Albums Revisited: Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’ Turns 30: celebrating the most iconic thrash masterpiece on its 30th anniversary.
March 3rd, 2016 marks a major anniversary milestone for metal. On that same date in 1986, Metallica unleashed Master of Puppets, the album that brought thrash metal into the mainstream.
While much has been made (ok, debated) about grunge killing off hair metal in the 90’s, thrash music laid the groundwork, making cock rock look anemic by comparison. And Puppets led the charge, showing a ferocity more in line with punk than butt rock, but with a technical precision lacking in either genre.
This helped tremendously with crossover appeal. While I was firmly into Punk, New Wave and Goth in high school, Puppets blew me away and spurned an interest in metal that continues to this day.
Metallica’s edgy introspective nature proved they weren’t just for metal heads (fitting given their fondness for groups like The Misfits and Killing Joke).
Puppets was their major label début on Elektra, building on the strength of indie releases Kill’em All and Ride The Lightning. It was also their first album written without Dave Mustaine, who had been sacked in 1983 (and would return as a competitor with 85’s Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! and its 86 follow up Peace Sells…but Who’s Buying?)
Recorded in drummer Lars Ulrich’s native Denmark with producer Flemming Rasmussen, it showed a sharp focus on musicianship, with both Ulrich and guitarist Kirk Hammett taking music lessons for extra precision, and frontman James Hetfield digging deep for thought-provoking lyrical content.
His lyrics tackled a grab bag of societal issues plaguing the 80’s, including drug abuse (title track), repugnant televangelism (Leper Messiah), and the emotional scars of post-Vietnam America (Disposable Heroes), delivered with an improved vocal technique over previous efforts.
The band’s dexterous dynamics were a revelation: Hammett’s blisteringly fast solos on tracks like Damage, Inc. are jaw dropping, along with Hatfield’s carpal tunnel riffing. Even Ulrich, often mocked for sloppy drumming, was at the peak of his powers.
But Puppet’s secret weapon is late bassist Cliff Burton, arguably the most important metal bass player since Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris. He gave a sinewy connective tissue to the group’s whiplash inducing compositions.
This included his nimble playing over the title track’s delicate middle section and the moody instrumental Orion. That song featured him at his eclectic best: using a wah-wah pedal at the intro (a rarity among bassists) and playing not one, but two bass solos during its near 9-minute running time.
Even thirty years Master of Puppets still sounds vibrant and thrilling. But it remains a bittersweet affair given Burton’s tragic death at the age of 24 on the group’s following tour.
This would make him a near-mythic figure for band and fan alike, giving his successor Jason Newsted a thankless task, bullied for simply not being Cliff–as shown by his absent bass tracks on 1989 follow-up …And Justice For All.
For many, Masters isn’t just Metallica’s best album–but the best thrash release period, competing only with Slayer’s Reign For Blood for the crown.
It showed demanding musicianship that would be jettisoned for traditional hard rock dynamics on 1991’s polarizing Black Album. But I’ll save that controversial discussion for its 25th anniversary this August.
What are your favorite memories from Master of Puppets? Tell me your thoughts on its 30th anniversary in the comments.
Own ‘Back To The Front’ the ‘Puppets’ 30th Anniversary Commerative Book and ‘Master of Puppets’ album or CD via Amazon below.
