Very few albums transcend an entire genre. Master of Puppets is one of those albums. Released in 1986, the LP -- Metallica's third -- is hailed by many as the greatest metal album of all time. While that is obviously debatable, there is no arguing that it is remarkable.


Glam metal ruled the airwaves at the time, and Metallica had pioneered a new genre called thrash metal that stood firmly against it. After two universally-adored albums -- 1983's Kill 'Em All and 1984's Ride the Lightning -- Metallica was poised for a big break with their third, but would they deliver? Yes. Yes they would.

Master of Puppets turned out to be a true metal masterpiece that not only began Metallica's staggering path to global fame and success, but paved the way for many other underground metal bands to do the same. Only a track-by-track analysis of the album will do it justice:

"Battery" -- The album-opener begins with beautiful harmonized acoustic guitars layered in one after another and the listener is immediately swept away to metal heaven. Eventually, the electric guitars kick in playing the same melody in a towering moment of metal catharsis. Suddenly, the tempo shifts, hitting a furious pace and we're off to the races. Four minutes of speed-metal goodness ensue, filled with face-melting solos from Kirk Hammett and intense vocals from James Hetfield concerning lunacy and aggression. Battery is a speed-metal classic, perhaps the best opening song on any of Metallica's albums.
Song Rating: 10/10

"Master of Puppets" -- One of the most recognized guitar riffs in history kicks in immediately as the title track gets underway. While fast as hell, "Master of Puppets" is slower and more epically arranged than "Battery." At the 3:30 mark the song slows down for a mesmerizing Maidenesque melodic instrumental section spotlighting a glorious guitar solo. The track slowly rebuilds energy with Hetfield's desperate cries of powerlessness against his "master" until launching into full-on face-shredding mode, then finally returning to the original riff to close the song. Demonic laughs end the track and any listener will find it hard not to be swept up in the sheer insanity of the moment. A bonafide epic.
Song Rating: 10/10

"The Thing That Should Not Be" -- Another acoustic intro leads into a monstrously heavy riff and a slow, brooding song about a monster lurking beneath the sea, inspired by H.P Lovecraft's 1926 novel, "The Call of Cthulhu." The song is among Metallica's heaviest, but not their best. While still a very good track, it lacks the complexity and brilliance of the two preceding songs, and is the closest thing to filler on the album.
Song Rating: 8/10

"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" -- Haunting harmonics greet the ears, followed by a stunning reverb-filled melodic intro, and a spine-tingling solo from Hammett. "Welcome Home" is the ballad on the album, following in the footsteps of "Fade to Black." The song is a shining example of Metallica's ability to blend ferocious speed and heaviness with heart-stopping melody. Hetfield's lyrics are poetic, looking at the world from the point-of-view of a mental patient, while Hammett's solos are awe-inspiring. About 3:45 into the song the tempo begins to pick up and (surprise!) we're off to the races again with perhaps the most complex guitar work of the entire album. One of the best ballads of all time.
Song Rating: 10/10

"Disposable Heroes" -- If you were getting tired of all the melody, then this is the song for you.  "Disposable Heroes" is a full-on speed-metal assault. It is the second Metallica song that deals with one of their favorite topics -- WAR -- and can perhaps be seen as a spiritual predecessor to one of their more well-known songs, "One." The only downside to the track is that it goes on a bit too long, clocking in at over 8 minutes, despite there being little variation througout. That said, it is not skippable.
Song Rating: 9/10

"Leper Messiah" -- This song is similar to "The Thing That Should Not Be" in that it is slower and heavier than the rest of the material on the album. However, it is a bit more complexly arranged than the aforementioned with an attractive solo section midway through. The lyrics are a bitter rant against dishonest TV evangelists who sell hope to the ignorant masses. A good song, but not the best on the album by any means.
Song Rating: 8/10

"Orion" -- Tons of parallels can be drawn between Master of Puppets and Ride the Lightning , not the least of which is the inclusion of an epic instrumental. And epic "Orion" is. The guitars fade in slowly, getting louder and louder until finally being joined by the bass and drums for some amazing and inspired riffing and soloing. At about the 4:00 mark, the song stops abruptly to make room for Cliff Burton's bass solo, which begins a ride that takes the listener to heaven for the next few minutes. It should be criminal to write songs as good as this. Perfection.
Song Rating: 10/10

"Damage, Inc." -- From the bone-chilling moodiness of "Orion" we leap back into speed-metal territory with "Damage, Inc." Instead of closing with an instrumental like they did on Ride the Lightning, Metallica elected to remind everyone that mission #1 was to be the heaviest, fastest band on the planet. The album closer kicks off with some echoing sound effects, then launches into Mach 5 (or whatever the highest speed is) for some serious thrash brutality. The lyrics can be seen as Metallica's mission statement, as they call out the trendy glam-metal scene and defy conformity. A perfect ending to a tremendous album.
Song Rating: 10/10

Overall Album Rating: 10/10

"Master of Puppets" live in Long Island, 1986 (w/ Cliff Burton):