Master of Puppets – Retrospective

Master of Puppets – You’ve probably heard of it, be it through being an original thrasher or watching a certain Stranger Things episode. However, the Metallica album of the same name is as golden as the audio-based figurehead, being a cultural and generational icon.

With a track listing of 8, not including any deluxe editions, you get a solid fifty-five minutes of James Hetfield writing. While some tracks (The Thing That Should Not Be, Orion) are a little weaker than the rest, the album makes up for that with songs like Leper Messiah and Disposable Soldiers that are harsh and quick.

While we’re on the topic of Leper Messiah and Disposable Soldiers, songs based around manipulation and lies, it’s worth noting that the entire album was lyrically written in a way that sounds good while speaking about themes like manipulation and control. For example, Sanitarium, my personal favorite of the album, is about a mental patient locked in a sanitarium being mentally abused and eventually revolting, being opposite that of the albums namesake, which leads to the next topic.

Master of Puppets, as a song, is a great song, but in my opinion it’s nowhere near the best. However, I must give it some credit, its A chord intro into the iconic spider riff is an incredible way to start a build up. The instrumental bridge is easily described as legendary, and combined with the subtle anti-drug lyrics the aftermath is a 97 rating on the Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and a number two ranking of the Greatest Metal Albums of All Time, being beaten only by Black Sabbath’s Paranoid.

There are so many aspects to love in this album, despite me naming only a few, and I can’t name all of them as I’m limited by word restrictions, to my disappointment. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t listen to the album yourself, even if you aren’t a fan of Thrash. It’d be a shocker to find a website where you couldn’t find the album, contrary to where you can, so take an hour out of your day to listen to what many consider one of the greatest albums of all time.