Product Description

Metallica's irresistible rise to the top continued with this enigmatic 1986 album. A constant touring unit by this point, their combination of light and dark and their deft staccato delivery, especially on the title track, came brusquely through. Their ever-lengthening arrangements (three songs came in at over eight minutes), bolstered by the precise snap of Hetfield's vocals, testified to their undeniable power. The striding "Battery", the darkly lit "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)", as well as the complex instrumental, "Orion", all gavepowerful testament to their ever-developing skill and vision.

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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #475 in Music
• Released on: 1989-05-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 55 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
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 institutionalised inmate and "Disposable Heroes" is the perspective of a soldier. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews

Joint best with Ride The Lightning
'Master of Puppets' is Metallica's best work as everyone knows. Full of powerful riffs and awesome lyrics. This is what really got Metallica noticed. Tracks:

'Battery': Awesome start to the album. This starts with a great piece of guitar work and then builds into one of Metallica's best known songs. A great riff and a track that is great to play live. 5/5

'Master of Puppets': One of my favourite Metallica tracks. Some may ay this is too long but I think it's just right. Awesome riff, awesome lyrics, and a very good solo part in the middle. Another great track to play live. This has to be played loud. 5/5

'The Thing That Should Not Be': Another awesome riff. No real chorus to this track but some of the best lyrics I have ever heard. Fits this album perfectly. 5/5

'Sanitarium': Like 'Fade To Black', a slower Metallica track but one of their classics. Again, great lyrics and everyone sings to this! 5/5

'Disposable Heroes': This is slightly too long but still an awesome track. Good lyrics, good bass line. 4/5

'Leper Messiah': Another classic. Just brilliant overall. More great lyrics. 5/5

'Orion': Ive never been a big fan of instrumentals but this is good. Some words would be nice but without lyrics its almost relaxing and fits the album and the track list well. 4/5

'Damage Inc.': Great end to the album with more wonderful riffs and lyrics. Not much more to say just awesome. 5/5

I wont say to much as this has been reviewed so many times but simply, if you dont own this album, you dont truly like heavy metal. This is a landmark and has to be owned if you are a metal head. Buy!

It's true...
...that this is Metallica's greatest masterpiece. Personally I'd rate it just a little more that Ride The Lightning, due to its more momentuous moments, although they are both equally fantastic. Master Of Puppets at first scared me. It's dark, forboding and definitely evil. The lyrics to Battery, Welcome Home and The Thing That Should Not Be are incredibly sinister, yet the rest of the songs' lyrics display great meaning. Vocally, Hetfield matured on Puppets and refined his trademark growl! As for the musicianship, it is just phenomenal! Hetfield's rhythms are tight, powerful, punchy and quite simply perfect. Kirk's soloing is magnificent and he conjures some truly memorable licks (*queue the title track's solo*). Cliff's bass playing, notably on Orion and the intro to Damage, Inc. is simply superb and incredibly intuitive. Finally, Lar's drumming is tight and thunderous. If you don't own this album, make sure that you acquire a copy very quickly. In fact I think I shall listen to it myself right now...

MONUMENTAL, METALLICA'S BEST, MAYBE METAL'S BEST?!
As follows:
METALLICA'S BEST.
THRASH METAL'S BEST.
1986's BEST HEAVY METAL ALBUM,
ONE OF ROCK'S GREATEST ALBUMS.
CLIFF BURTON; A LESSON IN BASS!
ORION; METALLICA'S BEST INSTRUMENTAL - CHECK OUT THE BASS & GUITAR SOLOS!
MASTER OF PUPPETS; THE DEFINITIVE METALLICA SONG? MAYBE!
BATTERY; WHEN ACOUSTIC INTROS SOUNDED INNOVATIVE!
DISPOSABLE HEROES; METAL WITH A CONSCIENCE.
THE THING THAT SHOULD NOT BE; FOR THE CLAUSTROPHOBIA, AND FOR KTULU.
KIRK HAMMETT; ALONG WITH RIDE THE LIGHTNING, HIS BEST SOLOS.
JAMES HETFIELD; HIS BEST RIFFS & GREAT VOCALS/LYRICS. CHECK OUT SANITARIUM, PART 2 OF METALLICA'S HOLY TRINITY OF BALLADS..
LARS ULRICH; PERHAPS HIS BEST DRUMMING - BEFORE THE OVER ELABORATE AND JUSTICE FOR ALL AND THEN THE SHIFT TO A SIMPLER STYLE...
FLEMMING RASMUSSEN FOR THE UNIQUE PRODUCTION, NO OTHER ALBUM HAS A GUITAR SOUND LIKE THIS!
IF YOU ONLY OWN ONE METAL ALBUM, MAKE IT THIS....