Metallica Tap Rina Sawayama, Idles for Latest ‘Black Album’ Covers

Rina Sawayama and Idles have shared their renditions of “Enter Sandman and “The God That Failed,” respectively, from Metallica’s upcoming Black Album covers comp, The Metallica Blacklist.

Sawayama’s version of “Enter Sandman” takes the song’s classic riff and filters it through a towering dance beat to create a cover that clearly relishes the original without being beholden to it. Idles’ take on “The God That Failed,” meanwhile, turns the heavy metal stomper into a rugged post-punk cut packed with managed chaos.

Along with the two covers, Metallica also released a rough mix of “The God That Failed” that’s dated May 13th, 1991. That track will appear on the band’s massive 30th-anniversary reissue package, which will arrive the same day as The Metallica Blacklist, September 10th.

Sawayama and Idles are among the more than 50 artists Metallica tapped to cover their favorite songs on The Black Album for The Metallica Blacklist. The band has also shared covers by Phoebe Bridgers, Chris Stapleton, Weezer, Jon Pardi, J Balvin, Diet Cig, Jason Isbell, St. Vincent, and an all-star rendition of “Nothing Else Matters” by Miley Cyrus, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Watt, Robert Trujillo, and Chad Smith.

The Black Album reissue, meanwhile, will boast an array of material, including unreleased demos, rough mixes, and outtakes; live recordings from shows in Oakland, Sacramento, and Germany; and even two discs of band interviews conducted by David Fricke and Steffan Chriazi. There will also be a bunch of DVDs with “making-of” footage, music videos, “home movies,” live shows shot in several European countries, and Wherever We May Roam concert film.