Phoebe Bridgers has shared her contribution to forthcoming Metallica covers compilation The Metallica Blacklist, which is due to arrive in full next month. Bridgers’ take on the Black Album classic is a sombre, piano-driven rendition with restrained strings underneath, the singer’s near-whispered vocals floating above the relatively sparse instrumentation.
“It was just so fun to take a part in it. I feel like my version almost sounds baroque,” Bridgers told Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe. “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.”
“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,” she added.
“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.”
The star-studded The Metallica Blacklist has already been previewed multiple times, with the likes of Miley Cyrus, Weezer, J Balvin, Biffy Clyro, St. Vincent and more sharing their contributions. Other acts set to feature on the compilation – proceeds from which will go to charity – include Mac DeMarco, Royal Blood, The Chats, Corey Taylor and IDLES.
Listen to Bridgers cover ‘Nothing Else Matters’ below.
