| Product: |
Master Of Puppets - Metallica |
| Date: |
09/07/01 (375 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: One of their best albums, full of great riffs, lyrics and solos, provoking and strong.
Disadvantages: Too loud for some perhaps, not cohesive in a few places, I would've loved more songs on this.
I remember how my friend who got me into heavy metal started me off on albums such as the ‘Black’ album and Reload. During a study break, I saw him with a CD that had a bunch of graves marked by crosses on the cover. I enquired and he retorted with comments on how bad it was, too strong and not as good as the band’s later releases. Eventually, as his taste switched from hard rock to Michael Jackson, mine yearned for more recordings and Master Of Puppets became one of my favourite albums of all time.
This is a heavy metal album, though not along the lines of extreme distortion that you might hear from bands like Korn. Master Of Puppets sees Metallica use heavy riffs, powerful chord arrangements, relentless drums and some amazing guitar work. This album is a great showcase for the entire band’s talents and how they complement each other so well. Choruses are now elongated in a lot of cases. On this album, almost every song stood out in my mind as being essential, integral parts to the final product. Together they showed how the band had skill, talent and could create good songs. I’d play this album all the way through, in my mind it’s that good!
Battery
Nope, we’re not exactly talking Duracell here. As with the start of the album before, a light acoustic introduction suddenly explodes into a heavy message. The first power chord of the album is enough to rock through most people. Battery is a fast track, full of aggression, insane lead guitar parts, and fast chords. “Smashing through the boundaries, lunacy has found me, cannot stop the battery.” This is another popular Metallica track, one of my favourites.
Master Of Puppets
This is an amazing track, one of my all time favourites. It kicks off immediately and the rhythm guitar work here is very powerful and quite fast, some of my favourite from this album. The subject here is how something can ruthlessly control a person,
physically and mentally. “Master of puppets I’m pulling your strings, twisting your mind and smashing your dreams, blinded by me you can’t see a thing, just call my name ‘cause I’ll hear you scream, master, master.” Midway through the song, it slows down into an introspective guitar solo, followed by a ‘slave’s’ thoughts “Master, master, where’s the dreams that I’ve been after, master, master, you promised only lies, laughter, laughter, all I hear or see is laughter, laughter, laughter, laughing at my cries.” Then the song returns to the aggressive control of the ‘master of puppets’ culminating with laughter at the end. This is a classic Metallica track.
The Thing That Should Not Be
Gradual low chords are then followed by heavier emphasis in the introduction. Ooh I had to learn this introduction! The theme here is fear and insanity concerning the ‘thing that should not be’. Complemented with a totally insane sounding lead guitar solo, courtesy of Mr. Hammett, this track is great, slow and heavy.
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
This is one of my all time favourite Metallica songs. A blunt title, but the song structure goes for the ‘build-up’ approach. From the creeping introduction (another one I had to learn as soon as I heard it), I knew this would be something different. Hetfield’s notes are soon joined by Hammett’s lead guitar work in the introduction. Hammett then stops his lead guitar welcome, for Hetfield’s lyrical introduction. “Welcome to where time stands still, no one leaves and no one will, moon is full never seems to change, just labelled mentally deranged.” The theme here is brooding and thoughts about revolt, that eventually lead to an uprising and chaos. Hammett’s lead guitar work here is impressive. Filing in the spaces between verses, following on from the last lyrics in
the song in a very explosive and fast way, then skilfully conveying the chaotic theme in the end. This is one of my favourites.
Disposable Heroes
From a powerful introduction with drums almost resembling shots and some nice riffs, the track begins. As if the title isn’t self explanatory (can’t get anymore blunt), here is a little about this song. It concerns the extent to which some have been trained to follow orders, with their entire lives and perceptions have been controlled, manipulated and distorted. With the ongoing purpose being the following of orders, the only escape is death. Once again, the instrumental ability demonstrated is astoundingly amazing, though a little unusual in places during the song, as if it’s not cohesive in areas, bounding between ranging emotions.
Leper Messiah
Ever been totally disgusted by those that exploit belief and religion for self gain? Then this song’s for you! “Time for lust time for lie, time to kiss your life goodbye, send me money send me green heaven you will meet, make a contribution and you’ll get a better seat, bow to leper messiah.” There are some good riffs in this, particularly close to the end. “Witchery weakening, sees the sheep are gathering, set the trap, hypnotise, now you follow.” Then Hammett’s lead guitar solo appears followed by some further nice frantic riff work.
Orion
The second of Metallica’s instrumentals that were released, Orion takes a more subtle approach compared to Call Of Ktulu. Still, it can still be seen that all of the skill and interaction between the four has been retained. It’s all here, changing riffs, serious lead guitar work and some accompanying and eventually pronounced bass midway through the track. In my opinion, I prefer Call Of Ktulu. I guess Orion is more of a chill out track before the brutal Damage, Inc.
Damage, Inc.
After the gradual in
troduction involving some emphatic effects, there’s some simultaneous rhythm guitar and drum work, followed by a very fast tempo! This song and Battery, work to encompass the entire album in a strong and relentless way, although I think this is the weaker of the 2 songs.
Ultimately…
This is one of my favourite albums of all time, despite its age. This is a great set of songs that possess a collective mood that’ll make one think a little perhaps. Maybe even stir moods and emotions in places. For music to be able to create emotional empathy and feelings, these guys must be doing something right! There are only 8 songs on this, but that doesn't hamper the album much. This goes alongside two other Metallica albums as favourites from the band. Okay, now many people see Puppets as perhaps Metallica’s best album. Others think it’s their ‘black’ album. Others again, prefer Ride The Lightning. Well, they’re all great in their own way in my opinion. I’d pick either to listen to depending on my mood. I can’t decide on which is the best. However, I can speak of my anguish and anger at losing all these 3 albums on CD in 1 day. It is truly horrific for a Metallica fan to go through this! Kind of like trying to collect the Star Wars saga 30 years from now, then suddenly losing episodes 4, 5 and 6. Puppets and Lightning, I have regained you both, Black, I have yet to attain thee once again. It will be soon, oh yes it will be soon…
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