The latest addition to Metallica's 53 artist charity covers album The Blacklist is here – and it's one of the best we've had so far.
Performed by singer-songwriter and confirmed Metallica fan Phoebe Bridgers – who's better known for writing songs so delicately profound that they could make even the most iron-hearted of listeners shed a tear – her take on Nothing Else Matters re-imagines the track in a "baroque" style, incorporating haunting piano, velvet-smooth vocals and curious production that makes it sound like the whole thing was recorded from inside a trinket box.
Detailing her thoughts on the cover, the Kyoto singer explains: “It was just so fun to take a part in it, I feel like my version almost sounds baroque. Literally, James [Hetfield] does all sorts of weird octave jumps and stuff that I can’t do, and I almost have a Billie Eilish approach of right by the microphone, performing it the opposite of them, which was really fun to lean into.”
On being a fan of Metallica Bridgers says, "I've always been a big Metallica fan. I think it's funny, my intro to them was probably way later than so many people who have always loved them.
"But when I was a teenager, I went to Outside Lands and I definitely knew Metallica songs from video games and stuff, but I went to Outside Lands and saw their set and was like, 'This is a rock band.' It's kind of a gateway to metal because they're so hooky and you can hold onto so much of it and it actually can get stuck in your head. So that's what I've always loved about Metallica is that they don't shy away from a great hook."
Other artists who have contributed to the epic compilation includes Biffy Clyro, St.Vincent, The Hu, Weezer, Idles, Corey Taylor and many more.
The Blacklist will arrive on September 10 in aid of the 30th anniversary of Metallica's 1991 self-titled album.
Listen to the cover below:
