Metallica are famously selective (and litigious) relating to how their music is utilized in exterior contexts. That’s why it’s not stunning that they just lately pressured the U.S. authorities to drag a video selling its drone program attributable to it that includes unauthorized use of basic music “Enter Sandman.” Nevertheless, it’s since been reuploaded with out the observe.
Particulars of the Video + Metallica’s Response
Yesterday (July 12), Rolling Stone reported that the Pentagon “deleted and reposted a video boasting about how President Donald Trump’s administration will enhance its use of drone warfare. The primary model featured the Metallica music ‘Enter Sandman’ within the background. The second has no music.” The journal additionally specified {that a} Metallica consultant “confirmed . . . that the usage of ‘Enter Sandman’ within the authentic video was unauthorized.”
As well as, and as verified by The Independent, “a spokesperson for the Pentagon mentioned in a press release on Friday: ‘This afternoon, representatives from X reached out to DoD [Department of Defense] concerning a video posted to our social media web page and requested that the video be eliminated attributable to a copyright difficulty with the music ‘Enter Sandman’ by Metallica. The video has been taken down, corrected, and re-uploaded to our web page.’”
Within the video – which was initially posted to X (previously Twitter) on July 10, in response to The Unbiased – Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth walks towards the digicam whereas detailing how his division will go about enacting Trump’s executive order “unleashing American drone dominance.” He continues by mentioning that their plan includes “three key issues”:
First, we’re gonna bolster the U.S. drone manufacturing base by producing hundreds of American-made merchandise . . . we’ll arm fight models with quite a lot of low-cost American-crafted drones, leveraging our world-leading engineers and AI consultants . . . and third, we’re gonna practice as we count on to battle. Senior officers . . . should overcome bureaucratic threat aversion in budgeting, weaponing, weaponeering and coaching.
He is standing on the entrance garden of the Pentagon, and behind him, a number of troopers stand as a quadcopter flies noisily above his head to ship a memo.
You possibly can see the unique model of the video under:
As Rolling Stone additionally identified, “An instrumental model of ‘Enter Sandman’ performed through the president’s latest lackluster military parade [on June 14, 2025], which outraged Metallica followers.”
Likewise, the publication defined that “parade organizers had been even issued a cease-and-desist letter over ‘illegally’ enjoying ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,’ after they had been explicitly informed they might not use the music.” There’s even a Wikipedia page devoted to protecting observe of the handfuls of musicians who’ve opposed Trump’s use of their music.
READ MORE: Metallica Debuts Black Sabbath Deep Cut at Back to the Beginning: Video, Setlist
Extra About “Enter Sandman”
Launched because the lead single to 1991’s Metallica (aka The Black Album), “Enter Sandman” is among the many thrash quartet’s largest songs. It’s considered one of their most divisive, too, provided that it’s typically seen as their first “pop” song and a considerably extra industrial tune than something they’d executed earlier than. In response to singer/guitarist James Hetfield, the observe revolves round nightmares involving “this child [who] will get manipulated by what adults say,” and drummer Lars Ulrich as soon as claimed that it was the “basis to information the entire Black Album.”
Apparently, “Enter Sandman” was so profitable that it led to Metallica writing one other music – “King Nothing” from 1996’s Load – as an “answer” to it.
“‘King Nothing’ was form of a solution to ‘Sandman,’ actually,” Hetfield informed Q Prime and MX2 Media earlier this yr. He continued:
It was and clearly on the finish of the music, there’s a bit little bit of a “‘off to by no means, neverland,’ a bit nod in direction of it. I believe we had been attempting to maintain up with the truth that ‘Sandman’ was an amazing music and other people related with it. So it a minimum of made sense to put in writing a music in that tempo, in that vein, that pound. . . . “King Nothing” is smart in that it was one of many first ones proper after ‘The Black Album,’ trigger it was. It was an nod to ‘Sandman.'”
So, now you recognize.
What Else is Taking place With Metallica?
On July 5, Metallica had been considered one of many main acts to carry out at Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s legendary Back to the Beginning live performance (which was held at Villa Park in Birmingham, England). They played six songs, together with each authentic cuts (corresponding to “Battery” and “Grasp of Puppets”) and covers of Black Sabbath’s “Gap within the Sky” and “Johnny Blade.”
They’re additionally gearing as much as play quite a few locations towards the top of 2025 and into 2026 – together with Germany, Poland, Australia and New Zealand – with their May and June 2026 dates featuring supporting sets from Gojira, Knocked Loose, Pantera and Avatar. You possibly can view the full list of shows – and grab tickets – here.
Favourite Black Sabbath Album of 21 Rock + Metallic Legends
Members of Metallica, Iron Maiden, and even Sabbath themselves reveal their favourite titles from the band’s catalog.
Gallery Credit score: Rob Carroll