Before you begin to read this article, I’d like you to take a moment to think. If you can, try to imagine just how much music has been produced in the past fifty years. I’d like it if you could try to put that enormous amount of material into some kind of comprehensible perspective. If you can’t, I’ll save you a potential migraine and tell you now – there is a lot of it. One hell of a lot. It’s because of this - and because of the disappointingly acceptable level of mediocrity in music we’ve become accustomed to - that bands that have actually made a significant impact upon the world have become fewer and further apart. The number of artists that have had the talent and virtuosity to individually re-invent (or create) an entire genre of music is abysmally small. And rarer still, is finding an album alone that has such an influence.

Rewind to 1985. There’s a swelling musical movement emanating from San Francisco’s infamous Bay Area known as ‘thrash metal’. Young musicians are eagerly indulging in this new found sound, and swarms of teenage fans are relishing the cacophonous produce. Primarily drawing influence from the recently passed New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, bands like Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth are releasing titanic albums that lay the foundations for a previously esoteric genre to flourish.

As this influx of paramount material is unleashed in the short space of a few months, current metal pioneers Metallica are penning fresh material to follow their previous, hugely successful album "Ride The Lightning". With a fresh determination to set about conceiving a prodigious masterpiece, the metallic foursome endure a writing and recording process that lasts for way more than six months. However, what they were very unaware of at the time was that the music they were putting together in their small Swedish studio would not just change the band, but change the face of metal itself forever. The album would become one of the most accomplished metal albums ever made.


The first two seconds of "Master of Puppets" is enough to send shivers down your spine. ‘Battery’ – the album’s first track – opens with slow, layered acoustic guitar work, and there’s something subtly deliberate about the bass-heavy introduction that makes it so chilling. The acoustics mellow and swell until dozens of guitars are playing simultaneously and the band collectively explode into climatic electric heaven. Kirk Hammett welcomes us accordingly into the album with a powerful, galloping riff that instils a certain realisation into the listener; that this album is going to be damn good. The guitars are crushingly rapacious, the drums are dynamic and the thick, heavy bass powers the entire band forward. Soon, James Hetfield’s vocals accompany but there is something different. Hetfield’s voice has a much darker quality, and there seems to be an injection of animosity and malice that was absent on previous albums. Gone are the days of the high-pitched coarseness that featured on "Kill ‘Em All" and the hoarse barks produced on "Ride The Lightning". Whilst Hetfield’s vocals have not fully matured yet, (this happens around "The Black Album") there are significant differences that mark his vocal progression.

‘Battery’ - a fast, gritty barrage of metal and concludes after five minutes of impressive drum work by Lars Ulrich, and a blistering but intricate guitar solo drowned in the infamous "wah wah" effect. It’s immediately clear Hammett is sticking it to critics by maintaining the use of his beloved pedal despite the common criticism he receives of his ‘overuse’ of the effect. This is an early testament to how Metallica play the music they want to play, no questions asked.

With the start of the next track comes a notable transition - between Metallica; a young band with nothing but a mountain of potential - and Metallica; the pinnacle of musical immaculacy.



The listener is pounded with four strong power chords enveloped in distortion, and the album’s title track begins. ‘Master of Puppets’ is an eight and a half minute epic that is revered by fans as a milestone in the history of metal. The song features some of the meanest, thrashiest downpicking ever recorded and the Hetfield/Hammett guitar pair encompass both melody and brute force into their riffs. Along with ‘Orion’, an instrumental track that features later in the album, the title track is an apt demonstration of the band’s orchestral song writing ability. Moreover, the song explores lyrical themes Metallica hadn’t dared to touch in the past – where the Metallica from 1983 would write about maniacal stage tendencies and killing ‘em all, three years later the band have matured, and this maturity is reflected in Hetfield’s accomplished lyricism. Here, he writes to discredit the use of drugs and alcohol; the song was put together at the time of a drastic social change. This was the "Cocaine Epidemic" of the 1980s. At its peak the disparagement of drug use in commercial media had become increasingly prolific. "Master of Puppets" depicts an addict’s hell, and having battled major issues with alcoholism himself, Hetfield unleashes his demons in what still stands as a mind-blowing masterpiece. Following a mellow, clean interlude that alters the pace of the song with impeccable timing, the song comes to its climatic resolution with its infamous chorus of echoing laughter and the album slides neatly into its next song.

What follows is ‘The Thing That Should Not Be’; possibly the most brutally dense song Metallica have ever written. As Jason Newsted (the band’s future bassist) describes it, “It’s probably the heaviest number known to mankind.” Telling the putrid story of an underwater sea creature, the song reflects the theme perfectly – drop tuned guitars and obscure, ominous riffs create an unnerving atmosphere that almost personify the ugly, twisted beast sliding along the seabed. It’s a truly inspired composition which, in itself, serves as a hint back to Ride The Lightning’s mythical epic ‘The Call of Kthulu’, conveying Hetfield’s apparent intrigue for Lovecraftian mysteries and imaginative lyrical diversification.

Much like the album’s predecessor, "Master of Puppets" features an impressive instrumental track, which follows. ‘Orion’ is the musical brainchild of bassist Cliff Burton, who grew up studying musical theory intensely for a number of years and establishing for himself extensive musical and compositional knowledge, which allowed the band to further stretch their wings in composition terms. This is one of the reasons why "Master of Puppets" is regarded as such an epic; the band had developed an infallible awareness of the importance of song structure, and there are many points throughout the album where one could pinpoint similarities between Metallica and a full classical orchestra. ‘Orion’ is the most prominent of these points. The song’s introduction is mesmerising, comprised of layers of slow, thick bass notes and what could only be hours of work on processing in the studio that creates a truly unique sound. The song progresses, and after warm, intricate six-string interplay between Hetfield and Hammett, the song comes to a seemingly conclusive end. But the song hasn’t finished, and out of the silence comes a Burton bass figure, both bluesy and classical, delicate and subtle, which establishes immediately a moody atmosphere. Then, an alluring, arching guitar pattern is introduced into the mix and Metallica delightfully continue their mysteriously inveigling masterpiece.
The song is abstruse, it’s complex, and it’s indomitably majestic. Ultimately, ‘Orion’ is simply awe-inspiring.


‘Welcome Home (Sanitarium)’ is by far one of the best tracks on the album. Hailed as a Metallica classic since its inception, the track has become one of Metallica’s most popular live choices, standing as a credible fan favourite. Adopting the narrative of a suicidal and unstable inmate of a (seemingly) fictional mental institution. Hetfield’s lyricism epitomises creativity – and there’s a sombre moodiness that gives the song depth and meaning sometimes devoid amongst thrash metal numbers. Evolving from cleanly picked single strings, haunting harmonics and soft, meditative vocals, the song progresses into powerful, fast tremolo picking and there develops raw, genuine anger in Hetfield’s malicious cries. This song doesn’t just encourage listeners to headbang along – it encourages listeners to think - and it’s this depth, this convoluted writing ability, this aptitude for developing myriads of layers, meanings and feelings to their music that has established "Master of Puppets" as one of the greatest albums to grace the metal genre.



But Metallica’s stance as one of history’s finest thrash metal bands really shines with the ear-blistering track ‘Disposable Heroes’ – a song that incorporates flurries of low-end chugging and sheer instrumental dexterity, resulting in eight minutes of metal-fuelled pandemonium. And whilst you may be forgiven for thinking differently, the track does manage to maintain both melody and structure faultlessly - the distorted chaos is an expertly conceived arrangement. ‘Disposable Heroes’, like the title track, is a testament to Metallica’s new found maturity, as the song tells the story of a 21-year-old soldier forced into combat in a World World One-like environment. Hetfield has chosen a powerful, efficacious theme to explore and it’s a wake-up call to some extent. It’s evident from this point that Metallica can address very present and very real issues, which says tremendous amounts about how their outlook has broadened and how they have changed as people. Hetfield has developed strong social opinions, and like all great lyricists, has no issue expressing criticism where he feels it is due.



However, Hetfield has always done this both judiciously and effectively. Stripped of the guitars, amps and band members, James Hetfield is a poet. Since taking up the pen for Metallica in 1981, he has developed a poignant and emotive writing ability. The pinnacle of his work (in this writer’s opinion, at least) lies within the album’s next offering - ‘Leper Messiah’. In this relatively short track, Hetfield slams contemporary celebrity culture and develops vivid, analogical imagery; likening money-hungry TV evangelists and corporate identities to infected and diseased beings. The song invokes an aura of sickness and decay, with phrases such as “infection is the game”, “rotting your brain”, and “spreading his disease” - the lyrics emphasise the explicit concept of corruption in the song. The ‘Leper Messiah’ stands as an extended metaphor for (most likely) record companies and music corporations; organisations that work under deceitful, corrupt ethics. It’s impressive work, and ‘Leper Messiah’ is where the album excels most when it comes to lyricism. Hetfield’s poetic craftsmanship envelops itself around a set of dark, menacing riffs that entice the listener to nod along; it’s essentially inescapable. Hammett rounds the song off suitably with a rapid solo based around an E minor arpeggio, which does an impressive job of truly showcasing the dexterity Hammett possesses with a guitar. With its final destructive beat, ‘Leper Messiah’ comes to a crushing conclusion.

Like all good performances and stage acts, "Master of Puppets" goes out with a bang. The final track on the album, ‘Damage, Inc.’ still boasts a breathtaking rapidness, with loud, growled vocals spat out at high speed and breakneck guitar and drum work. However, the chaotic revelry is far from immediate, with an introduction similar to ‘Orion’ – again penned by Burton – which fades in as dreamy bass chords and hypnagogic harmonies. The atmosphere created is surreal, but nothing short of genius. After nearly a minute and a half, the bass swells to a deep, almost malicious growl that builds an uneasy tension and the band strikes, erupting explosively into ‘Damage, Inc’. The vocal lines are far from laboured and can become quite catchy which is surprising for thrash metal. More than once, the band pauses as a unit to plunge the listener into silence, only to have Hetfield – with an undeniable air of audacious conviction - whisper “Damage Incorporated…” before once again exploding into their assiduous attack. It’s spine-tingling poison.

Smashing through the boundaries

Metallica finally released "Master of Puppets" to the world on March 3, 1986, almost twelve months after its conception. It was met with a raucous response from the media and critics, being hailed as one of the finest albums of all time. Reviews consistently confirmed Master’s transcendency and sales were at an all time high – the album peaked at number 29 on the US album chart the same month. Prestigious music reviewers (Kerrang!, AllMusic, RollingStone, Q, for example) didn’t once deviate from a five-star rating.

As a group, Metallica were on an all time high. They were experiencing exposure like never before and Master of Puppets eventually sold over 500,000 copies without the benefit of a radio single or music video, certifying it as US Gold. The foursome felt on top of the world that they were beginning to conquer.

Following the album’s release, Metallica joined classic rocker Ozzy Osbourne on tour and set about travelling America to promote their killer material. The response the giant crowds gave was both invigorating and inspirational for them as the audiences revelled in the brand new material. Pumped with a new found exaltation and excitement, Metallica surged forward through the year into the European leg of their own tour; dubbed the “Damage Incorporated Tour”.

Already their touring frivolities had been plagued, injuries to James Hetfield’s wrist – induced by skateboarding accidents – forced guitar technician John Marshall to step into the rhythm guitarist role, leaving Hetfield performing solely vocal duties. Despite this, morale in the Metallica camp was high, especially after ten UK shows joined by fellow Bay-Area thrash band Anthrax – a metal fan’s dream. As Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian recollects, “The crowds were crazy and we really felt as if there was something happening. The energy was palpable.”


After a round of impressive performances in the UK, Metallica parted ways with Anthrax and set their targets for Sweden, where the next leg of their European tour lay. The show in Stockholm saw Hetfield reoccupying the role of rhythm guitarist, performing superbly and proving to the crowd his riffing capabilities had returned to top form. Also exceeding live expectations was Cliff Burton, who – in addition to his typically profound bass solo – performed a version of ‘The Star Spangled Banner’, leaving the audience suitably astounded. Following another successful show, the Metallica team set off for Copenhagen with high spirits.

End of passion play

Adhering to the paths of several minor roads, the Metallica convoy ploughed on through the night, experiencing sub-zero temperatures and utter darkness – treacherous conditions for their inadequately built tour bus.

At about 6:30am on Saturday, September 27, a violent skid caused the bus to drift to the right side of the road, which forced the driver to veer left to in order to correct. He overcompensated and, after a distressing skid which reportedly lasted more than 20 seconds, the bus came to a halt - tipped onto its right side.

Pandemonium. Utter chaos hit the scene as band and crew members frantically struggled to exit the bus. After a minute or two, the bus was empty, and it became an easy matter to assess the escapees who stood startled in the bitter outdoors. Kirk and James suffered only minor flesh wounds. Lars had broken his toe, but was otherwise okay.

It took no time at all before the small, freezing cold congregation had begun shouting and pointing, gathering round the bottom edge of the tour bus. Unable to see what the cause of the commotion was, a concerned James Hetfield moved closer.

Two frail legs protruded from beneath the numbingly heavy tour bus. They were covered with a small protective blanket. There was someone was trapped beneath the overturned vehicle. It was 24-year-old Cliff Burton. He was dead.



After Master of Puppets

Many profess that if Burton hadn’t died, Metallica’s career would have followed a very different path.

For this author at least, there is an abundance of truth in this. The remaining threesome were forced to endure a horrific grieving process that they feel - even to this day – never truly ended. Drinking and boozing nearly every waking hour in order to fog their inescapable sorrow, Metallica had become truly broken brothers. Not only had they lost a magnificent musician, they had lost their best friend. And this loss changed them dramatically, both as musicians and as people.

But either way, following the undue disaster, Metallica were left in the wake of an album that was already being hailed as a masterpiece – the press was frenzied. But now the music had a much more haunting quality, with listeners knowing "Master of Puppets" is the last work of a departed virtuoso, the album serves as a fitting tribute.


Even today, the legacy lives on. Almost 25 years since its release, "Master of Puppets" is still considered to be one of the best metal albums of all time – eclipsing the subordinate ‘thrash metal’ tag. If any metal fan was to list their favourite albums ever, Master of Puppets would feature in an overwhelming majority. Guaranteed.

In a 2007 list published by internet media site IGN, the album was ranked as number 1 amongst “The Top 25 Metal Albums” - surpassing every metal album of all time – an illustrious token of the album’s scope of influence. In a more recent 2010 poll conducted by MusicRadar, Master was again voted the number 1 best heavy metal album of all time, earning more than 20% of votes cast and beating Iron Maiden’s iconic “The Number of the Beast” to the top spot. Moreover, in Guitar World’s 2006 poll, Master Of Puppets placed as the fourth greatest guitar album of all time – that’s every musical release ever. Impressive. And again, in a ranking of “The Greatest Riffs Of All Time” put together by Total Guitar magazine, the main riff from the album’s title track was awarded number 1 place.

It’s clear that the guitar work on the album is a deific testament to the band’s musical artistry. It’s said an entire generation of guitarists was spawned through Master of Puppets' influence – but with such impressive riffing and soloing, who wouldn’t want to pick up a guitar in hope of emulating the Hetfield/Hammett wizardy? It’s incredible stuff. Vocalist and guitarist Robb Flynn of Machine Head said that when conceiving his band's 2007 effort, The Blackening, "What we mean is an album that has the power, influence and epic grandeur of that album [Master of Puppets] – and the staying power - a timeless record like that".

Serving as a humbling yet powerful symbol of musical sovereignty, Kerrang! compiled a "Master of Puppets" tribute album, which featured some of the forerunners of modern day metal covering songs from the album as a sign of respect for the album’s magnificence. Machine Head, Trivium, Bullet For My Valentine, Mendeed, Chimaira, Mastodon, Fightstar and Funeral For A Friend all contributed their versions of a song on the album, making up an entire Master Of Puppets cover record – just one of the thousands of tributes that have been recorded since 1986.

Whether it’s through these tribute CDs, the inception of new artists, generations of directly inspired musicians or quite simply the giant number of sales, it’s clear that Master of Puppets has earned its rightful place in music history. A small but consistently exceptional collection of music, the album stands strong amongst the titans of the genre - often usurping even the best of the best. Master Of Puppets manipulated the way that future metal would sound, as bands tried to emulate their meteoric release, sophistication and complex, structured writing processes became commonplace, replacing the play-as-loud-and-fast-as-we-can mantra that thrash metal previously sported. Metal changed for the better.

Paving the way for thousands of music acts to follow, Master Of Puppets has done work that even the most iconic of music careers would struggle to accomplish.

It has changed the face of metal forever.
Period.