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How It Was Recorded

Metallica · Album, 1989

...And Justice for All

12 sourced items across 4 sectionsVerified10Reported2

This is an album-level record: the sources describe how the album as a whole was recorded, not one song. Where a detail belongs to a single song, the row says so.

Songs this record stands for: ...And Justice for All, Eye of the Beholder, Harvester of Sorrow, One. We found nothing specific to these songs, so this album record is the closest account we have.

What the sources do and do not say

Sound On Sound Classic Tracks interview with producer Flemming Rasmussen, mostly about the album's sessions at One On One Studios rather than the song, so this is an album record. Only the Linn Drum click track is tied to 'One'. Rasmussen did not mix the album; the mix, effects and mastering are not covered. The drum mic row is the journalist's narrative, so it is reported.

Vocals

2 items

James Hetfield

Microphone

  • The real chain

    Shure SM7

    Verified

    Used for all of James Hetfield's lead vocals and Jason Newsted's backing vocals across the album.

    Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

    Get the sound · our suggestion

    No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model. Its successor, the SM7B, is still made.

Input chain

Rhythm and lead guitars

6 items

James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett

Amplifier

Microphone

  • The real chain

    Shure SM7

    Verified

    Close microphone on each guitar cabinet, aimed at the best-sounding speaker.

    Position
    At a 45-degree angle, close to the cone of the best-sounding speaker

    Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

    Get the sound · our suggestion

    No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model. Its successor, the SM7B, is still made.

  • The real chain

    Neumann U 87

    Verified

    Second close microphone on each guitar cabinet, beside the SM7; the two were mixed together.

    Position
    Right next to the SM7

    Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

    Get the sound · our suggestion

    No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

  • The real chain

    AKG Tube microphone (replica of the C12, model not stated)

    Verified

    Room microphone for the guitar cabinets.

    Position
    At a 45-degree angle, about three to four feet from the corner of the cabinet

    Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

    Get the sound · our suggestion

    No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

  • The real chain

    B&K 4006

    Verified

    Omnidirectional microphones used for ambience on the guitar cabinets.

    Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

    Get the sound · our suggestion

    No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Mix effects

  • The real chain

    B&B Audio B&B Audio equaliser (model not stated)

    Verified

    Placed in the amps' insert loops so the guitar sound could be adjusted from the control room while the cabinets stayed in the studio.

    Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

    Get the sound · our suggestion

    No plugin suggested. The source does not name the model, so no specific plugin can be suggested.

Bass

1 item

Jason Newsted

Input chain

Drums

3 items

Lars Ulrich

Instrument

Microphone

  • The real chain

    Shure SM57

    Reported

    Used on the toms and on the snare, above and below it.

    Position
    Five on the toms, a couple more above and below the snare

    Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

    Get the sound · our suggestion

    No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model. The SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.

  • The real chain

    Electro-Voice RE20

    Reported

    Used on both bass drums.

    Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026

    Get the sound · our suggestion

    No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Sources

  1. Classic Tracks: Metallica 'One', Sound On Sound, 2011-05. Accessed 15 Nov 2026.

What the ratings mean

Verified

Stated by the engineer, producer or artist, or by the manufacturer.

Reported

Stated by a reputable secondary source.

Inferred

An educated suggestion, not a documented fact.

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