March 3, 1986 - Master Of Puppets
Nine days after my last release and almost two years since "Ride The Lightning", Metallica released their third album "Master Of Puppets" on March 3, 1986. "Ride The Lightning" was a metal masterpiece and it caught the attention of Elektra Records who signed Metallica to their first major deal. They are really hitting their stride and recorded another 8-song album full of blistering thrash metal; and occasional nice slow melodies. Let's dive right in!
Side two opens up with "Disposable Heroes" and it has a great headbanging opening with Ulrich and Hetfield both playing some great heavy drums and guitar respectively. Hammett plays a similar but distorted riff overtop and after 30 seconds of this punishing opening they move into the main riff as Hetfield starts up some nice and fast rhythm guitar. Burton's bass sounds pretty good as well and once again Hammett plays a more distorted guitar overtop and it's slower notes mix great with the faster rhythm riff. They briefly shift into a super fast new riff that sounds more like their "Kill 'Em All" days and I'm not complaining as it sounds really good! It's very short though as they return to the "slower" main riff (it's still pretty damn fast) and after a minute and a half Hetfield finally begins the first verse. He sounds pretty good as usual and halfway through the verse they switch back to the super fast riff. This part of the verse sounds great I think as James yells along nicely to the music and Hammett even adds some cool lead guitar overtop at the end. They slow it down for the chorus, but it's a dirty and heavy riff that I also love. "BACK TO THE FRONT. You will do what I say when I say BACK TO THE FRONT". It's a great heavy chorus and they repeat the formula with a verse that starts slower, really speeds up and then slows down for the chorus. Afterwards they move to nice and heavy bridge riff that has Lars playing some cool drums and this sets the stage for Hammett's guitar solo. This solo is over a minute long and Hammett does a great job of peaking and valleying, with several really awesome peaks to the solo and also some pretty cool valleys inbetween. The end of the solo leads back into the heavy bridge and that leads back into the great super speedy part as they seamlessly shift all the way back to the main riff. They play a final sweet verse and chorus before resuming the speedy riff it would seem to end the song. But they do a false ending and come roaring back in one last time before actually ending the song at over 8 minutes long. The great songs continue! The next song is called "Leper Messiah" and Lars counts everyone in as they form a nice and heavy riff. Hetfield and Hammett sync up for some emphatic guitars and they nicely shift from this riff into a similar yet different one for the verse. It's a little simpler but still sounds decent as Hetfield yells nicely overtop. Hetfield finishes off the verse with "bow to leper messiah!" as they return to the beginning riff. Thos turns out to be the "chorus" riff but there are no chorus lyrics in an interesting change as they shift down once again for the next verse. After another decent verse and "chorus" Hammett starts up a new faster lead riff that sounds enticing and it segues nicely into a fast-paced bridge with some fast rhythm guitar and bass. Hetfield sings a brief new verse overtop and this sets the stage perfectly for Hammett's solo. Kirk delivers as usual as he plays a pretty sweet solo and the end of it flows nicely back into the speedy bridge riff. Hetfield sings another brief verse and they nicely return to the chorus riff to close things out, including another false ending that's followed by one final guitar lick. Track 7 is "Orion" and it's an eight and a half minute instrumental. Burton plays some droning and low bass that sounds good as the rest of the band slowly fades in. Just under a minute in they finally start up the main riff and it's not terribly fast or really complicated, but it sounds pretty smooth. It's not really simple either, just a solid, catchy guitar riff and Lars plays some good drums as well. After they establish this backing riff Burton comes in and what we hear sounds like just a distorted guitar, but it's really bass as Cliff plays some cool stuff overtop. After a little bit of this cool part they return to the main riff, but it's a little faster this time as Hetfield takes it up a notch, playing some faster and pretty sweet guitar. They do slow it back to the original speed and Hammett begins a guitar solo overtop that starts out nice and smooth and perfectly fits the mood of the song. He ramps it up as it goes on and plays some pretty cool stuff as we've come to expect. At the end of the solo they slowly break everything down until there's a moment of silence. It's Burton who first breaks the silence and his bass sounds much more like a typical bass this time. He plays a slow and pretty cool bass riff that is the driving force of this next part and I think he does a great job. The guitars come in and play some long-held cool notes that sound quite epic and they sound wonderful meshing with Cliff's great bass. Hammett plays some nice lead guitar overtop of everything else and this whole part is a wonderful show of progressiveness as they beautifully move from one part to the next. After a couple minutes of this cool ebbing and flowing riff Hammett gets another chance to solo and he plays a great solo that once again matches the vibe of the riff perfectly. Burton comes in without missing a beat and delivers a sweet little bass solo that sounds amazing and he then syncs up with Hammett as they both play some great stuff! They somehow have another level they can hit as from here they shift to a more typical speedy Metallica riff and Hammett takes off for yet another solo! It's another fantastic guitar performance as Kirk plays some really great stuff and this somehow leads perfectly into the sped-up version of the main riff. Hetfield and Burton continue to nicely jam it out as they slowly fade out this riff until the end of another great song. The album wraps up with "Damage, Inc." and it has a pretty slow opening by Metallica's standards as we hear some slow, light guitar for over a minute. It's a pretty uneventful start but eventually the thrashing guitar comes in and they nicely fire up possibly their fastest riff of the album. Hetfield is playing some pretty incredible "rhythm" guitar and just because it's rhythm doesn't mean it isn't heavy and awesome! James also sings a solid verse overtop and each one culminates with him whispering "damage incorporated" and it sounds pretty epic actually! They fire right back into another verse and after another whisper they shift without missing a beat into a new bridge riff that not surprisingly also has some great guitar. Hetfield sings a short verse and after another whisper he says "go" and Kirk takes off. This is one of his best solos of the whole album as he plays a ton of phenomenal guitar. Several times you think things are winding down, only for him to go ballistic again and it sounds incredible! Really really insane and awesome stuff! There's no let-up after the solo though as they return for a final verse. "Fuck it all and fuck it no regrets" is a great and memorable line and after a final epic whisper they end things a bit suddenly, but still what a wicked way to end the album.
That is the end of "Master Of Puppets" and I thought it was another masterpiece from Metallica. The worst song on the album for me is easily "Leper Messiah" and that's a testament to how great this album was because that is in no way a bad song! The other 7 were all amazing in their own ways and Metallica continue to shine as a bright spot in the 80s with some incredible metal music. I think it easily passes their debut "Kill 'Em All", which was pretty amazing in it's own right, and this album is similar to it's predecessor "Ride The Lightning" in many ways. They are both superb albums and it is razor thin between them. I could easily go with either one depending on the day but since I am doing rankings I have to give the slightest of edges to "Ride The Lightning". 2nd place will have to do for this latest offering but this album is still one of the best metal albums of all time.
Just like their last album, the opening song "Battery" begins with an acoustic guitar intro. It's a really great introduction by Hetfield that sounds really nice and Hammett takes over the same riff on electric guitar as they shift nicely into a heavier version of this riff with Ulrich playing some epic drums. Once they finally "settle" into the main riff, Hetfield is playing a really fast and awesome rhythm guitar riff and Burton plays basically the same thing on bass in a really sweet main riff. Hetfield begins the first verse and he sings quickly along to the fast riff and I think continues to sharpen his voice, getting a little better with each album. They roll right into the chorus where the guitars slow down a bit, but it's a very fast chorus and James nicely yells the name of the song. Before they return to the wicked main verse, Hammett rips off a very short solo, but he still manages to do amazing things even in just a few short seconds! They tear through another verse and chorus before shifting nicely into a slower but still fast bridge part. Hammett gives us a little taste with a new guitar riff but it's not long before he hits a full-blown guitar solo. He plays some phenomenal stuff in this solo and is just shredding that guitar! The ending to his solo is masterfully done as well as he finishes it off with some really great stuff and this leads right into a really heavy and fast new riff. There is no rest for these guys as the thrashing awesomeness continues and after a nice drum fill by Lars they return to the sweet main riff. They play a final great verse and chorus before returning to the heavy and fast post-solo riff to finish things off on a nice epic note. This is one of my favourite songs by Metallica, it never lets up and is jam-packed with great music! Also just like their last album, the second song is the title track, "Master Of Puppets". They kick right into the main riff and it's one of the most iconic metal riffs ever played. Words don't do proper justice as it's somehow, fast, heavy, catchy and just totally encapsulating. The guitar leads the way with some really great stuff but Burton's bass adds extra heaviness whenever he plays it and Ulrich also comes in with some timely fills. It's a fantastic opening and they shift to a different but also really great riff for the verse. It's unpredictable and sounds like pure metal gold as Hetfield sings a nice harsh verse overtop. The verse moves into a catchy new part as Hetfield sings "come crawling faster, obey your master" and after the second time it leads right into the chorus. "Master of puppets I'm pulling your strings. Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams". It's a really heavy and awesome chorus and they end it by yelling "Master! Master!" before they nicely return for another verse. After another solid verse and chorus they do a cool distorted fadeout of James yelling "Master" as a really great melodic guitar riff takes over. Hetfield plays a really great melodic rhythm riff and Hammett plays some sweet lead guitar overtop. He ebbs and flows perfectly with the melodic backing riff and plays some spectacular guitar overtop, including a brief solo! The solo is really awesome, but everything before and after it is just as awesome as this riff sounds fantastic! Metallica show off some progressiveness with a really nice segue from this melodic part into a new heavier, almost marching riff. Hetfield sings a couple lines overtop this part, ending with him yelling "fix me!" as Hammett tears off for another solo. This solo is also very iconic and Kirk really wheels and deals, playing some absolutely amazing stuff! After this wonderful solo they move into a rolling riff with some more fantastic guitar by both Hetfield and Hammett. The solo may have ended, but the awesomeness continues as this cool new riff somehow leads perfectly into the opening riff as they return to the wicked main riff. After a great final verse and chorus they play an epic final riff before the song ends in a cacophony of maniacal laughter. It sounds like there are ton of voices, laughing from everywhere and I think it's a great sinister ending to another phenomenal song. Track 3 is "The Thing That Should Not Be" and Burton starts it off with some cool bass and Lars plays the others in as the guitars join to form a heavy main riff. It's a slower and simpler riff, but it sounds nice and heavy as Hammett and Hetfield sync up and play some nice guitar. Burton's bass sounds great in the background as well and Hetfield does a great job singing the verse; singing a bit softer at the beginning of each line and then yelling louder as the guitars come thundering back in. I love this slow, heavy verse and I think it's pretty catchy as well. The chorus is really great as well as Hetfield sounds really good: "Hunter of the shadows is rising" leads right into a simple but nice and heavy guitar bit and he finishes off the chorus with a nice "in madness you dwell" as the heaviness chugs along. Metallica have come a long way since "Kill 'Em All" as every song on this album has a unique and awesome feel to it instead of following a strict formula. They do an excellent job with another verse and chorus and then Hammett delivers a solo that sounds really crazy! Right out of the gate he's playing some really fast and great sounding stuff and he does a great job of slowing things down for a second before taking off on another incredible shred that leaves my face sufficiently melted. Superb stuff Kirk! James delivers another "in madness you dwell" and they nicely bring it back to the main riff. After another great verse and chorus Hammett plays a cool heavily distorted guitar while the rest of the band jams out the heavy chorus riff. They slowly fade things out until another great song reaches it's end. Side one ends with "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" and it has a really epic and awesome slow opening that moves nicely into a similar main riff driven by some cool rhythm guitar by Hetfield. Hammett plays overtop and delivers an early solo that fits the mood perfectly. It's not as crazy as most of Kirk's solos bit it sounds great nonetheless and it flows right into the first verse as Hetfield sings in a nice voice. This slow and solid verse ramps nicely into the chorus which is a bit faster and a bit heavier, but still not fast and heavy by Metallica's standards. "Sanitarium, leave me be. Sanitarium, just leave me alone" are the only lyrics in the chorus and this leads right into another slow solo by Hammett! I think he does an even better job on this solo than the last, playing some great stuff and once again it moves seamlessly into the verse. After another verse and chorus they speed things up a bit and switch to a simple but heavier riff that is solid. Hetfield yells more in this new bridge part, and sounds pretty good doing it, especially how his final yell leads right into a blistering guitar solo. Hammett takes off without a moment's notice and proceeds to lay down one of his usual, much faster solos. As usual, it's pretty freaking incredible as he shreds his guitar up and down, playing a ton of fast and great sounding notes. They resume the bridge riff that preceded the solo but instead of another short verse Hammett's guitar plays the same melody as the vocals occupied. It seems the solo never ended, the rhythm track just got changed behind it as Hammett continues to lead the way with great guitar and even breaks out for his 4th solo of the song! It's another fairly short one but it's amazing nonetheless as Kirk is just bursting with great solo on this song! After this solo they slowly slow down the riff until it comes to a dramatic and heavy ending, culminating with a metal flourish. Lars plays some solid drums in this flourish ending as they end another phenomenal side of music.
Side two opens up with "Disposable Heroes" and it has a great headbanging opening with Ulrich and Hetfield both playing some great heavy drums and guitar respectively. Hammett plays a similar but distorted riff overtop and after 30 seconds of this punishing opening they move into the main riff as Hetfield starts up some nice and fast rhythm guitar. Burton's bass sounds pretty good as well and once again Hammett plays a more distorted guitar overtop and it's slower notes mix great with the faster rhythm riff. They briefly shift into a super fast new riff that sounds more like their "Kill 'Em All" days and I'm not complaining as it sounds really good! It's very short though as they return to the "slower" main riff (it's still pretty damn fast) and after a minute and a half Hetfield finally begins the first verse. He sounds pretty good as usual and halfway through the verse they switch back to the super fast riff. This part of the verse sounds great I think as James yells along nicely to the music and Hammett even adds some cool lead guitar overtop at the end. They slow it down for the chorus, but it's a dirty and heavy riff that I also love. "BACK TO THE FRONT. You will do what I say when I say BACK TO THE FRONT". It's a great heavy chorus and they repeat the formula with a verse that starts slower, really speeds up and then slows down for the chorus. Afterwards they move to nice and heavy bridge riff that has Lars playing some cool drums and this sets the stage for Hammett's guitar solo. This solo is over a minute long and Hammett does a great job of peaking and valleying, with several really awesome peaks to the solo and also some pretty cool valleys inbetween. The end of the solo leads back into the heavy bridge and that leads back into the great super speedy part as they seamlessly shift all the way back to the main riff. They play a final sweet verse and chorus before resuming the speedy riff it would seem to end the song. But they do a false ending and come roaring back in one last time before actually ending the song at over 8 minutes long. The great songs continue! The next song is called "Leper Messiah" and Lars counts everyone in as they form a nice and heavy riff. Hetfield and Hammett sync up for some emphatic guitars and they nicely shift from this riff into a similar yet different one for the verse. It's a little simpler but still sounds decent as Hetfield yells nicely overtop. Hetfield finishes off the verse with "bow to leper messiah!" as they return to the beginning riff. Thos turns out to be the "chorus" riff but there are no chorus lyrics in an interesting change as they shift down once again for the next verse. After another decent verse and "chorus" Hammett starts up a new faster lead riff that sounds enticing and it segues nicely into a fast-paced bridge with some fast rhythm guitar and bass. Hetfield sings a brief new verse overtop and this sets the stage perfectly for Hammett's solo. Kirk delivers as usual as he plays a pretty sweet solo and the end of it flows nicely back into the speedy bridge riff. Hetfield sings another brief verse and they nicely return to the chorus riff to close things out, including another false ending that's followed by one final guitar lick. Track 7 is "Orion" and it's an eight and a half minute instrumental. Burton plays some droning and low bass that sounds good as the rest of the band slowly fades in. Just under a minute in they finally start up the main riff and it's not terribly fast or really complicated, but it sounds pretty smooth. It's not really simple either, just a solid, catchy guitar riff and Lars plays some good drums as well. After they establish this backing riff Burton comes in and what we hear sounds like just a distorted guitar, but it's really bass as Cliff plays some cool stuff overtop. After a little bit of this cool part they return to the main riff, but it's a little faster this time as Hetfield takes it up a notch, playing some faster and pretty sweet guitar. They do slow it back to the original speed and Hammett begins a guitar solo overtop that starts out nice and smooth and perfectly fits the mood of the song. He ramps it up as it goes on and plays some pretty cool stuff as we've come to expect. At the end of the solo they slowly break everything down until there's a moment of silence. It's Burton who first breaks the silence and his bass sounds much more like a typical bass this time. He plays a slow and pretty cool bass riff that is the driving force of this next part and I think he does a great job. The guitars come in and play some long-held cool notes that sound quite epic and they sound wonderful meshing with Cliff's great bass. Hammett plays some nice lead guitar overtop of everything else and this whole part is a wonderful show of progressiveness as they beautifully move from one part to the next. After a couple minutes of this cool ebbing and flowing riff Hammett gets another chance to solo and he plays a great solo that once again matches the vibe of the riff perfectly. Burton comes in without missing a beat and delivers a sweet little bass solo that sounds amazing and he then syncs up with Hammett as they both play some great stuff! They somehow have another level they can hit as from here they shift to a more typical speedy Metallica riff and Hammett takes off for yet another solo! It's another fantastic guitar performance as Kirk plays some really great stuff and this somehow leads perfectly into the sped-up version of the main riff. Hetfield and Burton continue to nicely jam it out as they slowly fade out this riff until the end of another great song. The album wraps up with "Damage, Inc." and it has a pretty slow opening by Metallica's standards as we hear some slow, light guitar for over a minute. It's a pretty uneventful start but eventually the thrashing guitar comes in and they nicely fire up possibly their fastest riff of the album. Hetfield is playing some pretty incredible "rhythm" guitar and just because it's rhythm doesn't mean it isn't heavy and awesome! James also sings a solid verse overtop and each one culminates with him whispering "damage incorporated" and it sounds pretty epic actually! They fire right back into another verse and after another whisper they shift without missing a beat into a new bridge riff that not surprisingly also has some great guitar. Hetfield sings a short verse and after another whisper he says "go" and Kirk takes off. This is one of his best solos of the whole album as he plays a ton of phenomenal guitar. Several times you think things are winding down, only for him to go ballistic again and it sounds incredible! Really really insane and awesome stuff! There's no let-up after the solo though as they return for a final verse. "Fuck it all and fuck it no regrets" is a great and memorable line and after a final epic whisper they end things a bit suddenly, but still what a wicked way to end the album.
That is the end of "Master Of Puppets" and I thought it was another masterpiece from Metallica. The worst song on the album for me is easily "Leper Messiah" and that's a testament to how great this album was because that is in no way a bad song! The other 7 were all amazing in their own ways and Metallica continue to shine as a bright spot in the 80s with some incredible metal music. I think it easily passes their debut "Kill 'Em All", which was pretty amazing in it's own right, and this album is similar to it's predecessor "Ride The Lightning" in many ways. They are both superb albums and it is razor thin between them. I could easily go with either one depending on the day but since I am doing rankings I have to give the slightest of edges to "Ride The Lightning". 2nd place will have to do for this latest offering but this album is still one of the best metal albums of all time.
Comments
Post a Comment