to do is find the 2LP version.

JG

 

You're wrong! I have the 4lp set and it sounds fantastic.

Why would they use the Chris Bellman master for the 33rpm and not the 45rpm? It doesn't make sense financially or artistically. Would they put a lesser quality master on the more expensive set? Would they bother paying for another master when the one they already have one that is paid for and sounds great?
You are just being paranoid.

 

Master of Puppets was mastered by Rob Loverde

 

I never said anything about the sound of the 4lp set!

One member said he had the 4LP set but it didn't have Chris Bellman's initials (CB) in the deadwax.

Another forum member said he has the 2LP version and it has 'CB' in the deadwax.

I am not arguing about the right/wrongs, better/worse sound between the 2LP (33 1/3) and the 4LP (45), I just have no way of knowing if the 4LP is by Bernie Grundman.

I am just saying €100 (about $125) is an awful lot of money to find out. The 4LP set is much cheaper in the States.

JG

 

Im going to get the 33 1/3.. Ill compare. Im with Tulman on this.. I doubt they'd use a separate mastering. I was going to get it anyway because I want to know the difference in SQ between the 45 and 33 on a heavy metal album.

I do understand your feelings on this but I bet its CB's mastering.

Ill get back wi' cha