Metallica - Master Of Puppets
Metallica - Master Of Puppets
James Hetfield – Vocals Guitars
Lars Ulrich – Drums
Kirk Hammett - Guitars
Cliff Burton - Bass
Track Listing:
1. Battery
2. Master of Puppets
3. The thing that should not be
4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
5. Disposable Heroes
6. Leper Messiah
7. Orion
8. Damage Inc.
Not only is Master of Puppets deemed one of Metallica’s best album by the international metal community but it is also in my Eyes perhaps one of the best Metal albums ever. The line-up for Metallic during the recording for the album was James Hetfield (vocals, Rhythm Guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums), Kirk Hammett (lead guitar), and of course Cliff Burton on bass who was tragically killed in a Bus accident whilst on tour, shortly after the album was released.
The album starts with Battery. The song starts with an acoustic Spanish guitar intro, crashing into a heavy manic guitar riff, which quickly speeds accompanied an excellent thundering drum line. This song is probably my favorite on the album and makes a great introduction to the rest of the album.
Following Battery is the lead song on the album “Master of Puppets”. The song begins with a simple but forceful descending guitar riff from Hammett. The drums on this track aren’t particularly outstanding but this is easily made up for by the excellent vocals of Hetfield throughout the song. The best part of this song has to be the fantastic guitar riff shortly after Hetfield’s storming vocal interlude.
Next up is “The thing that should not be”. Yet again, like “Battery” a great acoustic intro only with a more deep and cold tone, following on to another brilliant thrash riff. The only criticism I would have for this song is the dullness of the bass line.
Fourth on the CD is “Sanitarium” which in my opinion is one of the best song Metallica have wrote. The song starts with a quiet E octave intro, which progresses into a beautiful mellow sequence riff. (Yes, its not often Beautiful and Metallica are mentioned together). The song gradually builds up and eventually goes into a typical Metallica style heavy chorus. This follows on to yet again a great solo from Hammett, finishing swiftly with a basic but dramatic riff.
Following this is Disposable Heroes, which describes to story of a World War One solider (Similarly to “One” from the later album “And Justice for All…”). This track is a great song, but is probably the worst on the album, but when, listening to it you have to bare in mind the fantastic quality of all the other songs on the album. If this was on say… “Kill ‘em All” it would probably get a lot more recognition as a defining song.
The next track Leper Messiah is quiet a slow song but still manages to have a massive amount of power behind it. The drums of Bass aren’t that spectacular, its pretty much a stereotypical angry thrash metal Metallica song, that manages to make up for some of the mellowness in earlier tracks.
9th on the album is “Orion”. The song starts of with a barely hearable key-board tune, which slowly builds up into the main song. The drums enter and then moments later the classic unmistakable Metallica trademark guitars join the fray. The bass line in this song is probably the best on the album and works unbelievably well over the guitar. It’s said that this song was played at Cliff Burtons funeral, and after listening to it, its obvious why.
Lastly is “Damage Inc.” This is a total turn from Orion and is defiantly the angriest song on the album. Its worth listening to just for the guitar solo alone, for the mental picture of someone playing so fast. Finally the song roars to its inevitable conclusion, and the album is over.
In my opinion this has to be the best Metallica album out, with “The Black Album” at short second. It defines so much about Metallica’s capability to play both exellent Thrash Metal and convey a more mellow and instrumental music.
