By: Metallica Average Rating: Binding: Audio CD Format: Original recording remastered Label: Elektra / Wea Number of Discs: 1 Release Date: October 25, 1990
Product Description: No Description Available No Track Information Available Media Type: CD Artist: METALLICA Title: MASTER OF PUPPETS Street Release Date: 07/07/1987 Domestic Genre: HEAVY METAL
Amazon.com essential recording: One of the defining albums of thrash metal, Master of Puppets is arguably Metallica's best album (as well as their last with bassist Cliff Burton). Focusing on the concept of power and abuses thereof, this is a collection of complex, intelligent music, played at about a hundred miles an hour. Not that these are short songs; this eight-song album clocks in at over an hour, which makes it all the more impressive that not one moment on this recording is boring. In tackling various approaches to their subject, Metallica is insightful lyrically as well as musically: "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" is from the point of view of an institutionalized inmate and "Disposable Heroes" is the perspective of a soldier. If all you've heard of Metallica is what's been on the radio recently, check this one out. You're in for a surprise. --Genevieve Williams
One of their best! I loved listening to this CD. I think it's one of their best. Awesome guitar solos.
They need to remaster this into 2008 standards Good CD, but it sounds like James is shouting to me from a car window as it's driving by. I don't know if they can remaster it properly or just should go ahead and re-record it along with Ride the Lightning and Kill 'em all.
An Intelligent Jackhammer I'm just starting to visit some of Metallica's older work and thus far I'm impressed. One thing that struck me when listening to this album was how much more interesting Metallica was than many of their peers from this era. While other bands were writing sweaty paens to the female anatomy and the travails of being on the road, Metallica was tackling such heavy subject matter as substance abuse ("Master of Puppets"), mental illness ("Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"), assembly line war ("Disposable Heroes"), and dangers of evangelism ("Leper Messiah"), all book-ended by two heavy shout along numbers, "Battery" and "Damage, Inc". There's even a foray into sci-fi/horror territory with "The Thing That Should Not Be" and a complex instrumental in the form of "Orion".
That Metallica was able to delve into these deeper themes without sacrificing the intensity of their music is impressive. Metallica's musical chops are on full display with virtuoso work from lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, bassist Cliff Burton, and drummer Lars Ulrich, as well as hammerblow rhythm work from vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield, whose surly growl give these songs life. The music and the lyrics are well crafted and intelligent, definitely placing Metallica atop the pack of 80's hard rock/metal groups.
Why is This So Loved? Battery, the title song, and Orion are almost the only reason to own this album. The rest of the music on here is heavy and dark, but it just shuffles onward like the soldiers depicted in Disposable Heroes, until eventually the album dies with Damage, Inc.
And this is Metallica's most popular thrash album. They reached their peak on Ride the Lightning, with a little boost for this album's follow-up, but here they fell well short of writing engaging music. Most of this fails to thrash like RTL did, and only comes close to matching the darkness and gloom of ...And Justice for All. I suppose one thing this album has going for it is the bass. But that's not enough.
Battery starts out the album good, giving the listener high expectations for what's to come. Master of Puppets takes you even higher, being a much better song. Orion is their best instrumental, and probably Metallica's most melodic song. The solos and riffs in this one beat anything else this album has to offer. Sure Disposable Heroes is fast and thrashy but it has too few ideas for too long a length. I wasn't interested in it for eight full minutes. The rest is rather boring.
This is good for three stellar songs, but if you're looking for speed stick to RTL, and if you're looking for gloominess, take the follow-up. If you want some heavy background music that functions well as white noise, pick this up. The only reason this gets three stars is because it still slays everything they've done since 1990.
Finally a vinyl version of the Best Metal Album EVER! I'm 25 and am probably one of the last people who grew up as a kid in the late 80's and very early 90's listening to my parents vinyl records. The resurgence of vinyl is a dream come true, and now the best Metal album ever recorded is now available in this format with all its nuances. Absolutely stunning to listen to!
However, there are a couple points I need to make. 'Master of Puppets' really pushes the 33 1/3 RPM LP format to its absolute limit. Side One runs 26:48 in length while Side Two runs 27:10 in length, very, very close to the absolute maximum limit of 30 minutes of playing time per side possible on an LP. Because of that, the playing volume suffers somewhat. Don't expect to put this record on your tabletop record player and speaker system and expect to be blasted out of your shoes. You really should have a serious hi-fi rig with large speakers and high quality receiver amplifier if you want to really rock the house with this record. This is not dissing this album in anyway, I'm just pointing out a limitation of the LP format that putting this album in it brings forth.
So, drop this on the turntable of your fine hi-fi rig and proceed to be blown away by what the LP format can bring forth when combined with Metallica's metal prowess!
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