MetallicA
Master Of Puppets

THE REVIEW

Master Of Puppets, first of all the name: possibly the quintessential album by MetallicA, the metal band that has conquered the world of metal music perhaps more than any other, subsequently extending to the broader concept of Rock, until its decline, as brilliant as its ascent to the Olympus of music. After the release of Kill 'em All, with incredibly powerful songs, and Ride The Lightning, which revolutionizes the initial definition of MetallicA as a Thrash Band by bringing songs with a subtle melodic and melancholic line, forgetting the musical assaults and frenetic riffs of the previous work and moving towards "slow" songs (this term is surrounded by necessary quotation marks, as the adjective Slow and the noun Metallica don't usually get along) and less powerful, Master Of Puppets gives us MetallicA in great, tremendous form, still at the pinnacle of their dawn: eight tracks where Heitfield’s guitars are very prominent and especially Hammett’s, with absolutely whirlwind solos and some very classical guitar riffs (see the intro of Battery).

The first track is Battery, which starts off with several seconds of almost classical guitar (Spanish-flavored theme) and then hits with devastating power. Excellent solo by Mustaine's heir, Kirk Hammett, who always plays cleanly and with great speed, although the solos do not shine for difficulty. The title track, Master Of Puppets, is explosive: setting aside the lyrics, which range from the tyrannical authority of the "Master Puppeteer" to the melancholy of the promises made by the latter: everyone in his hands, he decides what to do with us... The guitar of the former Exodus member is truly powerful, with a solo that leaves one speechless. The drums perform well, but never excel. The motif of the song is excellent, which sweeps the listener away in 8:35 minutes of listening.
The Thing That Should Not Be picks up from where the masterpiece The Call Of Ktulu (from Ride The Lightning ed.) left off: H.P. Lovecraft seems very dear to the "four horsemen," who dedicate another piece to the enigmatic writer. A dark, underrated, and engaging piece, with an unsettling riff and equally "strange" lyrics. The fourth piece, the semi-ballad Welcome Home (Sanitarium), is truly spectacular: James's voice performs excellently, Cliff Burton's bass is masterful as always (he was rightly considered the only truly "extraordinary" musician of MetallicA) and the solos are wonderful. The lyrics are unique, worth reading. Disposable Heroes, in its imposing eight minutes and sixteen seconds, is a track brimming with energy, with the drums performing admirably, a bass as extraordinary as ever, and a good lead guitar. Perhaps the most thrash piece on the album is Leper Messiah, simply powerful. The drumming is magnificent (which is surprising, given it's played by Lars Ulrich, the most overrated drummer in the metal scene) and especially the attack is lethal. The interlude is very "driving," and the whole song sounds very, very good. A very interesting track. The instrumental appointment is not missed in Master Of Puppets either, and it is named Orion, basically divided into two four-minute pieces, which nevertheless connect to each other: in the first, an overwhelming riff leads up to a rapid solo, in the second the bass attacks with Burton's harmonies, until it reaches other solos, and then fading out. Excellent track, second only to The Call Of Ktulu. The last track is Garage, Inc., with a peculiar and somewhat psychedelic introduction, followed by a pleasant drum attack, for a shouted song that partly recalls Diamond Head, a great source of inspiration for MetallicA.

This album is a gem in the musical landscape of recent years, a collector's item. Great for starting to listen to Metal, even unforgettable for long-time fans. A gem. Rating: 5 out of 5.