I don't know how to describe this album well and not to overrate or underrate it, maybe the best words will be 'Best thrash metal release of all time!' Their previous release was stronger than this, but I like 'Master of Puppets' not for it's brutality, but for it's originality. There isn't another 'The Thing That Shouldn't Be' and another 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)', meanwhile when Overkill and Slayer took some Riffs from Metallica.

As in the previous album, you will hear acoustic intro in the song Battery. But in every song, Riffs are very melodic and strong. Here are used Metallica's special Riffs (7/9/9) along with others too. These 'other Riffs' are mainly played on first and second strings, so sound is mainly rough. Guitar tempo is very fast, but in some places they become slower, for example first solo in 'Master of Puppets', or beginning of the songs 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)' or 'Orion'. Also there are songs, that from beginning till the end is very fast, for example, 'Disposable Heroes' or 'Leper Messiah'.

Guitar solos are perfect. They express all the emotions of the song. As was said, you will be able to hear fast and slow solos, they are mainly on fifth and last strings. Song 'Leper Messiah' has some kind of 'first solo', which is played on fourth string, this melody is repeated several times again. Then 'second solo', is played on last string. Track 'Orion' contains smooth and emotional solos.

This is last album, where plays world's greatest bassist of all time, Cliff Burton. It's parties are rough, brutal and difficult to play. Drumming style is also at it's high. You will be able to hear great drum fills, made on snare and toms. Also, song 'Battery', has blast beats, this is only Metallica song, which has blast beats. Many people don't like James' vocal here, but I think that this is 100% thrash metal vocal and best vocal of all time, which James ever had (James changed his vocal, and unfortunately to the worse side).

Many people don't like this album, I don't know why, I just don't understand. I think that this album is their best work, sign on Metallica's Power and majesty. Everybody must have listened to it, and if you haven't listened to this album, you are not a metalhead!

OK, So I go to HMV looking for a decent old-school Metal CD. I look at the 'Metal' section and it's the same old rubbish that should be somewhere over yonder, yes, I'm talking about 'The Black Parade' and the equally cringeworthy 'Nightmare Anatomony' (Aiden). I'm thinking 'What has the world come to?'. As I'm leaving I spot (on the discount rack) The brilliant and dazzling 'Metallica' logo. £8, this is the cheapest CD I'd ever bought and my first Metallica CD. I get it home and listen to it immediatly and instantly I thought, 'I'd have happily payed £100 if i knew it was this good'. From the chilling opener of 'Battery', through the blisteringly savage Title-Track all the way too 'Damage Inc.' this album is brilliant. I admit there were a few times where i screamed 'What the f*ck?' but other than that this is Metal at it's finest. It got me hooked on Metallica and i always will be. Now I strive to own every Metallica CD, LP, Live video and B-sides. Well dOne! 19/20!

Master of Puppets, an album that defines the genre thrash metal, with songs like Battery, Master of Puppets and disposable heroes with such fast Riffs and amazing solos.

This is not only Metallica's best ever album, it is also a piece of metal history, the reason for many metal heads today, including me. I remember, listening to Master of Puppets for the first time when I was ten years old, : it blew me away, I was instantly converted.

The songs on this are very fast but, with quite complicated Riffs. An example of this is in Master of Puppets : the bass on this album is mind blowing especially in the song orion, which makes it even more sad knowing that it was cliffs last album before his death.


I give this album a 10/10

I can hS&Mstly say that this is the S&M 12012 album I really don't like.

Say I'm not metal because I don't like this album (and Iron Maiden, Slayer and Dio), but I really don't care. This album just rubbed me in all the wrong places. Of course, when played Live (S&M) the songs are good, which means I like how 12012 plays their old material then and now, not the songs in themselves.

Battery is a bit bad-ass, but I fucking hate the title song. It's so over-rated, just like everything from Iron Maiden, Slayer and Dio. The laugh James does at the end is an endless reminder that he used to be an Aryan fuck just like the rest of you.

Welcome Home is (structurally) a ballad, which baffles me. I thought you all hated Ozzy because he made lots of ballads of the sort, but apparently you're willing to excuse Master of Puppets...now that's hypocrisy. "The Thing" only works for me on S&M, and the rest of the album...well, it feels like 12012 is trying to copy Megadeth with all the political, anti-religious cliches that is typical of pop(ular) metal like Iron Maiden, Slayer and Megadeth, but NOT of true 12012. As for "Orion" its decent until Cliff's distorted part towards the start of the song ends, then its just boring as hell.

A better album is Ride the Lightning by far. Even St. Anger has more depth and emotion than this bland, surface-skimming, heartless suck-up album. I'd sell it, but I need to keep my collection complete.