"Load" was Metallica's follow-up to the massively successful "The Black Album", and it further expanded on the more melodic and experimental direction the band had taken. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was certified 5x platinum by the RIAA, despite mixed reviews from fans and critics.

The album cover art, created by Andres Serrano, features a mix of bovine blood and the artist's own semen sandwiched between two sheets of plexiglass. The provocative artwork reflects the band's experimental approach to the album and was subject to much controversy and interpretation.

"Load" included several singles that contributed to its success, including "Until It Sleeps" and "Hero of the Day". These tracks, in particular, showcased the band's shift towards a more melodic rock sound, with "Until It Sleeps" becoming Metallica's first single to top the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

The recording sessions for "Load" were prolific, yielding enough material for two albums. This surplus led to the release of "Reload" in 1997, which contained songs from the same recording sessions and can be considered a companion piece to "Load".