Yes, Reload has been taken since 1997, but the title fits. Metallica will reissue their 1996 album Load on June 13, 2025, via Blackened Recordings in a “poor remastered me” deluxe box set featuring over 1,800 minutes of music, rare footage, and memorabilia.
Remastered by Reuben Cohen and overseen by Greg Fidelman, the limited-edition set includes six vinyl records, Load, a “Mama Said” picture disc, and Lollapalooza ’96, a triple live album recorded at Irvine Meadows on August 4, 1996. It also features 15 CDs packed with demos, B-sides, riffs, and live performances, plus 4 DVDs of behind-the-scenes and concert footage.
Pre-orders are available here, which come with instant downloads like “Until It Sleeps (Remastered)” and alternate mixes. Formats include 2LP, CD, cassette, digital, and a 3CD expanded edition. Notably, this marks the first official release of the full version of “The Outlaw Torn,” previously edited for time restraints.
The box also includes collectibles such as Rorschach cards, a Pushead patch, tour memorabilia, and a 128-page book filled with unreleased photos and stories from the Load era.
Originally released in 1996, Load remains a pivotal chapter in Metallica’s evolution. Now, remastered, reloaded (sort of), and ready for select listeners to say, “Only the first four albums rule. This one sucks.” While others will enjoy the ride, and definitely check out the full version of “The Outlaw Torn.”
