I originally intended for this month to be light on content, but given that I missed some things last year, I though that it would be appropriate to finally give them their due here. For this first week, I’ll be take a look at 2 Metallica records that had some pretty big anniversaries in 2016. One album turned 25 years old, but today’s had an even bigger milestone reached, turning a whopping 30 years old! So be sure to not get tangled up in strings, and enjoy my look at the legendary Master of Puppets. Let the review begin!
Background
With the landmark release of Kill Em All, and the continuing greatness that was Ride The Lightning, Metallica were really beginning to get on the fast track of Heavy Metal greatness, not to mention becoming one of the Big 4 of Thrash in the process, but they would need that one album that would push them a little more. So they continued recording up at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen with legendary producer Flemming Rasmussen, practiced & learned from other music artists, and acquired some impressive musical equipment for the recording process. From there, it was over 4 months that this new album was recorded, and just 3 months later, the monster that would be known as Master of Puppets came crawling out of it’s Danish cave to kick ass!
Released on the 3rd of March in 1986, Master of Puppets was universally praised by music critics & fans. Many of them cited that this was the pinnacle of the band’s lyrics, musical talent, and greater consistency. It debuted at number 29 on the Billboard 200 for a whopping 72 weeks. This album even has the distinction of being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" enough for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the United States Library of Congress in 2016. Only 450 musical recordings have ever earned this right, with Master of Puppets being the first Heavy Metal title brought in this way.
Basic Description
Worthy of every bit of praise it gets.
I admit that for the longest time, the only Metallica records I really knew about, listened to, and genuinely cared for were And Justice For All & The Black Album, simply because of purely personal reasons (More on that when I talk about The Black Album). It really wasn’t until last year when I found the band’s first 3 albums on sale for cheap. No Lie, but I found Ride the Lightning & Master of Puppets in a $5 bargin bin at a Best Buy. With pricing that low, why wouldn’t anyone pass them up!?
As for the music itself? When I sat down to listen to it, I was entranced by what I heard. Listening to something from earlier in Metallica’s golden age was really rather special, as I always heard people talking about how great Master of Puppets (As well as their 1st two records) was. It felt like music from what now seems like a bygone age. When Heavy Metal was still getting it’s identity, and when Thrash Metal was coming along on it’s own. Many modern Metallica fans (Including myself) were often blinded by their later output, and hearing songs from their earlier output is illuminating in a way.
Best Track
Though songs like Battery & the title track are classic off of this record, I’m sticking with my guns and saying that Sanitarium (Welcome Home) is the best track of the album. Much like some of their more atmospheric tracks off of their previous releases, Sanitarium is one of Master’s of Puppets most story-based songs. In this case, the band brings you into an asylum that’s seen better days, where sadness & anger lurk around many corners, and the voices in your head cause you nothing but grief. Eventually, you & many of the other patients get fed up, and start a revolt for freedom. Coupled with a slow, doom-like sludgy pace, Sanitarium is up there with many classic tracks (Metallica or otherwise) that soak with dread & tell their dark tales.
Sanitarium (Welcome Home)
Worst Track
I mentioned this back in my overview for Metallica, but Master of Puppet’s only real flaw seems to be that the band slowed down a little when it comes to pacing. The intensity is still very much apparent throughout the entire record, but there’s nowhere near as many speedy tracks when compared to Ride The Lightning, and especially Kill Em All. There’s speedy moments, but in a way Metallica made Master Of Puppets a more controlled & tame record.
Other
If you like to listen to Master of Puppets, check out the link below:
Master of Puppets (Full Album)
Overall Impression & Rating
Master Of Puppets is a crowning achievement in Metallica’s hat. Taking themselves out from behind the curtain & standing more in the spotlight, the band’s 3rd record really shows that Heavy Metal was a force to be reckoned with in the 80s, and Thrash Metal was one of the spearheads. In it’s 30+ years since it’s release, it’s still praised to the sun & back as one of the finest metal records, and it’s worth will get stronger for another 30+ years. Essential piece of Thrash Metal!
Master Of Puppets gets a 10 out of 10, and if I could rate it higher somehow, I would.
So that was a look at Master of Puppets. See you all later this week, when I’ll look at what was considered to be the last great Metallica album......for a long time.
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If you’d like a more detailed look at the history of Master of Puppets, check out the link below:
Master of Puppets (Wikipedia)
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