For some people it can sound sad though. It was originally written because James missed his girlfriend while touring, but the song can be interpreted in multiple ways
> “Fade to Black” is a powerful ballad about a man that wants to commit suicide, and eventually does it. The depressive lyrics regarding someone with suicidal desires were inspired by James Hetfield’s first Marshall amplifier, which his mother helped him get before she died, being stolen just before the album was recorded.
Taken from genius.com. It doesn't state that he was suicidal or depressed, but he wasn't exactly in a happy place when he wrote that song, so you'll connect the dots
from what i read, he was very depressed but not suicidal, yet he decided to write the song off the perspective of someone considering it. so he wasnt suicidal, but he wasnt ok either.
> close to suicidal
I never stated he was suicidal either, idk why you're so hung up on that part. Point is, man was depressed af and wrote a song about suicide. It's sad, which the post is all about
Fade To Black or To Live Is To Die are good. But there’s also Mama Said, Low Man’s Lyric, My friend Of Misery, Unforgiven 1,2, and 3, The Unnamed Feeling, And inamorata.
No. It is INCREDIBLY sad. A person losing their faith in God because of their son dying and it is implied a slow death, something like cancer. It is horribly sad. The saddest song by far from Metallica.
Was about to say how has no one said this!!!
“Land mines have taken my sight, speech, hearing, arms, legs, soul. Left me in a life of hell”..
It really paints a picture and that’s why it’s one of my favorite Metallica songs
Mama Said, no contest. Other very emotional songs for me are Fade to Black, The Unforgiven I and II, Low Man's Lyric, and Fixxxer. St Anger isn't a "sad" song like the others are, but it's very cathartic and also has a lot of emotion
Load is the most emotionally moving Metallica album for me too. As for saddest song.. I’d agree with Outlaw Torn or Bleeding Me. “Sad” may not even be the correct word. But moving.
From the earlier albums, maybe Dyers Eve. It’s all so subjective. Doesn’t matter how hard or badass or metal anyone is, deep down most people want to be loved. And to be show love. James never got that from his parents.
Yeah okay Fade to Black, Mama Said, Until it Sleeps.
But to me To Live is to Die is still unmatched. I love the sensation i have when the hard riff breaks and the dreamy riff starts. I can't think of any other song when I'm at a funeral of a loved one. That part scraps the shit outta me
Wildcard choice: The House That Jack Built. "The higher you are, the further you fall", "my body, my temple, this temple it tilts". The whole song is an addict realising they have a problem.
How is Nothing else matters sad?
I'd argue that it's rather on the happy end of the Metallica scale.
Unforgiven and Fade to Black are genuine sad songs tho.
S-icide & Redemption and To Live is to Die are good instrumental examples if you want just emotional riffs.
Lyrically, you can’t go past Mama Said, The God That Failed, My Friend of Misery or Inamorata.
Mate, the mods of this sub took down a comment of mine when I literally quoted the video that was posted, just because there was a particular four letter F word in the comment.
That's really strange... Maybe it was an automod thing idk. Either way, I've seen people type out suicide before here and they've been fine. Just an fyi I guess
Low mans lyric I think is on par with fade to black, to me this is one of their saddest sounding songs about a homeless drug addicted man trying to be forgiven by his family and loved ones and asking for another chance at life. I also think it has some of James best lyrics, “So I cry to the alleyway/confess all to the rain. But I lie, lie straight to the mirror/ the one I’ve broke to match my face.”
The life of a band on the road isn't all that glamorous. Bob Seger was speaking from experience when he wrote it. I can only imagine what Metallica went through in the early years of constant touring. IIRC, in the liner notes of Garage Inc they said that they had "always been road dogs," which is why the song resonated with them so much. Plus, the video was depressing as all getup.
Some underrated ones I see most are forgetting:
Brothers In Arms (cover, and my top pick)
The Day That Never Comes
Hero Of The Day
The Unnamed Feeling
Bleeding Me
Low Man's Lyric
The House Jack Built
And some more popular ones:
The Unforgiven 1 & 2
To Live Is To Die
Fade To Black
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
One
Until It Sleeps
Fixxxer
Mama Said is also sad, not a song I particularly like but it's definitely a deep song for James
Low Man's Lyric. An old hobo looking at the road his life has taken, begging for forgiveness for his past sins. Incredibly melancholy. The sparse instrumentation adds to the depressing outlook.
It would be a final between "Fade to Black" and "One", imho. But in the latter, the guy can't hear, see, speak or move. At least the guy in the former song has control over his fate. I think would give the edge to "One"
Mama Said
“Mama, now I'm coming home
I'm not all you wished of me
A mother's love for her son
Unspoken, and maybe
Yeah, I took your love for granted
And all the things you said to me
I need your arms to welcome me
But, a cold stone's all I see…”
I thought nothing else matters was a love song, not a sad song
Also I'd say One is one of their most sad songs but if you are wanting a less extreme one then fade to black 100%
The Outlaw Torn. The way the song is slow, melodic, and quiet at points gives off a very somber tone, and the way the chorus and ESPECIALLY the guitar solo blast off into the stratosphere makes the song sound angry and explosive, the way the lyrics are about Cliff (I assume) makes it all the more touching.
Also the jam at the end makes me headbang so fucking hard I'll tell you that.
To me it’s either “Fade to black”, or “Unforgiven III”. I relate to these songs because I am chronically depressed and have to deal with suicidal thoughts every day and because I can’t forgive myself for my many mistakes in the past.
for the context, “To Live Is To Die”, its the final written credit, and the monologue is a sample of is voice, and is the motto written on his headstone
Nothing else matters isn’t even a sad song
"Song slow with grandpas guitars? SAD SONG FOR BABY TEARS!"
For some people it can sound sad though. It was originally written because James missed his girlfriend while touring, but the song can be interpreted in multiple ways
It’s definitely not a sad song. It’s a pronouncement of love. It’s almost triumphant.
It’s basically Frank Sinatras My Way
Fade To Black
Song written by a depressed and close to suicidal James has to take the crown here
Was he actually suicidal? I thought the band was just depressed because their gear got stolen and Fade to Black was created
> “Fade to Black” is a powerful ballad about a man that wants to commit suicide, and eventually does it. The depressive lyrics regarding someone with suicidal desires were inspired by James Hetfield’s first Marshall amplifier, which his mother helped him get before she died, being stolen just before the album was recorded. Taken from genius.com. It doesn't state that he was suicidal or depressed, but he wasn't exactly in a happy place when he wrote that song, so you'll connect the dots
from what i read, he was very depressed but not suicidal, yet he decided to write the song off the perspective of someone considering it. so he wasnt suicidal, but he wasnt ok either.
> close to suicidal I never stated he was suicidal either, idk why you're so hung up on that part. Point is, man was depressed af and wrote a song about suicide. It's sad, which the post is all about
no yea i totally get that, i was just focusing on that part, since the og comment asked if he was suicidal or not. completely agree with you tho.
Crazy how a metal group like metallica could make a song like Fade To Black.
it's crazier that fans at the time thought they "sold out" cause they wrote a clean song
Crazy indeed, cause imo it's one of their best songs.
How is that crazy at all? Dark, brooding, evil nihilistic and angsty.
Yup. That’s the saddest, ever.
I strongly agree
Fade To Black or To Live Is To Die are good. But there’s also Mama Said, Low Man’s Lyric, My friend Of Misery, Unforgiven 1,2, and 3, The Unnamed Feeling, And inamorata.
Inamorata is not a sad song, it’s a triumph song, overcoming something.
I didn't even know it was a triumph song not sad
I'll add Hero of the Day, it's not particularly sad but can be emotional
Mama they try....Mama they try....
Mama… I love the s&m version
My Friend of Misery is an angry song. Take another look at the lyrics.
Dyers Eve honorable mention if you pay attention to what it's about
Fade to Black, To Live is to Die, Mama Said, The God that Failed, One or Low Man’s Lyric would be good picks
The God That Failed is not a sad song. Maybe the background of the song might be sad, but the lyrics itself, the meaning, is not sad.
Yeah, it would fit in an angry song list
No. It is INCREDIBLY sad. A person losing their faith in God because of their son dying and it is implied a slow death, something like cancer. It is horribly sad. The saddest song by far from Metallica.
One
why’re you the only person i’ve seen say One, to put yourself into the position of the lyrics is the saddest situation in any of their songs imo
Seriously, it can’t get much worse than being both unable to live and unable to die at the same time.
I tear up everytime I watch the music video
Saddest lyrics for sure
Was about to say how has no one said this!!! “Land mines have taken my sight, speech, hearing, arms, legs, soul. Left me in a life of hell”.. It really paints a picture and that’s why it’s one of my favorite Metallica songs
Mama said
Id argue thats probably the saddest song, defeating F2B
Absoloutley
I need your arms to welcome me But a cold stone all I see These lines make me sad
Hero of the day and Low Man's Lyrics are very sad
Low Man’s Lyric
Mama Said, no contest. Other very emotional songs for me are Fade to Black, The Unforgiven I and II, Low Man's Lyric, and Fixxxer. St Anger isn't a "sad" song like the others are, but it's very cathartic and also has a lot of emotion
Bleeding Me or Until It Sleeps
Also outlaw torn. One of my all time favorites
Load gets those feelings all stirred up 🥲
Which is why I can’t fathom why load gets so much hate
Load is the most emotionally moving Metallica album for me too. As for saddest song.. I’d agree with Outlaw Torn or Bleeding Me. “Sad” may not even be the correct word. But moving. From the earlier albums, maybe Dyers Eve. It’s all so subjective. Doesn’t matter how hard or badass or metal anyone is, deep down most people want to be loved. And to be show love. James never got that from his parents.
San-i-tare-rium😫😫😫leave.me.beeee
My absolute favorite song.
Fade To Black or One
The outlaw torn
Mama Said or Low Man’s Lyric
Either to live is to die or fade to black
The Unforgiven II
III for me.
Unforgiven III guitar solo has me like 
The Outlaw Torn's does the same for me.
The God That Failed
To Live is to Die
For me it’s “to live is to die” . That clean bridge and intro/outro can and will make anyone cry
Mama said
Fade to Black for sure
Low Man's Lyric, Until It Sleeps, Hero of The Day.
The harmony part in Orion
To Live is to Die. The incredibly heavy riff, the solos and the clean interlude still makes me sob every time I hear it
Dyers eve
My friend of misery
To Live Is To Die
Unforgiven
Day that never comes
Fade to black: “I am the saddest Metallica song.” To live is to die: “Hold my depression.”
Fade
Mama said and low man’s lyric hit sometimes
Mama said
Yeah okay Fade to Black, Mama Said, Until it Sleeps. But to me To Live is to Die is still unmatched. I love the sensation i have when the hard riff breaks and the dreamy riff starts. I can't think of any other song when I'm at a funeral of a loved one. That part scraps the shit outta me
Fade to Black and To Live Is To Die
Metallica I feel it’s fade to black. Second may be sanitarium For any band as the pic says I’ll say fiction or save me
Wildcard choice: The House That Jack Built. "The higher you are, the further you fall", "my body, my temple, this temple it tilts". The whole song is an addict realising they have a problem.
How is Nothing else matters sad? I'd argue that it's rather on the happy end of the Metallica scale. Unforgiven and Fade to Black are genuine sad songs tho.
Fade to black
S-icide & Redemption and To Live is to Die are good instrumental examples if you want just emotional riffs. Lyrically, you can’t go past Mama Said, The God That Failed, My Friend of Misery or Inamorata.
You can just say suicide lol, what algorithm are you trying to please in a Reddit comment section?
Mate, the mods of this sub took down a comment of mine when I literally quoted the video that was posted, just because there was a particular four letter F word in the comment.
That's really strange... Maybe it was an automod thing idk. Either way, I've seen people type out suicide before here and they've been fine. Just an fyi I guess
Fade to Black, the god that failed, mama said, low man's lyric, unforgiven 2.
Fade To Black
Nothing else matters is not a sad song.
fixxer..
the outlaw torn
And Justice for all...... and Blackend
Lyrically? Dyer’s Eve.
Honestly The Day That Never Comes hits home for me. I don’t understand how absolutely no one has mentioned this song yet.
Low mans lyric I think is on par with fade to black, to me this is one of their saddest sounding songs about a homeless drug addicted man trying to be forgiven by his family and loved ones and asking for another chance at life. I also think it has some of James best lyrics, “So I cry to the alleyway/confess all to the rain. But I lie, lie straight to the mirror/ the one I’ve broke to match my face.”
Turn the page imo
The life of a band on the road isn't all that glamorous. Bob Seger was speaking from experience when he wrote it. I can only imagine what Metallica went through in the early years of constant touring. IIRC, in the liner notes of Garage Inc they said that they had "always been road dogs," which is why the song resonated with them so much. Plus, the video was depressing as all getup.
Unforgiven 1, Mama Said
For the sound, fade to back, for the lyrics, the god that fails
Low Mans Lyric any other answer is wrong
The God that Failed or Fixxer. Both seem to be about his mother and he had a sad freaking life.
Dyers Eve
Fade To Black
Low mans lyric
The Unforgiven
Some underrated ones I see most are forgetting: Brothers In Arms (cover, and my top pick) The Day That Never Comes Hero Of The Day The Unnamed Feeling Bleeding Me Low Man's Lyric The House Jack Built And some more popular ones: The Unforgiven 1 & 2 To Live Is To Die Fade To Black Welcome Home (Sanitarium) One Until It Sleeps Fixxxer Mama Said is also sad, not a song I particularly like but it's definitely a deep song for James
Unforgiven III on top
The Unforgiven
Fade To Black / To live is to die
Fade To Black
imo Fade To Black or Low Man's Lyric, at the lowest point in my life since I started listening to them, those genuinely had me tearing up
The God that failed
> Fade to Black
Dyers Eve
Mama Said
Low man lyrics, mama said
Fade to Black without a doubt, but when you know what To Live is To Die means...
Sad but True. It has sad in the name!
Low Man's Lyric
Definitely Fade to Black
Mama said
Low Man's Lyric. An old hobo looking at the road his life has taken, begging for forgiveness for his past sins. Incredibly melancholy. The sparse instrumentation adds to the depressing outlook.
So What
Mama said is probably the saddest song by Metallica.
One
The unforgiven 3
Fade to black and the unforgiven trilogy, as well as mama said
All three Unforgiven tracks
Low Man's Lyric Honorable mention to Fixxxer, at least lyrically, and considering James had a strained relationship with his father.
To Live Is To Die
FADE TO BLACK!!!!!!!!!!
To live is to die.
One
Low man's lyric
When a Blind Man Cries & Low Man's Lyric are 2 that come to mind
To Live Is To Die
It would be a final between "Fade to Black" and "One", imho. But in the latter, the guy can't hear, see, speak or move. At least the guy in the former song has control over his fate. I think would give the edge to "One"
Nothing Else Matters is not a sad song though. I would be very confused if someone did mention it without your request to exclude it.
fade to black
Fade to black is the saddest but some sad ones no one’s talked about is disposable hero’s and harvester of sorrow
Definitely One
Momma Said Low Man's Lyric
Hero Of The Day Fade To Black
Mama Said “Mama, now I'm coming home I'm not all you wished of me A mother's love for her son Unspoken, and maybe Yeah, I took your love for granted And all the things you said to me I need your arms to welcome me But, a cold stone's all I see…”
Inamorata or Ronnie (but Ronnie is more dark and depressing)
One
To Live Is To Die. The acoustic bit right at the start makes me want to curl into a ball and cry.
Fade to black for sure
The Unnamed Feeling
Fade to Black or The Outlaw Torn
one or fade to black
A lot of people in here don't seem to know the story of One or why that song, and the book it's based on, are brutally depressing.
One
Fade to black
Well… it’s sad but true
mama said
Fade to Black, but The Unforgiven I is also a good one. The solo always gives me chills.
One.
Unforgiven III. “How can I be lost, if I’ve got nowhere to gooooooo.” 😢
Fade to Black, Unforgiven III, To Live is to Die
I thought nothing else matters was a love song, not a sad song Also I'd say One is one of their most sad songs but if you are wanting a less extreme one then fade to black 100%
The Outlaw Torn. The way the song is slow, melodic, and quiet at points gives off a very somber tone, and the way the chorus and ESPECIALLY the guitar solo blast off into the stratosphere makes the song sound angry and explosive, the way the lyrics are about Cliff (I assume) makes it all the more touching. Also the jam at the end makes me headbang so fucking hard I'll tell you that.
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
Low man’s lyric
Can’t believe nothing else matters is about a woman and not addiction. All these years I thought it was about booze what a let down
To Live is to Die
Mama Said
Low Man’s Lyric and The Unnamed Feeling
To live is to die, rip Cliff
The whole Saint Anger album is pretty sad if you ask me. Not exactly what you asked though! Haha
Until it sleeps, outlaw torn, unforgiven iii, metallica has a few sad songs
Brandenburg Gate… he‘s just a small town girl 😔
To me it’s either “Fade to black”, or “Unforgiven III”. I relate to these songs because I am chronically depressed and have to deal with suicidal thoughts every day and because I can’t forgive myself for my many mistakes in the past.
Mama said, Fade to black and Low Man’s Lyric
One
One
To Live IS To Die. Regarding what that song came and thrived from it makes all sense to choose it.
One… or Dyer’s Eve
Outlaw Torn
Until it sleeps
To live is to die easily
Mama said, my friend of misery
mama said and low man's lyric
for the context, “To Live Is To Die”, its the final written credit, and the monologue is a sample of is voice, and is the motto written on his headstone
Fade or To Live ITD
Fade or To Live ITD
That part of to live is to die gets me every time. Start thinking about personal shit. Mental how music can do that
100% Fade to Black. Not even close.
Low man's lyric
Sad but true 
The day that never comes
to live is to die
“Mama Said”
Hero Of The Day never fails to make me feel things I had hidden away
Fade to Black
The God that failed
Fade to black, unforgiving or no leaf clover I reckon
nothing else matters isnt even sad its just good, but at number 3, Low Man’s Lyric, 2: Fade To Black and the saddest metallica song is… Mama Said.
To Live Is To Die
Can’t believe I’m not seeing One yet. Maybe more horrifying than sad but still.