St. Anger is the eighth studio album by American
heavy metal band
Metallica, released on June 5, 2003 by
Elektra Records. It was the band's last album released through Elektra, thus marking the end of the longest timespan between studio albums from Metallica, with nearly six years between the release of
Reload and this album.
St. Anger was originally intended for release on June 10, 2003, but was released five days earlier due to concerns over unlicensed distribution through
peer-to-peer file sharing networks. The album marks the final collaboration between Metallica and producer
Bob Rock, whose relationship began with the band's fifth studio album, 1991's
Metallica. The
St. Anger sessions also mark the only time Rock actually played when the music was being recorded, filling in for the departed bassist
Jason Newsted.