Relentless Partying: The band fully leaned into their infamous nickname, "Alcoholica". They drank heavily, threw massive backstage parties, and engaged in typical rockstar debauchery while touring. Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett also began experimenting heavily with cocaine during this era.Goofy and Prank-Heavy Backstage: Despite their terrifying, aggressive stage presence, backstage footage from the Black Album tour reveals they were incredibly silly. They constantly played pranks, messed with crew members, and frequently switched instruments during encores just to goof around (e.g., James on drums, Lars on vocals).Arrogance and Exhaustion: The unprecedented success of the Black Album made them incredibly wealthy and pampered. They spent three straight years on the road, flying in private jets and demanding luxury, which eventually left them completely detached and physically burned out by 1994.The Late 1990s: Artistic Rebranding and Growing Apart (1996–1999)The High-Fashion Makeover: By 1996, the band consciously shed their gritty metal image. They cut their hair, wore designer clothes, smoked cigars, and posed for artsy, high-fashion photo shoots. This "pretentious" new attitude deeply upset their older thrash fanbase.The Dictatorship (James and Lars): Internally, the band was run strictly by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. James was incredibly controlling, masking his growing alcoholism with an intimidating, aggressive demeanor. Lars was the outspoken, business-minded frontman who handled the press. Together, they dictated the creative direction, making Kirk Hammett and bassist Jason Newsted feel like second-class citizens.